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PRINCETON — The numbers are staggering.
The Princeton University sprint football program has lost 75 games in a row. That is, if you discount the victory over a VMI club team seven years ago — which you must.
The truth is, the week before the Tigers beat up on some fraternity guys in Virginia they lost to Navy 98-0. That happens to be Princeton's worst loss, though it did lose to Penn 91-13 when this senior class was freshmen.
Two years ago the Tigers lost to Penn 70-0 and Navy 67-0, and five years back they lost to Navy 83-0.
Three years ago, the Tigers were outscored 350-17 over six games.
A member of the Collegiate Sprint Football League, Princeton's last legitimate victory was in 1999, 12-7 over Cornell — which happens to be tonight's opponent up there.
The CSFL is comprised of five teams, including Cornell, Penn, Navy and Army. The league was formed in 1934 as the Eastern 150-pound Football League. Rutgers, Villanova, Yale and Lafayette joined the three current Ivy League teams when the game was referred to as lightweight football.
The name was changed in 1998, and the weight limit eventually was raised to 172, which it is now.
The changes haven't changed Princeton's success much, although the program won six straight titles between 1937 and 1942. There have been 17 winless seasons, starting with an 0-4 campaign in 1931. Its last winning season was 1989.
Comprised of 32 players, the team is currently 0-2. But coaches and players feel that elusive victory is right around the corner. Then again, so might be another mugging.
"I feel like we should go 5-0 the rest of the way," offered senior John Wolfe of Massachusetts, who plays on the defensive line and tight end. After tonight's game, the team is home the next two Fridays against Post and Franklin Pierce. The Tigers finish the season at Army and at Penn (Nov. 2).
"This is without a doubt the most talented and deepest team I've been part of," Wolfe said. "The length of the streak adds to the weight of each game, but I think once the end comes, I think it's gonna be, for me and most of these guys, the biggest win they've ever been part of."
The game is played by regular college rules, home games are at Princeton Stadium, with the most evident difference being the speed of the game. With little trans fat on these guys, a defensive lineman can turn around and chase down a running back downfield.
"One of the reassuring things is," Wolfe said, "we don't have 300-pound linemen that are falling on the back of our knees."
But they do have the weight of defeat. This class, for example, has lost 22 straight.
Two weeks ago they lost to Mansfield 23-16. Two years ago they lost to Mansfield 10-6.
"Obviously getting beat and looking ugly is terrible and horrible," said Kees Thompson of San Diego, a senior WR/DB. "But it's the games we let slip through our fingers; those are the ones that stick with you. Those are the games you remember."
"Those are the ones you lose sleep over," said Ben Foulon, senior linemen from Maryland.
In fairness, Princeton is at a disadvantage in terms of roster numbers. The league maximum is 65 players, and most of its opponents achieve that.
The academies do.
And teams like Mansfield, Post and Franklin Pierce only field sprint football teams, so guys from all over campus try out. Sometimes they even cut players.
Head coach Steve Everette, in his second year and a former head coach at Princeton High School — where he still teaches — is as determined as anyone to turn the program around.
"We generally get guys who were always told they were too small to play, or their parents wouldn't let them play because they had to study so they could get here. We've had kids who didn't even know what a three-point stand was. Some of the kids come and don't know the rules. But we take 'em any way we can get them."
Two-thirds of his roster, he said, is Engineering majors, and he is well aware of the demands on his players away from the field. Therefore he is lenient when a player has to study or was up until 3 a.m. doing just that.
"Guys can show up late in situations like that," Everette said from his windowless office one floor below Jadwin Gym and two floors below where major sports coaches have their separate offices. "It's OK. We're not cut-throat. For our guys, playing is fulfilling a dream. Do wins and losses matter? Yes, but it's so much less important than it is for the guys upstairs. For our guys, this is a small part of the equation.
"My guys aren't worried about football like a recruited athlete. They're worried about running the world one day."
Until then the Tigers continue to run a one-back offense with two tight ends and two wide receivers.
Other times they're in the shotgun.
Defensively it's a 3-3-5, where, Everette said, "We're ridiculously aggressive.
"My defensive coordinator, if you let him, he'll blitz 94 percent of the time. We try and do things that are fun. Let's line up, let's penetrate, let's angle and chase people."
What they don't want to chase is one particular college football record. In 1998, Prairie View ended an 80-game losing streak.
Still, that pales in comparison to the NCAA losing streak record for all sports. From 1996 into 2007, Cal Tech's men's basketball team lost 207 straight games.
"It's in the back of our minds," Thompson said about the steady losing and being part of the streak. "We're not trying to win any harder. Losing always hurts, but we're just trying to win. That's what football teams do."
"It is kind of a big deal," Wolfe said. "It's definitely kind of a monkey we have to get off our back. I know I've never been part of a hungrier team. I've seen a lot of people come and go and graduate who were positive they were going to be the ones that broke the streak. They were sure and I was sure.
"It's tough to see them move on without anything to show for it. We just don't want to be in the same boat when we're out of here. Every week gets a little longer, and that's something definitely to think about."
None of them realized when they committed to Princeton that they would be able to still play the sport.
When they did, it almost was a happier feeling than being accepted into the Ivy League school.
"My senior year in high school, I didn't think I'd ever play again," said Thompson, majoring in Public Policy. "I knew I'd walk on to some sport here, but I didn't know what. Then I found out about sprint, and I could have a second opportunity to play football. It's been a blessing, and I've been playing ever since."
Foulon, a Chemistry major, broke his ankle senior year in high school and stood on crutches watching his team lose its final game.
"Finding out about this was just amazing," he said. "Actually, in an ironic way, I actually consider myself lucky that I'm able to play for something this meaningful."
Senior Sean Conrad, a Sociology major from Los Angeles, was recruited to Princeton as a running back. After playing JV as a freshman, he never did get to play in a game.
He decided to join the sprint team this year and already leads the league in rushing.
"This is my last chance to play," said Conrad, who had to shed close to 40 pounds to qualify. "This is really a motivated team. The losing makes them work even harder; they want to win even more."
And if they do? What then? How do you finally throw 75 games to the ground and stomp them? Jump into Lake Carnegie? Run naked down Nassau Street?
"No comment," Thompson said with a smile.
"We'll get back to you," Foulon said.
Wolfe, perhaps because he is studying psychology, said he has dreamed about the game where the streak comes to an end.
"I can't even imagine how it could materialize," he said, staring at the floor. "It would be too surreal."
It would be staggering.

subset: commoncrawl


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Although officials estimate there are 80,000 low-income adults in the New Orleans area without health insurance who should be eligible for a program that provides primary care benefits, only about 53,500 people enrolled as of September. Clinic leaders across the region credit the so-called Greater New Orleans Community Health Connection with helping them provide necessary primary care for people...
Although officials estimate there are 80,000 low-income adults in the New Orleans area without health insurance who should be eligible for a program that provides primary care benefits, only about 53,500 people enrolled as of September. Clinic leaders across the region credit the so-called Greater New Orleans Community Health Connection with helping them provide necessary primary care for people who would otherwise be uninsured.
But there is no doubt that fewer people are being helped by the current program than were being taken care of by an earlier $100 million federal grant.
Dr. Karen DeSalvo, the New Orleans health commissioner, said the infusion of federal money helped local clinic leaders rapidly expand their operations in the years after Hurricane Katrina, when the services provided by the LSU public hospital system were limited. DeSalvo said the clinics tried to emphasize quality, for example, setting up a system of clinics with connected electronic medical records.
"Clinics went from urgent care stations to having recognition as high-quality primary care medical homes," she said.
The grant was also more flexible than the GNOCHC waiver that replaced it in 2010. The new three-year, $97.5 million program came with many of the restrictions of the federal Medicaid program. This meant that fewer people have gotten coverage under the waiver, DeSalvo said.
For example, while the grant paid the non-profit clinics to treat patients who couldn't prove they are U.S. citizens, that isn't the case under the waiver in place now. Additionally, clinics ended up treating a small portion of patients who lived outside the four-parish area under the grant, something that isn't allowed under the waiver, DeSalvo said.
However, these differences don't explain why more than 26,000 people who should be eligible for GNOCHC coverage haven't signed up for benefits, which include primary care and mental health treatment. Several clinic leaders said they aren't quite sure why more uninsured people haven't gotten coverage.
But they noted that many of their uninsured patients haven't qualified. Michael Griffin, president of the Daughters of Charity health centers, said only about 50 percent of the clinic's uninsured population has qualified, far less than originally anticipated.
Despite those hiccups, the program must be considered a success, Griffin said. He noted that the state and federal government agreed to divvy up any money left over from the annual $30 million pot at the end of the year between participating clinics, which helps them make ends meet.
Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals officials couldn't provide an explanation for why not as many people have qualified as providers expected, saying the clinics are in the best position to assess the situation.
"They know this population better than anyone, and they should be able to adjust their business processes accordingly to have a reasonable expectation of how and how often they will provide care," the agency said in a statement.
Bethany Bultman with the New Orleans' Musicians Clinic said only 400 of the center's 2,400 patients ended up being covered under the waiver. Although the clinic helps patients fill out the application, Bultman said the clinic isn't notified if the person is rejected, making it difficult to follow up.
Many musicians operate within a cash-based economy. Some don't pay taxes, Bultman noted. Without required paperwork, they can't prove they fall within the program's income restriction of families who make no more than 200 percent of poverty.
For Bultman, it's been very frustrating. Under the original grant, Bultman said her clinic ramped up the services provided, making sure the musicians and others who frequent her clinic received comprehensive care.
"It meant that everybody that came in would get diagnosed much earlier for chronic conditions," she said. "I felt like we changed a health care pattern."
Bultman said she keeps the clinic afloat by soliciting money from people who want to support New Orleans musicians.
DHH in its statement said the agency has streamlined the administrative process for the waiver, which has made it easier for people to enroll.
"We are now seeing enrollment increase as providers and potential recipients become more knowledgeable about GNOCHC and how to access the program," the statement said.
Pam Holm, director of primary care for the NO/AIDS Task Force, reported her clinic had a better experience with the GNOCHC waiver. At one point, about 30 to 35 percent of clinic patients, who are all HIV positive, were enrolled in the program.
"I think it's been fairly successful," she said.
More recently, the clinic has begun to rely less on the GNOCHC program by shifting patients to another, more comprehensive insurance program made available through the federal health overhaul.
The law created a federal insurance plan for people with pre-existing conditions, like HIV, and the clinic has been able to hook patients up with federal funds to pay their premiums and deductibles, Holm said. Those funds are also restricted to lower income people with HIV.
See related story: Jindal administration resists expansion of Medicaid despite success of New Orleans-area program.


