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Available from HPI Racing is the powerful new Nitro RS4 3 18SS nitro touring car with a massive top speed in excess of 50mph!!
For a big boost in power we added our powerful 18SS engine. Rated at 1.5 horsepower, the 18SS is a high torque engine with features that include aggressive porting, durable ABC construction, a large heat sink head, dual needle 6mm carburettor and a lightweight aluminium connecting rod. The large .18 cubic inch size propels the Nitro RS4 3 18SS to a top speed in excess of 50 mph! The 18SS engine is designed to be easy to start, easy to tune and rock-steady reliable. It's equipped with an easy to use recoil pullstarter and, for racing applications, can be bump started. A high flow tube header and dual chamber tuned pipe are mated to revised gearing combine to make the Nitro RS4 3 18SS one of the most powerful 1/10 scale production cars ever!
The Nitro RS4 3 18SS has many of the features found on our popular RTR Nitro RS4 3, making it a great kit for parking lot drivers. The tough shaft drive system keeps the drivetrain running smoothly even in parking lots that aren't completely free of rocks. The enclosed receiver/battery box and removable radio tray keep the electronics protected from the elements and make clean-up a snap. Hardened metal differential gears are now included to help tame the power of the 18SS engine. A stiff purple anodized aluminium 2.5mm chassis prevents flex for consistent handling and extra durability. An adjustable 2 speed transmission is included, compatible with a wide variety of optional gears to help tune the gearing to track conditions. And, we've added adjustable turnbuckles for easy tuning of the suspension settings. Everything combined gives the Nitro RS4 3 18SS a healthy dose of bottom end punch and screaming top end performance, and the durability to handle parking lot conditions with ease.
This is an unassembled kit designed for hobbyists who enjoy the process of building their own cars. Two different clear bodies are available, the awesome Ford GT or the exotic Lamborghini Gallardo. Realistic vinyl decals are supplied - pre-cut for easy application, along with convenient window masks and protective film. And, the kit comes with no electronics so that racers can customize the car with their favourite radio system. Speed, durability, and loaded with features, check out the new Nitro RS4 3 18SS! Check out the features in more detail by visiting the Features page!
Unassembled 1/10th Scale 4WD Nitro RS4 3 18SS chassis with 18SS
engine and clear bodyshell. Radio gear is not included. Comes with detailed instructions manual and HPI RC Cars DVD. |
Unassembled 1/10th Scale 4WD Nitro RS4 3 18SS chassis with 18SS
engine and clear bodyshell. Radio gear is not included. Comes with detailed instructions manual and HPI RC Cars DVD. |
Check out the range of bodyshells. All HPI 200mm Touring car bodyshells will fit perfectly on the Nitro 3 chassis. The adjustable body posts can easily be set to the correct height for all bodyshells. All cutting lines and body post positions are marked on the bodyshell for a perfect fit. The enclosed pre-cut decal sheet gives it the realistic look! Clear bodyshells - Design your own custom paint scheme! Pre-painted bodyshells - Unpack, clip on, get driving!
Specification may be subject to change

subset: commoncrawl


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Megan here...just to add to what my sister has said. I simply adored my dad. Every word I (or my siblings) are speaking of him now in his death would have been said the day before his diagnosis. He was incredibly loving and caring. I would never wish this sadness or sorrow upon anyone.
The past 5 or so years I've moved around since my husband has been in school. My parents have come to visit us often. Those precious weeks with my dad are forever mine. My children love him. He is funny and so much fun to play with.
I write this in my parents home, sitting at his table. It feels as though he'll walk in any moment. I think I am still in shock. It was too fast. We were cheated. My life will never ever be the same. I miss him dearly. What I would give for one last bear hug.
If you want more info, or more detail, here is the blog we set up to update people when this all started. Geoff Lighten blog.