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Anne Blumberg, 85, who once worked in the Philadelphia office of Warner Bros., died May 22.
The former Anne Besterman, for the past six years she was a resident of Delray Beach, Fla.
Blumberg was a Philadelphia native and Olney High School alumnus. Prior to her marriage of 29 years to Irving Blumberg, she worked at Warner Bros.; then raised her family in Oreland, and handled the books of the various rental properties that she owned.
Throughout her years in Oreland, she was very active in Keneseth Israel's synagogue life.
In her later years, she was a volunteer at Abington Hospital and Because We Care, a food and gifts service that is supported by the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Blumberg is survived by a daughter, Gail Lewenberg; a son, Gus Blumberg; stepdaughter Ellie Davis; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.


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About this book
Updated to Newscoop 3.5.2
The Newscoop 3 Cookbook is a work in progress and open to your input. Dedicated to Open Source software development, Sourcefabric believes that the software and its documentation are open to the community. The more contributors add to the products, the more errors get caught and fixed, the more features are implemented. We also believe that software improves from good documentation, and documentation improves with the wide use of software.
If you experience the Newscoop 3 Cookbook in its printed form, it might be difficult to see how this book is open to your contribution. If you have come across the Newscoop 3 Cookbook online at FLOSS Manuals, you might get a better idea about how you can participate in improving this documentation. Register, log in and add your knowledge, use cases, your code snippets, comments and best practices to make this a better publication. Working with the online book production platform Booki, the content of this book is continuously evolving. Chances are, the latest PDF, ePub or the online version on the site http://www.flossmanuals.net contains more details than the printed copy.
"All work and no play..." - the Newscoop Cookbook team at work.
Sourcefabric started this publication with a one-week Book Sprint in Schloss Neuhausen, Germany, two hours north of Berlin. Authors for the Newscoop 3 Cookbook include (in reverse alphabetical order): Holman Romero, Ljuba Ranković, Lucian Marin, Micz Flor, Alexei Danilchuk and Douglas Arellanes. Our facilitator, chef, sprintmaster, captain and all-around make-it-happen person was Adam Hyde of FLOSS Manuals. Thanks also go to Katerina Michailidis for her logistical support and to Daniel James for copy and style editing.
If you contribute to this book, you may also want to add yourself as an author here...


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD warns that catalytic converter thefts are on the rise, with thieves selling the parts to scrap yards for $100 to $150.
However, the cost is much more to motorists, who have to tow their cars to a repair shop and have the part replaced.
Since 1975, all vehicles produced in the United States must have a catalytic converter as part of the exhaust system.
The catalytic converter is an emissions-control device that contains precious metals that act as catalysts. When hot exhaust enters the converter, a chemical reaction occurs that renders toxic gases, such as carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons, into less harmful emissions.
With the price of precious metals skyrocketing, thieves are helping themselves to catalytic converters that contain enough platinum, palladium or rhodium to make it worth the risk to cut it from the underbelly of your vehicle. You might become aware that your catalytic converter has been stolen when your vehicle starts with a gravelly roar.
Stolen catalytic converters are sold to scrap yards for around $100 to $150, but the cost to your business could be much bigger. There's the hassle of a vehicle that can't be safely driven, as well as the expense of having it towed to a local repair shop and getting the part replaced.
Catalytic converter thefts typically happen to vehicles that are parked for prolonged periods in large lots, such as shopping centers, mass transit commuter lots or company parking lots.
Vehicles that sit higher from the ground, such as trucks, pick-ups and SUVs, are particularly vulnerable to catalytic converter theft because thieves can slide underneath without having to jack up the vehicle to gain access to the converter. With just a few cuts of a battery-powered saw, the catalytic converter can be stolen in less than a minute.
This last method was illustrated in a 2010 incident in which a Concord woman had a catalytic converter swiped from her truck while she was sleeping. The thieves sawed the catalytic converter clean off the bottom of the vehicle."My truck was so loud, it sounded like a monster truck," the woman told the Advance at the time. That sound led her to look underneath her 1995 Toyota 4Runner and find the damage. The converter had been cut clear off, she said, and whoever did the deed left behind some metal shavings and a discarded bolt.
"They took the whole thing off," she said, adding that she expected her repair bill to run about $400 or $500.
To combat catalytic converter thefts, a number of states have passed laws tightening the restrictions on metal scrap dealers. In many cases, dealers are required to verify the seller's identity with a photo ID and maintain complete records of sellers for 5 years.
To prevent catalytic converter theft, the NYPD says use common sense and follow these tips:
*Always park in well-lighted areas
*At shopping centers and other similar parking lots, park close to the entrance of the building or near the access road where there's a lot of traffic
*If you own or work at a business or factory, park within a fenced area that's busy during the day and secured at night
*Engrave your license plate number on the converter to make it traceable
*Purchase a vehicle security system and make sure it's set to trigger with just the slightest motion
*Visit a local muffler shop and have the converter secured to the vehicle's frame with a hardened steel welded to the frame
*Examine the different types of catalytic converter theft deterrent systems at your local auto parts store or online