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I Like Big Bucks and I Cannot Lie Graphic Tumbler
Our stainless steel tumblers are available in 6 sizes: 12oz, 20oz and 30oz tumblers along with our 32oz Water Bottle (with built in straw!) and our standard can holder for regular cans and bottles, plus our new slim canholder. All tumblers are constructed of ultra durable stainless steel and are available in 16 vibrant powder coated matte finishes. Perfect for hot and cold beverages, this is guaranteed to be your new favorite cup! Best of all, the tapered design of the 20oz and 30oz tumblers will fit into most vehicle cup holders!
Our Tumblers feature:
- PERMANENT Laser Engraving - no paint, resin or decals here!
- Vibrant Powder Coated Stainless Steel - artwork engraves through the powder coat to reveal the stainless steel below
- Double-wall vacuum insulation - Keeps your drink HOT or COLD with NO SWEAT for hours!
- Clear plastic lid fits most reusable straws
- Durable stainless steel construction
- Hand wash recommended. Do not use in dishwasher.
Bulk and wholesale discounts are available. Please contact us if you're looking to purchase in bulk.


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Declaring child prostitution a "persistent threat" in America, the FBI said Monday that authorities had rescued 105 young people and arrested 150 alleged pimps in a three-day sweep in 76 cities.
The agency said it had been monitoring Backpage.com and other websites as a prominent online marketplace for sex for sale. Backpage.com said that it was "very, very pleased" by the raids and that if the website were shut down to the advertisements, the ads would be pushed to sites that wouldn't cooperate with law enforcement.
The young people in the roundup, almost all of them girls, ranged in age from 13 to 17.
The largest numbers of children rescued in the weekend initiative, Operation Cross Country, were in the San Francisco Bay and Detroit areas, along with Milwaukee, Denver and New Orleans. The operation was conducted under the FBI's decade-long Innocence Lost National Initiative. The latest rescues and arrests were the largest such enforcement action to date.
"Child prostitution remains a persistent threat to children across the country," Ron Hosko, assistant director of the bureau's criminal investigative division, told a news conference. "We're trying to put this spotlight on pimps and those who would exploit."
In Operation Cross Country, federal, state and local authorities cooperated in an intelligence effort aimed at identifying pimps and their young victims.
The FBI said the campaign has resulted in rescuing 2,700 children since 2003. The investigations and convictions of 1,350 individuals have led to life imprisonment for 10 pimps and the seizure of more than $3.1 million in assets.
In their efforts to identify child victims, investigators seek help wherever they can find it — in some cases from adult prostitutes, Hosko said. He said almost all the victims in sweeps like the one over the weekend are girls and that the profiles of the victims cut across racial lines and boundaries of wealth.
Social media are a common denominator in many of the rescues.
"We are seeing it more and more, kids being put out on the street and being trafficked because of the Internet," said Detective Angela Irizarry of the Hayward Police Department, not far from San Francisco. "Many of these kids come from runaway or group homes and they feel like this is the only way for them to survive on the street."
She said her department identified three girls, ages 15, 16 and 17 and a woman seen dropping off two of the girls was arrested as a pimp. One of the girls was a runaway, another had been missing from a group home for several months and a third ran away off and on from her family's home, Irizarry said. The detective said she had not had a chance to speak with the girls and does not know how long they had been involved in prostitution, but that one of them "is denying any involvement of the individuals we had arrested for pimping. That is typical. Usually these girls don't immediately give up their pimps."
Irizarry said a multi-agency, cross-country effort was necessary because local police departments do not always have the resources to investigate tips about child sex trafficking.
Last year, five members of the Underground Gangster Crips contacted teens at school or through Facebook, DateHookUp.com or other online social networking sites, enticing the girls to use their looks to earn money through prostitution.
As for websites, Liz McDougall, the general counsel for Backpage.com, said that if that site were shut down to the advertisements in question, the information that can lead to the rescues would be lost to law enforcement because the ads would be pushed to "offshore uncooperative websites."
"We feel very strongly that we're doing the right thing, and we're going to continue to do the right thing and we congratulate the FBI and everybody with the task forces involved in the program," said McDougall.
In earlier sweeps, child prostitution victims have been recovered at major sporting events — including the NCAA Final Four and Super Bowl, Hosko said.
In the 1990s, gangs took control of street prostitution across America; that forced pimps to move girls into sporting events where security existed, said Dr. Lois Lee, founder and president of Children of the Night, a nonprofit group that has rescued 10,000 children from prostitution since 1979.
Hosko said the plight of the young people often goes unreported to authorities because the children in many instances are alienated from their families and are no longer in touch.
In Oakland, Calif., police Lt. Kevin Wiley said authorities are "always afraid" for the girls.
"They usually get into this because they are running away from something else," said Wiley. "You're trying to find out what brought them into this lifestyle in the first place. It goes way beyond law enforcement to solve this epidemic."
Pimps operate wherever vulnerable potential victims can be found. Some are being recruited right out of foster care facilities, Hosko said.
For the past decade, the FBI has been attacking the problem in partnership with a private group, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
John Ryan, the head of the center, called the problem "an escalating threat against America's children."
The Justice Department has estimated that nearly 450,000 children run away from home each year and that one-third of teens living on the street will be lured toward prostitution within 48 hours of leaving home.
Congress has introduced legislation that would require state law enforcement, foster care and child welfare programs to identify children lured into sex trafficking as victims of abuse and neglect eligible for protections and services.
"In much of the country today, if a girl is found in the custody of a so-called pimp she is not considered to be a victim of abuse, and that's just wrong and defies common sense," Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said during a Senate Finance Committee hearing last month. Wyden co-sponsored the legislation with Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.
Associated Press writer Lisa Leff in San Francisco contributed to this report.
Copyright © 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2013 Capitol Hill Blue


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ScheduleFlex Help
Registration: Urban Enterprises Shiftboard
If you have already registered for access to our online scheduling system and you have already received your welcome email message with your temporary password, please sign in using that password.
If you have not completed this form, thank you for taking a moment to complete and submit the following details.
Thank you for your patience, it might take a few hours or days until your registration has been processed.
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As soon as it was learned on Wednesday that former NFL star Junior Seau had killed himself, there was speculation about whether he may have suffered brain injuries during his career that in turn led to depression or dementia.
His apparent suicide was the third by a former NFL player since February 2011. First, former Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson shot himself in the chest — after writing a note asking that his brain be studied for chronic traumatic encephalopathy — a disease linked to depression. Then last month, former Atlanta Falcon Ray Easterling shot himself in the head. He was part of a lawsuit against the NFL over head injuries and was suffering from dementia.
Seau, 43, was killed by a shot to the chest. His death has been ruled a suicide.
Researchers at Boston University confirmed last May that Duerson did indeed have chronic traumatic encephalopathy. Now, they're asking to be able to study Seau's brain. And, according to the Los Angeles Times, Seau's family has agreed to allow his brain to be studied. That word comes from San Diego Chargers chaplain Shawn Mitchell. Seau, a linebacker, spent most of his NFL career with that team.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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On various representation made by stakeholders and other statutoryBodies, the Ministry of Corporate Affairs has extended the condonationof delay scheme, 2018 for the Directors for non-compliant companies upto 30th April, 2018 (see attachment). While there are still several companies which remain struck off and/or have directors disqualifies. This new circular has given a fresh window to companies/Directors to approach the appropriate forum for exercising remedy.
The Hon'ble Delhi High Court has been giving relief to various companies/directors while also allowing them to make compliances with the respective Registrar of companies Although the government's move literally brought several businesses to a standstill, the courts have balanced equities in allowing the companies/directors to function.
The Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) had vide circulars dated 6th and 12th September, 2017 disqualifies lakhs of Directors for non-filing of documents and returns for a period of 3 preceding years. Such action of the Ministry is still under challenge however, the court was pleased to extend the protection to the petitioning Directors until 24th July. The court has stayed the applicability of the circulars with respect to the petitioners
The Disqualified directors had contended that the disqualification was unjust and arbitrary. The disqualification has lead their other business to a standstill. However, pursuant to the Court's orders, the ROC is restoring the Director Identification Numbers (DIN) of the Directors present before the court.
The National company Law Tribunal(NCLT) benches are allowing revival of companies, subject to compliances and satisfaction. If your company features in the list of Non-compliant companies or you have been disqualified as a director, lawtendo provides the best lawyers for you to approach the NCLT for revival of the company or to challenge the disqualification.
Get a Legal consultation for Director Disqualification from expert lawyers in India on Lawtendo.com
For more details contact us at [email protected]
Or call us at +91 9671633666


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Lacerations and Cuts
Any kind of cut to your face and the delicate soft tissues inside your mouth should be addressed immediately in order to prevent further tissue damage and infection.
If a traumatic injury involves a broken facial bone such as the jaw, nose, chin or cheek, maxillofacial surgery may be required.
With jaw surgery, rubber bands, tiny wires, metal braces, screws or plates are often used to keep a fractured jaw in place following surgery. This allows the bone to heal and stay in proper alignment. Dental splints or dentures may also be required to supplement the healing process following jaw surgery.
Our team of dental specialists and staff strive to improve the overall health of our patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions associated with your teeth and gums. Please use our dental library to learn more about dental problems and treatments available. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, contact us.
Let Us Know How We Did!
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418399-001 HP 146GB 2.5" SFF 3G Dual Port SAS 10K RPM Hot Plug Hard Drive | NEW
HP 146GB 2.5" SFF 3G Dual Port SAS 10K RPM Hot Plug Hard Drive
This 418399-001 is a small form factor 2.5 inch HP SAS hard drive, mounted in a universal hotplug tray. This is a genuine HP hard drive with HP firmware and is specifically for use in HP Proliant servers and storage arrays. This is not a third party or generic drive. The 418399-001 hard drive has a capacity of 146 gigabytes and has a rotational speed of 10,000 (10k) rpm. The external data transfer rate is 3.0 gigabytes per second. This 146GB model is one of our most popular products.
418367-B21 is the option part number used by HP to reference this drive, but that part number won't appear anywhere on the drive. The HP spare number of 418399-001 will be visible on the label on the front of the tray. There are several model numbers and assembly numbers that are aggregated under the option part number 418367-B21.
These 418399-001 drives are categorized as an HP SAS Enterprise hard drive. The Enterprise hard drives deliver high performance solutions for hosting high transaction based applications. They are ideal for mission critical server applications and external storage.
Option Part: 418367-B21
Spare Part: 418399-001
Model: DG146BAAJB, DG146BB976, DG0146BALVN, DG0146BAMYQ, DG0146BARTP, DG0146BAQPP, DG146BABCF
Assembly Part: 459512-002, 430165-003, 492619-001, 504015-002, 507605-001, 518006-001, 512116-001, 460850-002
Compatible with: BL20p G4, BL25p G2, BL45p G2, BL460c G1/G5/G6/G7, BL465c G1/G5/G6/G7, BL480c, BL620c G7, BL680c G5/G7, BL685c G1/G5/G6/G7, BL860c, BL870c, DL1000, DL160 G6, DL160se G6, DL165 G7, DL170h G6, DL180 G6, DL320 G6, DL360 G4p/G5/G6/G7, DL365 G1/G5, DL370 G6, DL380 G4/G5/G6/G7, DL385 G1/G2/G5/G5p/G6/G7, DL580 G3/G4/G5/G7, DL585 G1/G2/G5/G6/G7, DL785 G5/G6, DL980 G7, ML350 G5/G6, ML370 G4/G5/G6, ML570 G3/G4, SL390s G7, WS460c G6, and possibly others.