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Grand Hotel Misurina - Auronzo di Cadore
Cadore boasts palaces, churches, and beautiful villages, as well as nearby mountaineering, hiking, water sports, and high-quality ski areas with cross-country, downhill, and snowboarding runs. A stay at the Grand Hotel Misurina offers numerous recreational opportunities for all ages and interests.
The Grand Hotel Misurina features refined interiors, a snack bar/deli, and a panoramic restaurant overlooking the lake. The hotel has a wellness center complete with a health club, steam room, sauna, Turkish bath, indoor pool, whirlpool, and a small gym.
All the hotel's spaces have been created to ensure the maximum comfort for adults and children. The smallest guests can have fun in the spacious areas dedicated to children, the park, or the children's club.
With a multilingual staff, the hotel also offers concierge services, a luggage storage, a conference center with 1,614 square feet of meeting space, free WiFi, a complimentary area shuttle, and complimentary parking.
Grand Hotel Misurina - Auronzo di Cadore
Hotel Info: 1-877-214-4288from $59
- Quadruple Room
- Triple Room
- Double Room
- Double or Twin Room, Lake View
- Apartment, 1 Bedroom
- Double Room Single Use
Also popular with travelers from the USA
At a glance
Key facts
Hotel size
- This hotel has 125 rooms
- This hotel is arranged over 5 floors
- Check-in time 3 PM-midnight
- Check-out time is 10 AM
Required at check in
- Credit card or cash deposit required
- Government-issued photo ID required
Travelling with others
- Children (1 years old and younger) stay free when occupying the parent or guardian's room, using existing bedding
- Pets allowed (dogs and cats only) *
- Restrictions apply *
- 1 per room (up to 15 kg)
- Free WiFi in public areas
- Free self parking (limited)
In the hotel
- Free breakfast
- Restaurant
- Bar/lounge
- Snack bar/deli
- Indoor pool
- Fitness facilities
- Full-service spa
- Steam room
- Golfing nearby
- Ski equipment rental shops nearby
- Cross-country skiing nearby
- Downhill skiing nearby
- Snowboarding nearby
- Sauna
- One meeting room
- 24-hour front desk
- Luggage storage
- Multilingual staff
- Elevator/lift
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Television in common areas
In the room
- Minibar
- Private bathroom
- Bathtub or shower
- Bidet
- Free toiletries
- Hair dryer
- Desk
- Phone
- Daily housekeeping
- In-room safe
Special features
Guests can indulge in a pampering treatment at the hotel's full-service spa. Services include massages. The spa is equipped with a sauna, a spa tub, and Turkish bath/hammam.
Guests under 16 years old are not allowed in the spa.
DiningOnsite venue - This restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.
On Site
- Fitness facilities
- Sauna
- Steam room
- Golfing nearby
- Ski equipment rental shops nearby
- Cross-country skiing nearby
- Downhill skiing nearby
- Snowboarding nearby
Grand Hotel Misurina - Auronzo di Cadore's small print
Also known as
- Grand Hotel Misurina Auronzo di Cadore
- Grand Misurina
- Grand Misurina Auronzo di Cadore
- Grand Hotel Misurina
All guests, including children, must be present at check-in and show their government-issued photo ID card or passport.
Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed EUR 2999.99, due to national regulations. For further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation.
Pet-friendly rooms can be requested by contacting the property at the number on the booking confirmation.
Guests under 16 years old are not allowed in the spa.
Mandatory fees
You'll be asked to pay the following charges at check in or check out:
- A tax is imposed by the city: EUR 1.30 per person, per night. This tax does not apply to children under 10 years of age.
- Club Card: EUR 4 per person, per night
- Child's Club Card: EUR 2 per night, (from 2 to 11 years old)
The charges below are included in the total price displayed:
- New Year's Eve gala dinner fee for stays on 31 December
Optional extras
Facilities, including a sauna, a spa and a spa tub, are accessible for an extra charge.
Cribs/Infant beds are available for EUR 8 per day
Pets are allowed for an extra charge of EUR 15 per pet, per day
We have included all charges provided to us by this hotel. However, charges can vary, for example, based on length of stay or the room you book.