Hard Drive Capacity: 146GB
Generation: SAS
External Data Transfer Rate: 3.0 GB/sec
Rotational Speed: 10,000 rpm
Form Factor (Drive): 2.5-inch low profile
Interface: SAS (Serial Attached SCSI)
Data Storage Device Type: SAS (Server Attached Storage) device
Hard Drive Device Type: Hard drive for server/storage unit (Hot-plug)
Height: 0.591"
Width: 2.75"
Hotswap Tray: Included (Attached)


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Purchasing is an important lever for public-sector performance improvement. Because the spending base is quite large—purchased goods and services account for one-third of total public spending, or about 5 to 8 percent of GDP in most Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries—improvements can have a substantial impact on budgets, freeing up resources for other priorities (Exhibit 1).
And the potential for improvement is large. In fact, in the more than 500 purchasing projects that McKinsey has supported in both the private and public sectors over the past five years, we have seen that improved purchasing yields an average of 15 percent savings, with projects in the public sector delivering the highest savings—an average of 28 percent. In our work with one European central government, we helped the client achieve savings of €65 million, or more than 40 percent of the addressed spend base, in the first eight months of the program alone. But even a 15 percent savings would be quite significant for a typical public-sector budget.
Purchasing accounts for one-third of public-sector spending.
At the same time, while purchasing improvements may not always be easy to implement, they are easier and quicker to implement than other budget-improvement levers—particularly initiatives that suggest a possible reduction of head count or a tax increase.
There are also important nonmonetary benefits that institutions can achieve by optimizing purchasing. One of these is transparency. Having a clear picture of what is being spent where, as well as simple and standardized processes for governing spending, enables managers to make better decisions and to plan effectively for the future. Another ancillary benefit is better compliance with regulation, such as a higher degree of assurance that all purchasing across the organization is conducted using the appropriate tender framework. More diligent fraud prevention is another benefit.
Challenges to address
To take full advantage of the opportunity, however, there are several hurdles institutions must clear.
First, public institutions often lack a consolidated view of their spending because purchasing responsibility is spread across many departments, and there is no unifying set of processes. Control of budgets may reside across multiple layers of authority, so there is little centralized oversight. This makes it difficult for institutions to know what they are spending or how many supplier relationships they maintain. This lack of transparency also makes it difficult for the institution, and even sometimes for departments within, to align on strategic priorities and targets. Certainly it makes it impossible to establish a central performance-management system to track overall spending, employee performance, and quality of goods and services.
A second challenge is that the government's purchasing spend is a powerful tool for advancing various political objectives, leading to situations where capturing savings may be traded off for other goals. As a result, the degrees of freedom for the purchasing organization are often limited—sometimes even to the extent that savings are unwelcome. A typical example of this is when government uses purchasing to support the domestic economy, whether in general or to promote certain regions, industry sectors, or even companies. In connection with this last option, there is often talk of the importance of "national champions." National security is also used as an argument for spending money domestically even when purchasing internationally would be less expensive. Other examples include supporting expensive but environmentally friendly products, purchasing from smaller businesses to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, or buying from companies owned by minority groups to promote diversity. A final example is that governments often commit to a fixed spending profile for a certain area (for example, 0.5 percent of GDP on foreign aid or 3 percent of GDP on research)—so the money "will have to be spent anyway."
Third, the public sector is subject to complex and constraining procurement laws, which were established to ensure openness for every bidder and fair and nondiscriminatory practices in general. Institutions must solicit bids from many suppliers, provide detailed descriptions of the products and services they want to obtain, and follow predetermined time schedules in order to meet tender rules set out by the relevant authorities, such as the European Union, the World Trade Organization, US federal and state laws, and so on. These regulatory frameworks often constrain the ability of a public-sector purchasing organization to leverage the same battery of purchasing tools available to their private-sector counterparts—and, consequently, their ability to claim the same level of savings.