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Patent application title: Power Slip Assembly for Wellhead Casing and Wellbore Tubing
Todd Travis (Humble, TX, US)
Todd Travis (Humble, TX, US)
Elizabeth A. Mcclain (Houston, TX, US)
Paul Perez (Sugar Land, TX, US)
Brandon Cain (Houston, TX, US)
IPC8 Class: AE21B3303FI
USPC Class:
Class name: Wells submerged well wellhead
Publication date: 2010-04-08
Patent application number: 20100084136
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A power slip extends a joint from tubing disposed in casing at a well so
that a casing head can install on the casing and the tubing can be
packed-off from the casing. The joint attaches to an inner sleeve having
collet members that fit onto the inner tubing so that the joint extends
thereabove. An outer sleeve and interlocking collet assemble together and
install onto the inner sleeve. The collet threads onto the inner sleeve
and forces the outer sleeve downward onto the inner sleeve. Being forced,
the outer sleeve causes the collet members to engage around the inner
tubing. The casing head then installs on the casing with the joint
extending up through the head's bowl. An H-plate installs in the open
bowl around the extended joint, and another pack-off installs on the
joint to pack it off from a spool attaching to the casing head.
1. A wellbore tubular slip apparatus, comprising:an inner sleeve
attachable to a first wellbore tubular, the inner sleeve having collet
members positionable on a second wellbore tubular;an outer sleeve
positionable on the inner sleeve and engageable with the collet members
thereon; anda collet attachable to the inner sleeve, the collet forcing
the outer sleeve to engage the collet members around the second wellbore
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner sleeve has first and second ends, the first end having the collet members, the second end having an external thread threadable to the collet and having an internal thread threadable to the first wellbore tubular.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the collet has an internal thread threadable to the external thread on the inner sleeve.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer sleeve is movable by engagement with the collet and has an inner surface engageable against the collet members on the inner sleeve.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the collet is threadable onto the inner sleeve to force the outer sleeve's inner surface against outer surfaces of the collet members.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein inner surfaces of the collet members comprise teeth engageable with the outside of the second wellbore tubular.
7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the outer surfaces of the collet members define wedge profiles engageable by the inner surface of the outer sleeve.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein engagement between the collet and the outer sleeve allows the collet to rotate relative to the outer sleeve.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the collet has a first lip engageable with a second lip on the outer sleeve.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inner sleeve and the collet comprise a unitary component.
11. A wellhead, comprising:a casing head mountable on a first wellbore tubular; anda slip apparatus mountable on a second wellbore tubular disposed inside the first wellbore tubular, the slip apparatus at least including--an inner sleeve attachable to a third wellbore tubular, the inner sleeve having a plurality collet members positionable on the second wellbore tubular,an outer sleeve positionable on the inner sleeve and engageable with the collet members thereon, anda collet attachable to the inner sleeve, the collet forcing the outer sleeve to engage the collet members on the inner sleeve around the second wellbore tubular.
12. The wellhead of claim 11, further comprising one or more pack-off components positionable in the casing head to pack-off the third wellbore tubular from the casing head.
13. The wellhead of claim 12, wherein the one or more pack-off components comprise an H-plate positionable around the third wellbore tubular in an open bowl of the casing head.
14. The wellhead of claim 11, wherein the one or more pack-off components comprise a pack-off element positionable on a distal end of the third wellbore tubular and engageable inside a wellhead component installed on the casing head.
15. A wellbore tubular assembly method, comprising:attaching a joint tubular to a first sleeve;installing the first sleeve on an inner wellbore tubular disposed inside an outer wellbore tubular;installing a second sleeve on the first sleeve; andengaging collet members on the first sleeve around the inner wellbore tubular by--attaching a collet onto the first sleeve, andforcing the second sleeve against the collet members with the collet.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising installing a casing head on the outer wellbore tubular with the joint tubular positioned in the casing head.
17. The method of claim 15, further comprising installing a pack-off around the joint tubular in the casing head.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein installing the pack-off comprises installing an H-plate around the joint tubular in an open bowl of the casing head.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising installing a wellhead component onto the casing head.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein installing the pack-off comprises disposing a pack-off element on a distal end of the joint tubular and engaging the pack-off element inside the wellhead component installed on the casing head.
[0001]This is a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Appl. Ser. No. 61/102,056, filed 2 Oct. 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference and to which priority is claimed.
[0002]A wellhead can be damaged when the exposed casing becomes bent. To fix the problem, operators remove the existing wellhead and cut-down the exposed casing so that a new wellhead can be installed. However, installing the new wellhead presents several challenges. For example, some wells have inner tubing disposed inside the outer casing exposed at the well. In this situation, the operators need to install a "no-weld" casing head (also known as a sleeve-type casing head) on the cut-down casing and need to isolate the inner tubing from the outer casing.
[0003]In other problem situations at a well, a wellbore tubular (e.g., drill pipe, collar, casing, or other tubular) may become stuck during drilling, running, or hoisting. Because operators cannot pull the stuck pipe from the casing, the operators must use slip hangers to support the stuck pipe so the pipe can be left in place. Unfortunately, operators must set the slips to support the stuck pipe even though the wellhead (e.g., BOP, diverter, casing head, etc.) is already installed on the surrounding casing.
[0004]In one conventional method of setting such slips, operators unbolt the BOP/Diverter from the wellhead's casing head and raise the BOP/Diverter slightly so the operators can gain access inside the casing head. At this point, the operators can set the slips in the casing head and pull on the stuck pipe to engage it further on the slips. Once set, operators bring the BOP/Diverter back down and bolt it to the casing head. As expected, performing this operation by suspending several tons of equipment overhead while operators set slips and test the integrity of seals is time-consuming and difficult. Some other methods of setting slips to suspend a stuck pipe are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,982,795 and 5,301,750, which do not require the removal of the BOP/Diverter.
[0005]The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the problems set forth above.
[0006]A wellbore tubular slip apparatus is used for a wellhead when operators install a "no-weld" casing head (also known as sleeve type casing head), on a casing and inner tubular at a well site. To install the no-weld casing head, operators need to be able to secure and extend the existing inner tubular so that the casing head can be installed on the casing at the well. Also, operators need to be able to isolate the inner tubular from the surrounding casing.
[0007]To do this, operators attach the slip apparatus to a joint tubular that will extend the inner tubular. The slip apparatus has an inner sleeve that threads onto the joint tubular. Operators then fit collet members on this inner sleeve onto the inner tubular so the joint tubular extends from the inner tubular. A groove for an O-ring seal and a shoulder can be defined inside the inner sleeve where it fits onto the inner tubular.
[0008]Operators also fit an outer sleeve of the slip apparatus onto the inner sleeve and thread a collet onto the inner sleeve. Preferably, the outer sleeve and the collet are separate components that when assembled together allow the collet to rotate while the outer sleeve does not. Although other arrangements are possible, the collet and outer sleeve can have interlocking lips in a tongue-and-groove or shoulder-to-shoulder arrangement.
[0009]When the collet thread onto the inner sleeve, the collet forces the outer sleeve to engage the collet members around the inner tubular. The collet members on the inner sleeve preferably have wedged outer surfaces that help to force the collet members into the inner tubular when pushed by the outer sleeve. In addition, the collet members preferably have teeth on their inner surfaces that bite into the inner tubular when forced against it. To lock the outer sleeve to the inner sleeve, threaded holes in the outer sleeve can receive bolts or the like that engage the inner sleeve to hold the two sleeves together.
[0010]Once the slip apparatus extends the joint tubular from the inner tubular, operators mount the no-weld casing head on the outer casing at the well site so that the joint tubular extends through the bowl of the casing head. Then, operators install a pack-off element, such as an H-plate, around the joint tubular in the casing head and install a second pack-off on a distal end of the joint tubular. Finally, operators install other wellhead components, such as a tubing spool, on the casing head. The second pack-off element on the end of the joint tubular engages inside the tubing spool to complete the isolation of the inner tubular from the surrounding casing at the well.
[0011]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a wellhead having a power slip assembly according to the present disclosure.
[0012]FIG. 2 is a detail of the power slip assembly in FIG. 1 installed in a casing head.
[0013]FIG. 3 is a cross-section of an inner sleeve for the power slip assembly.
[0014]FIG. 4 is a cross-section of an outer sleeve for the power slip assembly.
[0015]FIG. 5 is a cross-section of an interlocking drive collet for the power slip assembly.
[0016]FIG. 6 is a cross-section of a unitary component having a collet portion and an outer sleeve portion.
[0017]FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the power slip assembly when used for a stuck pipe.
[0018]An outer casing 16 in FIG. 1 runs down a wellbore and has inner tubing 18 disposed inside. Typically, the outer casing 16 is cemented in place in the wellbore, and the inner tubing 18 is cemented or hung inside the outer casing 16 for further isolation. A wellhead 10 installs on the outer casing 16 and has a casing head 12. A tubing spool 14 installs above this casing head 12, although other conventional equipment can be supported above the head 12 in addition to or in place of the spool 14.
[0019]As shown in FIG. 1, the casing head 12 is a "no-weld" casing head (also known as a sleeve-type casing head) that has been used to replace the original wellhead after damage. To fix the damaged wellhead, operators have removed the original casing head and cut-down the exposed casing 16 so that this "no-weld" casing head 10 can be installed. Because this well has the inner tubing 18 disposed inside the casing 16, operators need to isolate the inner tubing 18 from the outer casing 16 within the casing head 12.
[0020]As noted previously, installing the no-weld casing head 12 and isolating the inner tubing 18 from the outer casing 16 can prove difficult for operators in the field. To alleviate problems, operators use a power slip assembly 50 shown in FIG. 1 inside the casing head 12. This power slip assembly 50 (shown in more detail of FIG. 2) supports a joint tubular 20 that extends from the inner tubing 18. This joint tubular 20 along with pack-off elements 30/40 isolate the other components of the wellhead (e.g., tubing spool 14) from the outer casing 16 when the no-weld casing head 12 is installed.
[0021]Operators use the power slip assembly 50 with the "no-weld" casing head 12 on the casing 16 and the inner tubing 18 by performing the following steps. First, when the damaged casing head (not shown) originally on the casing 16 is removed, operators cut and prep the casing 16 and inner tubing 18 to the proper lengths and finish. Prior to attaching the "no-weld" casing head 12 to the outer casing 16, operators first fit the power slip assembly 50 onto the inner tubing 18. In particular and as best shown in FIG. 2, operators thread the inner sleeve 60 onto the threaded end of the joint tubular 20, which is the piece of tubing intended to extend the length of the inner tubing 18. Then, operators pre-assemble the outer sleeve 70 and the collet 80 together and position the assembled sleeve/collet 70/80 onto the joint tubular 20.
[0022]Next, operators fit the distal end of the inner sleeve 60 over the exposed stub of the inner tubing 18. Using an appropriate tool, operators then lock the power slip assembly 50 onto the inner tubing 18 as described in more detail below. At this point, the joint tubular 20 extends vertically from the inner tubing 18. As best shown in FIG. 1, operators complete the wellhead installation by installing the casing head 12 on the casing 16 and fitting an H-plate 30 into the open bowl of the head 12 to pack-off the joint tubular 20. A secondary pack-off 40 fits onto the end of the joint tubular 20, and the tubing spool 14 or other component installs on the casing head 12 so that the secondary pack-off 40 engages inside the spool 14. Finally, operators install other components to complete the wellhead 10.
[0023]As noted above, the power slip assembly 50 allows operators to secure and extend the existing inner tubing 18 with the joint tubular 20 so the casing head 12 and other components can be isolated from the casing 16 once installed. Further details of how the power slip assembly 50 couples the joint tubular 20 to the inner tubing 18 are discussed below with reference to FIGS. 2-5.
[0024]The inner sleeve 60--shown in detail in FIG. 3--has inner thread 62 that threads onto external thread 22 on the end of the joint tubular 20. The inner sleeve 60 also has an inner groove 66 for an O-ring seal (not shown) and has a shoulder 67 that engage the distal end of the inner tubing 18 when positioned thereon (See FIG. 2). At its lower end, the inner sleeve 60 has a plurality of collet members or fingers 68 that flex on the sleeve 60 and that fit around the distal end of the inner tubing 18 (See FIG. 2).
[0025]Outer wedge profiles 65 on these collet members 68 allow the members 68 to be forced against the inner tubing 18 so that teeth 69 on the inside of the collet members 68 bit into the tubing 18's outer surface. These inner teeth 69 can take many forms. For example, the teeth 69 can be vee-thread and can have concentric grooves, as shown in FIG. 3. Alternatively, the teeth 69 can be spiraled or threaded so that the inner sleeve 60 can be somewhat threaded onto the tubing 18's distal end.
[0026]As noted previously and shown in FIG. 2, the outer sleeve 70 and the collet 80 fit onto the inner sleeve 60. The outer sleeve 70--shown in detail in FIG. 4--has a cylindrical inner surface 72 that can be forced against the outer wedge profiles 65 on the inner sleeve's collet members 68. Threaded holes 76 in the side of the sleeve 70 can receive locking bolts (not shown) or the like. When the outer sleeve 70 is positioned on the inner sleeve 60, bolts in these holes 76 can engage the inner sleeve 60 to lock the two sleeves 60/70 together.
[0027]The sleeve 70's lipped upper end 74 mates with a lipped lower end 84 of the collet 80--shown in detail in FIG. 5. Matting between the lipped ends 74/84 may use a tongue-and-groove or a shoulder-to-shoulder arrangement that allows the collet 80 to rotate relative to the outer sleeve 70 while maintaining the lipped ends 74/84 connected. When the collet 80 positions on the inner sleeve 70 as shown in FIG. 2, the collet 80's inner thread 82 mates with the external thread 64 on the inner sleeve 60. When initially installed, the power slip assembly 50 has a disengaged condition, as best shown on the right side of FIG. 2.
[0028]As the collet 80 is threaded onto the inner sleeve 60, the collet 80 moves the outer sleeve 70 down along the inner sleeve 60 and forces the collet members 68 into the tubing 18. The collet 80 threads onto the inner sleeve 60 by rotating the collet 80 counter-clockwise using an appropriate tool. Actually rotating the collet 80 can be performed in a number of ways. For example, operators can use a spanner or bar inserted into holes (not shown) provided in the sides or top of the collet 80 so it can be rotated.
[0029]Because the outer sleeve 70 and collet 80 are connected together by lipped ends 74 and 84, the collet 80 is allowed to rotate even though the outer sleeve 70 may not rotate. Rotating the collet 80, however, drives the outer sleeve 70 downward, allowing its inner surface 72 to engage the wedge profiles 65 of the collet members 68 on the inner sleeve 60. As the collet members 68 are forced inward by the downward moving outer sleeve 70, the member's inner teeth 69 bite into the tubing 18. The left side of FIG. 2 shows the power assembly 50 in this engaged condition.
[0030]For exemplary dimensions, the casing 16 may have a diameter of 85/8-in, while the inner tubing 18 may have a diameter of 51/2-in. The inner sleeve 60 may have an overall outside diameter of 6.375-in and a length of 7.33-in. The internal thread 62 may accept a 51/2-in tubular. The depth of the slots for the collet members 68 may extend a length of 2.33-in, and the wedged profile 65 on the outside of the collet members 68 may be angled at about 5-degrees. The outer sleeve 70 may have an outer diameter of 7.25-in, an inner diameter of 6.535-in, and an overall height of 3.75-in with the lip 74 being 0.25-in. The collet 80 may similarly have an outer diameter of 7.25-in, an inner diameter of 6.25-in for its thread 82, and an overall height of 2.00-in with the lip 84 being 0.25-in. Each of these components can be made of suitable materials for use in a well environment. These dimensions are exemplary. Other implementations for different sized casing or tubular would use different dimensions.
[0031]As shown in FIGS. 4-5, it is preferred that the collet 80 and outer sleeve 70 be separate components. This allows the collet 80 to rotate while the sleeve 70 does not need to rotate as the collet 80 forces it onto the inner sleeve (60). Although separable, it will be appreciated that the collet 80 and sleeve 70 can be combined as a unitary component having a collet portion and a sleeve portion coupled and held together by a rotatable connection. Preferably, the unitary component's sleeve portion is able to rotate relative to the inner sleeve when the component's collet portion is being threaded. Alternatively, a unitary component 90 as shown in FIG. 6 can be used. This component 90 has sleeve and collet portions that rotate together.
[0032]In general, the power slip assembly 50 can be used in any application where conventional slips are used to secure and/or extend an existing conductor, casing, or tubing. For example, the power slip assembly 50 can be used in place of conventional slip hangers and can connect to tubing through the BOP/Diverter if needed in various situations. One such situation is when a wellbore tubular (e.g., drill pipe, collar, casing, or other tubular) becomes stuck during drilling, running, or hoisting.
[0033]As shown in FIG. 7, for example, a pipe 100 can become stuck in another wellbore tubular 102, such as casing or the like. The power slip assembly 50 can be run through the BOP/Diverter (not shown) without nippling down (disassembling) the BOP/Diverter at the wellhead. In this way, the power slip assembly 50 can secure a joint tubular 104 to the stuck pipe 100 to extend the length of the pipe 100 for suitable pack-off or the like.
[0034]To deal with a stuck pipe situation, the end of the stuck pipe 100 can be cut and prepped using techniques known in the art while the wellhead (not shown) remains installed uphole. For example, depending on how accessible the end of the stuck pipe is, a motorized cutting tool, chemical techniques, or radial cutting torches can be used. Operators then attach the power slip assembly 50 on the joint tubular 104 and pass the assembly 50 and joint tubular 104 through the BOP/Diverter without needing to disassemble it. When passed to the stuck pipe 100, the collet members 68 of the inner sleeve 60 fit onto the exposed end of the stuck pipe 100. Then, a running tool (not shown) runs through the BOP/Diverter and engages the collet 80 to rotate it so that it threads onto the inner sleeve 60. As the collet 80 is rotated and threads onto the inner sleeve 60, the outer sleeve 70 forces against the wedge profiles of the collet members 68 causing their teeth to bit into the outside of the stuck pipe 100. When coupling is complete, the running tool (not shown) is removed through the BOP/Diverter, leaving the joint tubular 104 connected to the end of the stuck pipe 100 by the power slip assembly 50. Various pack-off components, slips, and hangers can be installed as needed to isolate and suspend the pipe 100 and the joint tubular 104 in the casing 102.
[0035]In this sense, the power slip assembly 50 can be set in a less time-consuming and less precarious manner than used for setting conventional slips in such situations. Moreover, the power slip assembly 50 can be set in place even though a drill collar may be in the way. As is known, having a collar stuck in the bowl of a casing head prohibits the use of conventional slip hangers, which require operators to spear and stretch the casing first. Ultimately, the power slip assembly 50 is less costly, easier, and quicker to set than convention slips used in the art.
[0036]The foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of the inventive concepts conceived of by the Applicants. In exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained herein, the Applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the appended claims. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that they come within the scope of the following claims or the equivalents thereof.
Patent applications by Brandon Cain, Houston, TX US
Patent applications by Paul Perez, Sugar Land, TX US
Patent applications by Todd Travis, Humble, TX US
Patent applications by WEATHERFORD/LAMB, INC.
Patent applications in class Wellhead
Patent applications in all subclasses Wellhead
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Get your green on for shows marking St. Paddy's and all things Irish
The pipes are calling at Red Bicycle Bistro
The Vashon SRS Irish Dancers, accompanied by Island bagpiper John Dally, will be on hand at the Red Bike to celebrate St. Patrick's Day at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 17, in a free, all ages show.
Most of the six girls in the dance troupe have been dancing together for seven years. Sara Fogard, who is affiliated with the Scoil Rince Slieveloughane Dance School, is their teacher. Her classes are held at the Grange Hall on Saturday mornings from 10:30 a.m. until noon. For more information about the classes, e-mail sarafogard@gmail.
Blue Heron show is a lively mix of fiddles and step dancing
The Gothard Sisters Trio will arrive on the Island to perform a show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 19, at the Blue Heron.
Tickets for the all-ages show, $12 and $15, are on sale at the Heron's Nest, Blue Heron, Books by the Way, www.brownpapertickets.com and by calling 463-5131.
The sister act, which tours widely throughout the United States, combines high-octane fiddle playing with lively step dancing.
The trio triumphed in 2007 when they danced as part of a team that came in second in the world championships of Irish Step Dancing in Scotland.
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The 2012 Nottingham High School Senior Ball was held Friday, June 8, at the Genesee Grand Hotel in Syracuse.
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After Dark
Really Cool Experiences Happen After Dark
Chabot offers many wonderful experiences, many of them After Dark. Whether you are looking for a unique date night experience or a fun place to search for galaxies and nebula, Chabot has something for everyone. We are open late every Friday and Saturday evenings and feature telescope viewing from our three giant telescopes, weather permitting of course. In addition, we will have special events, lectures and parties for many occasions including group events and corporate team building.
From time to time we rent out our Center for weddings, corporate holiday parties and private events. Check our calendar for those dates.
The list below is just some of the wonderful things you will find AFTER DARK at Chabot.
Bookmark this page to see the things that interest you After Dark.
EventsView All
Telescope Viewing
Chabot's giant, historic telescopes offer a unique way to experience the awe and wonder of the Universe. Check out celestial viewing day and night. Our observatory deck offers breathtaking views 1,500 feet above the Bay.
$5 First Fridays
Every First Friday: 6-10pm
Admission: $5
At $5 First Fridays you can join a Night Hike through the redwoods or enjoy various laser and planetarium shows. Admission also includes hands-on activities and live demonstrations throughout the center, as well as any special events that are going on that evening. It's fun for the whole family!
The Starlight Gala
View the planets, nebulas and distant galaxies guided by knowledgeable astronomers. Cloudy skies are no problem–the world-class Zeiss star ball will illuminate the Planetarium, thanks to the East Bay Astronomical Society.
Mix cocktails with our mixologist and test your paper plane engineering skills.
Preview the changes and meet change makers at Chabot.
STEM education for tens of thousands of Bay Area elementary, middle school and high school students through Chabot's Discovery Lab, workshops, field trips and outreach, teen leadership programs and much, much more.
Special Closures
Please check the link here for specific information on closures; all or portions of our Center are closed for a private event. We apologize for any inconvenience.
First Glance
FREE Member Admission, RSVP Required!
Space is limited and by reservation only,
so call (510) 336-7392 for tickets today.
Each Sunday preceding the 1st quarter moon, the Eastbay Astronomical Society invites you to a special private telescope viewing. Unlike our regular viewing on Friday and Saturday evenings, EAS personalizes the experience by taking viewing requests, live interaction, and hosting tours and it's exclusively for our members!
Member Movie Night
FREE Member Admission, RSVP Required!
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Merida (Kevin McKidd), the impetuous, but courageous, daughter of Scottish King Fergus (Robbie Coltrane) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson), is a skilled archer who wants to carve out her own path in life. Her defiance of an age-old tradition angers the Highland lords and leads to chaos in the kingdom. Merida seeks help from an eccentric witch (Julie Walters), who grants her an ill-fated wish. Now, Merida must discover the true meaning of courage and undo a beastly curse before it's too late.
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Cosmos 360 Series - Magical, Mythical... Muddy... Mars
Mars has sparked the human imagination for millennia, conjuring visions of supernatural deities, extraterrestrial civilizations, and otherworldly landscapes. The detection of water has reenergized our imaginations with hope of finding unearthly life. Come join the greatest exploration in history to the red planet!
Back To The Moon For Good
To the Moon... with no return? This new planetarium show follows the excitement of the Google Lunar XPRIZE competition. The ultimate example of citizen science, the winning team will successfully land a robotic spacecraft on the Moon, have it travel 500 meters on the surface, and send back video imagery. Who will win the $30 million prize? After 40 years, the race is heating up once again, get in on the action!
Tales of the Maya Skies
Immerse yourself in the beauty of the "seventh wonder of the modern world," Mexico's Chichén Itz�. Hear the story of the ancient Maya civilization. Experience Tales of the Maya Skies, a new digital full-dome planetarium show produced by Chabot Space & Science Center. Narrated by Latin Grammy Award winner Lila Downs, Tales of the Maya Skies transports us to the jungles of Mexico, presenting the rich history and culture of the ancient Maya. Using the latest three dimensional laser scanning and advanced graphic techniques, Tales of the Maya Skies weaves together the richness of Maya culture, stories, science and contributions to our way of life.
A Chabot Space & Science Center production. Major funding provided by the National Science Foundation.
The exploration of space is the greatest endeavor that humankind has ever undertaken. What does it take to be part of this incredible journey? Experience a rocket launch from inside the body of an astronaut. Explore the amazing worlds of inner & outer space, from floating around the International Space Station to maneuvering through microscopic regions of the human body. Narrated by Ewan McGregor.
ASTRONAUT is produced by the National Space Centre.


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The Minor Metals Trade Association (MMTA) is a not-for-profit organisation, which serves to benefit and promote the interests of its international membership, comprising companies actively involved in all aspects of the international minor metals sector. If your company has a commercial interest in these metals and would like to know more about the work of the MMTA, or if you simply wish to discover more about this intriguing group of metals, this site will provide answers to many of your questions.
The MMTA is the world's largest association involved with Minor Metals. From just 19 founding members, the MMTA is now comprised of circa 150 companies from across the globe, engaged in all aspects of minor metals activity, the Association having long since broadened from its original member base of trading companies.
The Minor Metals Trade Association (MMTA) was founded in 1973 in a period when so-called 'byproduct' metals were just starting to be used in growing mass applications. From just seven elements covered at the outset - antimony, magnesium, nickel (not then traded on the LME and still regarded as a minor metal), cadmium, bismuth, selenium and mercury, the scope of minor metals trade activity today has increased dramatically.
Industries that have led the application of minor metals - and thus also the trade in them - include super-alloys, master-alloys, optics, opto-electronics, catalysts, electronic pastes and a host of technological applications that we have come to identify with the modern world.
In those early days it was necessary to establish clear trading rules and these were developed incorporating the Uniform Law for International Sales (1980) under the United Nations Convention. The rules that now govern the trade in minor metals may be viewed by visiting the "Trade Regulations" section of this website.
Being a member of the MMTA means that you are part of a group of like-minded consumers, producers, traders and service companies, who all share an interest in the minor metals industry in all its forms. The MMTA works together with and on behalf of its members, addressing issues that affect our industry using the collective depth of its membership to inform on such issues as legislation. In Europe, metals have been swept into the EU Chemical Directive (REACH), which is perhaps the largest challenge to have faced the MMTA and its members.
One of the functions of the Main Committee of the MMTA, made up of representatives from member companies, is to monitor and advise on issues that may affect the membership.
For more information about MMTA, or how to join, please contact us.