Finally, basic performance in purchasing organizations in the public sector represents a challenge. A McKinsey survey of purchasing practices in more than 300 organizations in a wide range of industries revealed that public-sector institutions lag behind private-sector companies on several performance dimensions, including efficiency of purchasing tools and processes, capabilities, and performance management (Exhibit 2).
In several dimensions, public-sector institutions trail private-sector companies.
While there is a gap between public- and private-sector performance in almost every area, the gap is particularly large for "softer" dimensions, such as mind-set, aspirations, and talent management. Why should this be so? Two important reasons are that, first, the members of the purchasing staff are typically not on a career track as attractive as that of civil servants, which makes it difficult to attract and retain the best people. Second, a culture that rewards zero errors—for instance, one dedicated to "protecting the minister"—tends to favor preserving existing processes and mandates and offers limited incentives to aim for anything more ambitious.
Delivering the value
There are ways to address each of these challenges. In our experience, institutions can improve purchasing by gaining a consolidated view of purchasing spend, setting an appropriate aspiration for change, streamlining purchasing processes, and strengthening the purchasing organization. They can then take a phased approach to implementing these changes, beginning with a few key spending categories.
Create a consolidated overview of purchasing
To manage purchasing spend more effectively, public-sector leaders must have a consolidated overview of spending per category, along with a view of the network of supplier relationships. Initially, this should be approached pragmatically, rather than attempting to establish a detailed picture of what is going on in all categories prior to capturing any savings. The information required to create the overview will typically not be readily available in the organization's internal systems; many public-sector purchasing systems contain only an aggregated view for budget purposes (that is, the types of goods and services the organization buys) and an item-by-item record of purchases from each supplier. Therefore, managers should establish a manageable number of homogenous categories (typically around 30). To estimate the size and composition of these categories, managers must gather data from a variety of sources—including invoices, department budgets, and existing suppliers—to "triangulate" a perspective on the amount of money spent in each category.
Set the aspiration for change
How can public institutions manage the trade-offs described above between savings and other purchasing objectives (such as buying locally made products)? The answer is to ensure that the purchasing decisions are made at a significantly higher level than is typical. The rationale is that while it might make a certain kind of sense to trade off against purchasing efficiency at a regional or local level, it will almost always be desirable at the level of the government as a whole to establish efficient purchasing as the leading objective. This is because efficient purchasing frees up resources that can be reallocated to other priority areas, maximizes competition in the private sector (the core engine for long-term economic growth), and creates a strong supplier base that will be able to withstand open competition. One European government anchored its purchasing optimization program in its Finance Committee, a group consisting of six high-profile ministers, chaired by the Finance Minister. The committee provided direction to other ministries during the program's rollout, addressing any resistance by explaining why the changes were necessary to provide funding for various government priorities.
Streamline purchasing processes
Each category of spend requires its own sourcing approach and bidding strategy. Our experience suggests that it is possible for public-sector institutions to apply the same approaches and tools as those used in the private sector and still operate a rigorous tender process within the constraints of relevant rules and legislation (Exhibit 3).
These 15 methods can help improve product design, drive transparency, and manage suppliers.
The purchasing organization should design the category strategies to take into account elements such as product complexity and the competitiveness of the supplier market. One European government achieved savings of more than 30 percent on office supplies by combining a prequalification and an e-auction process. Generally, supplier workshops can be conducted within the tender rules if implemented at the appropriate point and in adherence to the principle of equal treatment of all suppliers. Analytical preparation (for example, cost-driver analysis or total-cost-of-ownership modeling) is obviously as important in the public sector as in the private sector. Some of the work, however, must be conducted earlier in the process to meet the requirements of describing all specifications and terms in the tender documents.