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Like most die-hard Detroit Tigers fans, local WLAV-FM morning man Kevin Matthews is beside himself at the team's 0-6 start to the 2008 season, a season filled with so much promise.
So, he cooked up a good-old fashion radio stunt.
Matthews is remaining on the air until the Detroit Tigers win their first game.
Meanwhile, The Chronicle's unscientific, tongue-in-cheek Tiger Poll so far shows people aren't worried yet — Redwings playoffs begin Thursday.


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* Catherine Wainwright, 50, of Bank Street, was arrested Wednesday morning at her home on the charge of criminal mischief. She was lodged in Cumberland County Jail on $500 bail.
* Derrick W. Pierce, 27, of Glen Drive, was arrested late Tuesday on the charge of shoplifting, accused of attempting to steal cold medicine pills from the East Broad Street Rite Aid. He was released on his own recognizance.
* Paul L. Mack, 38, of Seabrook, was arrested Tuesday night on Cohansey Street on the charges of resisting arrest by flight and resisting arrest by force. Also served six child support warrants and three failure to appear warrants — two from Bridgeton, one from Millville — he was lodged in the county jail on $146,704.47 bail.
* Brian A. Russell, 19, of Fayette Street, was arrested Tuesday evening on a Bridgeton failure to appear warrant and lodged in the county jail on $1,500 bail.
* Raymond H. Fralick, 34, of Millville, was arrested Tuesday evening on two child support warrants and lodged in the county jail on $42,722 bail.
* Anthony C. Bailey, 35, of Vineland, was arrested Tuesday morning at the Atlantic County jail on a warrant charging him with burglary, criminal mischief, theft and harassment.
The warrant was issued following a Dec. 22, 2009, incident at Amity Heights, police said.
Bailey was lodged in Cumberland County Jail on $20,000 bail.


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OLDMANS TWP. — Logan Volunteer Fire Co. of Pedricktown responded at 7:16 p.m. Monday to Porcupine Road for an investigation and remained in service for 41 minutes.
They were assisted by Auburn Fire Co. and Penns Grove Liberty Fire Co. for an unknown amount of time.
Other fire activity:
Today's Sunbeam contacted the Salem County Fire Radio Control Center to receive reports on all activity of fire and rescue companies within the county during the 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
• Carneys Point Fire Department and Rescue Squad responded at 8:43 p.m. Monday to South DuPont Road for an alarm system call and remained in service for 21 minutes.
They were assisted by Carneys Point EMS for 21 minutes.


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Pete Seda, also known as Pirouz Sedaghaty, was convicted of tax evasion and conspiracy for using his Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation charity to help smuggle $150,000 from Ashland to Saudi Arabia in 2000.
MoreContinuing coverage of Pete Seda and crimes involving his Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation in Ashland.
U.S. District Judge Michael Hogan ruled Seda will remain free until the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also resolved the question of whether he can stay free until his appeals are settled, the Medford Mail Tribune reports.
Prosecutors have indicated they will seek an order to force Seda to report to prison quickly should the appeals court rule against him.
-- The Associated Press


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NEW YORK -- More people are contributing to a makeshift memorial to Steve Jobs in front of the Apple store on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
It includes flowers, candles, notes and real apples -- some with a bite taken out of them.
A tourist from Oslo, Norway, Kenneth Hansen, was among those paying his respects there on Thursday. He calls Jobs an "exceptional" inventor and businessman.
Jewelry designer Mona Nagib says she stopped on her way to work to mark "the passing of an icon."
Nagib says she remembers seeing the first mouse as a little girl. Her father told her it was an invention that would change the world.
Jobs died yesterday after a long battle with illness.