Complex product categories are typically best suited to functional tenders, in which the purchasing organization describes the functions of the product or the desired outcomes rather than technical specifications, and gives suppliers leeway to identify the best solutions. Selecting the right procurement channel ensures an optimal trade-off between the resources needed to procure the product, its quality, and its price.
The purchasing team should also establish binding rules for stakeholder participation—that is, formal channels for customers or other agencies to submit requests and access information. These processes will make it easier to manage competing stakeholder interests. Different players will always seek political leverage where they can, but it will be harder for them to prevail when there is a transparent and defensible process for evaluating requests based on need, budget, and institutional priorities. Making the tender process rigorous also makes it easier to spot inappropriate behavior, intentional or otherwise, thus minimizing the risk of complaints and lawsuits.
Strengthen the purchasing organization
When creating the organizational platform for the effort described above, typically the best approach is to begin by establishing a small team of high performers to lead a centrally coordinated effort. As the processes become grooved in key categories, the team can replicate successful methods from early initiatives in additional spending categories, training employees in those new areas and thus gradually building up the necessary capabilities throughout the organization. Leaders should also establish career paths for employees and require them to create personalized development plans aligned with the organization's priority activities and performance metrics. Public institutions can further build skills in the purchasing organization by establishing formal training programs in areas specific to procurement such as contract negotiation and category expertise (technology skills for the procurement of IT services, for example), as well as programs to develop organizational skills, such as coaching and mentoring.
One challenge must be carefully navigated in taking these steps. Instituting a more centralized purchasing process can result in poorer purchasing decisions if those decisions are made further from the point of use. Organizations must take care to ensure that those doing the purchasing work closely as partners with the relevant departments to understand and meet their needs.
Making it happen
When embarking on a program of this kind, sequencing is crucial. Many institutions start big and broad by defining an entirely new organization structure, along with new reporting lines and procedures. In our experience, it is best to take the opposite tack by beginning with changes in a few discrete spending categories and using the success of these changes as a foundation for making similar improvements in other areas (Exhibit 4).
A carefully phased rollout is crucial to a successful transformation.
By first demonstrating the potential for change, the leaders of public institutions will be more likely to gain the support of stakeholders and employees alike. The first wave of change should include a modest number of categories—typically four or five—where the ability to deliver value is most easily demonstrated. Relatively simple categories like IT hardware, office supplies, furniture, and office equipment are usually good candidates.
After demonstrating early successes, management can identify a set of ambitious savings targets for other spending categories and for the program overall. Throughout the effort, visible commitment among senior management is critical to maintaining momentum.
Over time, the initial pragmatic approach must be buttressed by a broader set of initiatives to create a foundation for capturing the full potential across all categories, and to make the improvements stick. As noted above, this requires transferring the capabilities developed in the core team to the whole purchasing organization. Best practices for approaches, processes, and tools developed during the first waves of the program should beinstituted as standard, and the organization trained accordingly.
Building a world-class purchasing organization takes time, but public-sector organizations can start small and capture considerable savings. By looking comprehensively at purchased goods and services, setting an appropriate aspiration for change, streamlining purchasing processes, strengthening the purchasing organization through closer and more supportive management of its employees, and rolling out the change program in deliberate phases, public-sector organizations can generate significant value for other priorities.


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Featured Model: Barbara Desiree
The beautiful Barbara Desiree returns for a new Bullz-Eye.com pictorial, this time as our Featured Model for April 2014. We first met Barbara when she appeared as our Girl Next Door last spring, and now she's back with another sensual shoot, this time in sunny Florida. You'll see this stunning brunette in bikinis, lingerie and other sexy outfits, so check out the entire gallery. Enjoy!
Check out more models like Barbara Desiree in our Featured Models channel.
Photos by J. Scott Photography.
© 2014 Bullz-Eye.com. All Rights Reserved
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Where All Do We Deliver?
We deliver to all and any postal address around the India. Courier companies do not deliver to P.O.Box address, so we request you to provide full street address with pin code / zip code.