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Lewis G. Bibb
Lewis G. Bibb, 93, of Pickerington, Ohio, passed away Nov. 28, 2013, at Mount Carmel East Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, after a brief illness.
He was born Nov. 9, 1920, to the late Julian and Lucille Bibb of Louise, Va.
Lewis was educated in the Fayette County School system in West Virginia, and was a graduate of DuBois High School, Mt. Hope, W.Va. He was a World War II Veteran of the U.S. Army. After working in manufacturing, construction and the coal mines of West Virginia, he moved his family to Parkersburg, and retired from Kaiser Aluminum.
Lewis joined Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Garten, W.Va., at an early age, and later became an active member and tither at Zion Baptist Church, Parkersburg, where he assisted in the construction of a new church and served on the Deacon Board. In 2007, he relocated to Pickerington, Ohio.
Lewis was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Tarsie Mosley Bibb; brothers, Jesse, Everett, Mason and Preston; sister, Elsie; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Evelyn Ritchie Bibb, Isabelle Coates Bibb, Juanita Oldham Bibb, Mildred Mosley Harrison, Germaine Davidson Mosley and Jean Hill Mosley; brothers-in-law, James Mosley and Curtis Mosley; and grandson, Frederick LaMar Kanney.
Lewis leaves to cherish his memory, his daughter, Linda (Frederick) Kanney, Pickerington, Ohio; granddaughter, Francine Matteson; grandson, Cameron (Johncie) Kanney, Reynoldsburg, Ohio; great-grandchildren, Allante Miller, Brooklyn, N.Y., Bria Kanney and Maya Matteson, Pickerington, Ohio, and CJ and Jace Kanney, Reynoldsburg, Ohio; sister-in-law, Marian Bibb, Willingboro, N.J.; brothers-in-law, Winston "Pete" Mosley, Camden, N.J., and Cordia (Pat) Mosley, Quakertown, Pa.; and other loved relatives and friends.
Celebration of Life will be 10 a.m. Saturday in the chapel of Diehl-Whittaker Funeral Service, 720 E. Long St., Columbus, OH 43203, where his family will receive friends from 9 a.m. until the start of service. The Rev. Dr. C. Dexter Wise III will be officiating. Interment will be in Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.
To sign Mr. Bibb's online memory book, please visit www.diehl-whittaker.com/obits


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Providing expert advice
1 July 2010
The UK's changing climate has a significant impact on our trade and industry. In sectors as diverse as health, transport, insurance, and energy, understanding how future weather patterns might change could be critical for business success. Which is why Met Office Consulting was created.
The Met Office Consulting team works with organisations across a wide range of sectors, offering everything from detailed scientific analysis to top level strategic advice. As Cathy Durston, Head of the Met Office Consulting explains, "The key to everything we do is collaboration. We work closely with our customers' own experts to make sure we get the best outcomes possible."
This approach has a proven track record. In a recent project, a group of 11 energy companies asked Met Office Consulting to study the impact of climate change on their sector as a whole. By working closely with experts from all 11 companies, the Consulting team was able to provide a very specific set of recommendations, right down to details such as altering the design of transformers to cope with the temperatures a changing climate could bring.
Collaboration has also yielded excellent results in the health sector. The Met Office has worked closely with a number of Primary Care Trusts (PCT) to provide an early alert system for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The service, called Healthy Outlook® is based on a close analysis of weather patterns and the conditions that trigger respiratory problems, and offers COPD sufferers an automated support and advice service in their own homes. "Thanks to the way we worked with industry experts, Healthy Outlook® has proved incredibly successful," Cathy explains, "the PCTs that have invested in the service have seen a 20% decrease in hospital admissions from patients suffering with the condition and 97% of sufferers have found the service very useful."
The Met Office Consulting team has also collaborated with private sector organisations to develop specific products. For example, led by Tom McIlwaine, Senior Account Manager, the Consulting team worked with ScottishPower Renewables to develop VisualEyes™, a forecasting tool that helps wind farm owners improve their operations and maintenance. "There are two critical elements when it comes to operating a wind farm," Tom explains, "keeping people safe and scheduling maintenance at the most effective time to ensure a wind farm continues to operate at maximum efficiency. Working with ScottishPower Renewables helped us understand the requirements of a company that operates a number of wind farms; enabling us to build VisualEyes™ and further develop the spectrum of services we offer the wind energy industry."
Scrrenshot of VisualEyes™ - an online forecasting system for onshore and offshore wind farms
In a separate project, the Consulting Team is working as part of a consortium, commissioned by Defra - with a task to deliver the first ever climate change risk assessment for the whole of the UK. Project leader, Helen Bye, and her team are currently piloting the process - looking at the underlying climate risk for the water industry. They are studying whether the scenarios that the water industry believes to be of greatest risk to them are, indeed, the most likely to cause them challenges in the future. The results from this pilot will then form the basis of a larger risk assessment across all the sectors in the UK, due for completion in 2014.
"We have all been working together to guarantee that what we're doing meets all the needs of the UK," Helen explains, adding that there are many sectors relying on the work of the consortium. "Our aim is to give these organisations the tools they need to get to grips with the climate-change risk for their sector. We are using our knowledge of current weather risk in the UK to build a picture of what challenges we could face as the climate changes."
Ultimately, this combination of weather and climate knowledge - married with the team's collaborative approach - is what Cathy Durston believes sets Met Office Consulting apart from its competitors. "Organisations are not necessarily interested in how the climate is changing - but how the changes will affect their operations," she concludes. "The Met Office is unique in its ability to combine its own expertise in weather and climate change with customers' specific sector knowledge. It's something no other organisation in the world can do - and something we are immensely proud of."
Time to decide
For customers who want to add scientific expertise and analysis to their own sector knowledge, a new tool is available from the Met Office.
Decider® is a brand new tool we've developed to let utilities, hedge funds and energy traders analyse future weather conditions and work out the probabilities of various scenarios. By using Decider®, customers are able to make an objective evaluation of the risks associated with each scenario and prepare accordingly. This puts traders, utilities - and other businesses that buy and sell energy - in a better position to hedge risk or make the most of less likely weather conditions.
Decider® works by condensing large volumes of information into 29 weather regimes across Europe. Data on temperature, pressure, rainfall, cloud cover and wind speed and direction is gathered and then the tool's unique analysis deciphers it. Ultimately, Decider® provides percentage probabilities that lay the foundations for local weather patterns within each of the 29 regimes.
"Decider® has revolutionised the way we interpret the weather," explains Dave Parker, Head of Meteorology at EDF Energy. "Its value stretches across the entire business and has applications as diverse as forecasting our customers' energy demand to understanding weather risks affecting our network."
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The Kalamazoo College women's swimming and diving team is in third place following the second day of competition at the MIAA Championships at Jenison High School.
Lauren Seroka tied for the league championship in the 500 freestyle with a "B" time of 5:00.07 on Thursday.
Taryn Edsall finished second in the 50 freestyle with a time of :24.12.
Both relay teams finished third on Thursday. The 200 free relay (Edsall, Olsen, Weber, Bresnahan) had a time of 1:36.98 while the 400 medley relay (Seroka, Edsall, Doepker, Olsen) had a time of 3:59.11.
The meet resumes Friday with prelims at 10 a.m. and finals at 5:30 p.m. at Jenison High School. The meet runs through Saturday.


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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Longtime Staten Islander Josephine Cresci, 87, of West Brighton, a devoted mother and homemaker who worked as a seamstress in her youth, died Sunday in Eger Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Egbertville, where she briefly resided.
Born Josephine DaVanzo in Brooklyn's Park Slope section, she graduated from the former Needles and Trade High School in Manhattan, and worked briefly in Manhattan's Garment District before raising a family.
She met her husband, Edmund, at a post-World War II dance for returning soldiers, and they settled in West Brighton in 1962.
A devout Catholic, Mrs. Cresci was a parishioner of Sacred Heart R.C. Church, West Brighton, where she was a member of the Mothers' Guild. She also participated in the PTAs at her children's schools.
Mrs. Cresci loved to sew and design clothing, and would sew matching dresses for herself and her daughter, Janet Krakower, when she was a young girl.
"She always doted on all her grandchildren. ... She was a loving, caring mother," recounted Mrs. Krakower. "She was a great wife to my dad."
Mrs. Cresci also loved reading, baking, cooking, visiting Atlantic City and traveling.
In addition to her daughter, Janet, surviving are her husband of 65 years, Edmund; two sons, Robert and Vincent; a sister, Marie DaVanzo; nine grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.
The funeral will be Wednesday from the Harmon Home for Funerals, West Brighton, with a mass at 10 a.m. in Sacred Heart Church. Burial will follow in St. Peter's Cemetery, also West Brighton.


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Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis, Class of 1998, and retired Air Force Col. Diane Ordes, Class of 1952, were inducted into the Dew Dorp High School Hall of Fame at a ceremony Friday night at the school.
Col. Ordes credited PS 46 and New Dorp with giving her inspiration as a woman to strive to succeed in a world seemingly dominated by men.
"Every teacher and even the principal were women," she said. "And this was over 60 years ago."
Ms. Malliotakis thanked the colonel for paving the way for people like her, and went on to talk about how New Dorp shaped her.
"I was a troublemaker," she said, "but a good student. I was always stirring the pot. And I still do the same in Albany."
Both awards were presented by seniors at the school. Â


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CrimeCraft News
Displaying 1–7 of 7 articles
EVE Online Expansion: The MMO Report
Happy Hanukkah from The MMO Report! This week Casey will drop some knowledge about CrimeCrafts's forthcoming episodic expansion Bleedout, EVE Online's new expansion Incursion, and of course Uncle Casey's Mail Bag. Plus, we give you a sneak peek behind the scenes of The MMO Report's production process. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. ...
The MMO Report: Thursday, May 21st
While many of you are excited for the new Terminator movie that comes out tomorrow, we here in California are a bit ho-hum on the subject. I mean come on, the Terminator is our Governor, we live that reality on a daily basis. Have you ever tried to legislate with a mechanical humanoid automaton? Anyways, moving on. This week Casey drops some...
The MMO Report: Thursday, April 23rd
You can exhale now. Casey Schreiner has returned, and this time it's personal. This week Casey explains how MIT has brought us closer to the end of says with their "WoW Pod", why Age of Conan wants you to have a starring role in their game, and how WTF Second Life is bringing sci-fi nerds of all kinds together to fight an impending...
'CrimeCraft' NPC Profile: Sasha Redden
Vogster Entertainment's MMORPG CrimeCraft is filled with plenty of NPCs. Here is Sasha Redden, one of the tougher inhabitants of the FPS/RPG/MMO hybrid for the PC. For more on the urban gang warfare MMO be sure to check out in-depth walkthrough after the cut and those looking for actively participating can sign up for the beta here. CrimeCraft...
'CrimeCraft' Walkthrough: MMO Action Strategy Hybrid Close-Up
Not intimately familiar with CrimeCraft? If you take a tactical shooter, RPG, MMO and modern day war-torn setting and pop 'em all into the Unreal 3 Engine you'd probably end up with CrimeCraft. Check your guns at the door as Vogster Entertainment's Casey Dickinson and Matt McEnerney walk us through their ubran, persistent-online action game,...
The MMO Report: Friday, March 27th
It's the week of GDC and that means we're all a little bit busier than normal. Compound that fact with a few technical difficulties, and you'll understand why The MMO Report was delayed a day. If you don't understand, well there's just no talking sense to you and we don't need your compassion anyway! Moving on, this week, Casey will tell you...
The MMO Report: Thursday, January 22nd
Wow. The island is like a big record, and it's skipping. That's AWESOME! Anyway, this week The MMO Report is back, of course, and Casey is dropping the best kind of nerd knowledge on your ass, so you better recognize. This week we tell you about how EVE Online is finally getting rid of their Classic Client, how the IRS wants to tax monetary...
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Manny Pacquiao Is Clearly The BestNovember 16, 2009 – 12:57 pm by Ryan Phillips
Despite what Floyd Mayweather may say in the coming weeks, after his complete destruction of Miguel Cotto this past Saturday, Manny Pacquiao is clearly the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. There is absolutely no question about it. He's also one of the best to ever lace up gloves and could be the best southpaw the sport has ever seen.
What Pacquiao did for 33 minutes and 55 seconds was to out-speed, out-scheme and out-hit a game, talented, strong fighter who appeared to be in the best shape of his life. Cotto showed up for the fight and in the first three rounds proved he was over the assault he suffered at the hands of a cheating Antonio Margarito. Cotto came out firing and matched Pacquiao punch for punch early on, but the Filipino's blinding speed and shocking power were too much for the Puerto Rican hero. He fought valiantly and summoned all the courage in his tank to try to last all 12 rounds, but in the end, Pacquiao was too much. The 12th-round TKO was arguably the most impressive win in a career of amazing fights for the PacMan.
What Pacquiao did on Saturday proved he could take punches from a great welterweight. He's clearly got a great chin and some kind of body armor inside the skin of his midsection. Cotto blasted Manny with great shots repeatedly early on, but Pacquiao was never phased. The fight also proved that at 145 pounds (the fight was held at a catch-weight two pounds under the welterweight limit) Pacquiao's power is, if anything, even greater than at lower weights. And his trademark speed hasn't diminished at all.
What we've been witnessing over the past few years of PacMan's career is something we may never see again in the history of boxing. A guy who started out at 103 pounds has now won titles in a record seven different weight classes. From 103 pounds to 147, he's dominated at every level. No one in the history of the sport has done what he has or likely will ever again.
His utter destruction of Cotto just proved once again that he, not Mayweather, is the best in the world. One thing that has always separated the two – and was clearly visible Saturday night – is that Pacquiao wants to finish fights. His fights are easily the most fan friendly of any pugilist of recent memory. He was clearly ahead after knocking Cotto down twice and dominating the first nine rounds, but over the last three rounds he was chasing Cotto down trying to end things. Whereas Floyd Mayweather often trades and retreats, piling up points and relying on the judges to sort things out, Pacquiao prefers to finish things on his own terms.
So will these two ever face each other and settle this question once and for all? Sadly, I don't know if it'll happen.
Floyd Mayweather has nothing to gain from a fight with Pacquiao. Unlike Manny, Mayweather has always been maddeningly careful in picking his bouts, often selecting opponents he has serious advantages over. As long as he stays unbeaten, Floyd can claim he's the best, since he (unlike Manny) can claim to have never been beaten. If Floyd takes the fight and wins, he's a bigger guy who beat a smaller guy coming up in weight to face him (a fight between the two would likely be at a catch-weight somewhere between 140-145). If he happened to lose, all of his bluster and the trash-talking he lives for would have to go right out the window.
I believe Pacquiao wants the fight. He's proven he will fight the best, anytime, anywhere and at any weight. His trainer, Freddie Roach certainly wants the fight.
I think Pacquiao would win the fight simply because Floyd would be forced to engage him. Manny is too fast for Floyd to run away, play defense and wait to counter-punch. That's his style and Pacquiao would find a way to get to him. Manny would likely also be the first guy to hit Floyd really, really hard and test whether or not Mayweather is up for an actual fight. Does Pretty Boy even have the stomach for a brawl? He's a tremendously skilled fighter who has some of the greatest natural talent we've ever seen, but Floyd has never been in a war. Pacquiao has fought and won about a dozen. Manny lives for that kind of fight, Floyd (wisely, but boringly) runs to avoid them.
If it happens it will be the biggest fight in decades. I hope Mayweather comes to the table and gives the fans what we want, because I know the Pacquiao camp is salivating at the prospect of that matchup.


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SUMMIT — The Grand Summit Hotel is not asking current guests displaced from their homes by Hurricane Sandy and the recent nor'easter storm to leave, as is being alleged by someone who is also currently staying at the hotel.
An email was received by the Independent Press on Nov. 8 from a person named David Jones stating the "Grand Summit Hotel in Summit, NJ is kicking out and not taking reservations from any displaced families starting Monday (Nov. 12) because of a … (corporate) convention it booked months ago."
However, Mark Giangiulio, the hotel's general manager, said, "It's not true."
Speaking by phone on Nov. 9, Giangiulio said that Jones is also a guest at the Grand Summit and that he has been making similar allegations on a blog. The Independent Press, however, has been unable to find Jones' blog.
Giangiulio said storm victims are being lodged in a "significant number" of the hotel's 150 rooms. He also stressed that hotel staff have been giving priority to people who have had to leave their homes because of power outages and damage from wind fallen trees.
"In fact, I found other accommodations for my regular customers to accommodate people displaced by the storms," Giangiulio said. "FedEx, which is my number one customer — 24 rooms per day — moved out of the hotel Nov. 1 when we reopened, and they're not returning until Nov. 18. They could stay out until Nov. 30, depending how late power gets back (at homes in the area)."
The rooms for FedEx, he said, are normally reserved for the delivery company's cargo plane pilots who fly in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport.
Giangiulio said he also had to turn away a band out of Virginia that had reserved 82 rooms for an upcoming engagement at a venue in East Rutherford so that guests displaced by the storm could continue to stay at the hotel.
Grand Summit Hotel staff found other accommodations across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania for the band.
"We returned their money," said Giangiulio, who did not identify the group, but the Dave Matthews Band, which is from Charlottesville, Va., is scheduled to perform concerts on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 at the Izod Center arena in East Rutherford.
The corporate convention Jones referred to in his email is still going to take place at the hotel as planned, Giangiulio said.
"There are not any problems with people being displaced," he said.
Summit Mayor Ellen Dickson today, Nov. 9, offered her support to management at the hotel, saying "I think the Grand Summit has an excellent reputation for being very generous with the community."
The mayor said she had spoken earlier in the day to Don Lynch, president and CEO of JCP&L, who told her that by tonight power will be restored to 60% of PSE&G customers in Summit who still do not have electricity and that the balance will have power by tomorrow night, Nov. 10.
If the JCP&L meets its targets, the mayor said, "these residents should be back in their homes, unless it's an unusual situation."
Giangiulio said that in the last day or two "people are leaving everyday as they get their power back.
More Union County news: NJ.com/Union • Twitter