Please note that residential shipments to USA & some other countries will be left at door if someone is not there to receive the package or no one answers the door bell.
No deliveries are made on Saturdays and Sundays in most cities as they follow a 5 day work culture. Some times we can try to organize deliveries on Saturdays also on some extra cost on case to case basis.
Further, deliveries are generally made during normal working hours of courier companies and these vary from country to country.
Please note that there are no shipments made from the store on Sundays and public holidays as our logistics partners do not make any pick-ups on those days.
Transit Times
If you ordered two or more items, you may receive them in multiple boxes on different days, because of varying item availability and shipping locations. Often, products will be shipped separately from one another for added safety in transit, so you may receive more than one delivery to your address.
Transit Risk
Sitarini ships all parcels as fully insured at no extra cost to customers. If courier company fails to deliver, you do not suffer any loss. In-transit risk is all ours. But Sitarini will not be responsible for lost and stolen packages or any full or partial damages to the package after being left at customer's address by postal / courier agency.
Shipment and Tracking Details
We will send you an email regarding the shipment of your order, as soon as the items are handed over to the Courier. These alert emails will contain the tracking number and courier companies website details along with expected date of delivery. You may also check the same on our order status page or by logging in to the My Account section on our site. Tracking numbers for orders shipped might take 24 business hours to become active on the courier websites.
Address Change Requests
Once an order is registered, you cannot make any alterations. However, address alteration requests may be accommodated within 24 hours of placing the order. You may Email us your alteration request and the needful will be done.
Multiple Address Order
Currently this option is not available. However, if you want to send the product to different addresses, you can place multiple orders.
Incorrect or Incomplete Address
Please note: some courier companies charge a penalty for incorrect shipping addresses, wherein the address and zip code do not match. The customer will, without exception, bear the cost of any such penalties and/or fees, not Sitarini. Please make sure your shipping address is correct.
In the event of a reshipment of the same order, customers will be responsible to pay re-shipping charges for the reshipment.
Packing Method
All products are first polythene packed then put in corrugated box. All orders are shipped by Ist Class Air courier services and home delivered within approximately 7-10 working days after dispatch of the shipment.
Time to Ship
For each item we have mentioned time to ship along with the item image. These are only indicative and approximate values, and items can be shipped earlier or later on case to case basis depending on availability of item and other factors.
It is advisable to Email us with the item codes to get more accurate time to ship estimate.
We are proud to offer such shipping values to our customers, especially when paired with our fast delivery times. In most cases, your order will be processed within 48-72 hours of your placing it. You can expect to receive your order, on average, within 7 -15 business days of placing the order.
And in case there is a delay in Shipping?
The "Availability" as mentioned on our website against each item is an approximate count of days it would take to dispatch the order from our warehouse.
If, for any reason, there is going to be a delay in shipping because an item is 'Out of Stock' or if there is an unusual delay in filling an order, we will notify you by e-mail. We may also choose to deliver your order in multiple consignments (for multiple item orders with differing "Availability"). In some cases, we would offer to refund you for unfulfilled part of the order in case of our inability to resolve the order within a reasonable period of time.
At times, due to situations beyond our control, delays may occur. Refund, Returns, Replacement & Exchange would not be entertained in case of such scenarios. However, benefits such as Store Credit would be provided on a case-to-case basis. These can be used for future shopping on the site.
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Billing Address is the address where a customer gets his bills from the credit card company. Shipping address is the address where the customer wants to receive their shipment.
If you have any question about our shipping policies, please call us on the mobile numbers mentioned in the Contact Us page or you can email us on [email protected]


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The United States is winding down more than 12 years of military involvement in Afghanistan, and for most Americans, the country is rapidly fading into the background.
At the same time, Afghans are entering uncharted territory. President Hamid Karzai, who has led Afghanistan since shortly after the Taliban were ousted in 2001, is barred from running for a third term.
So Afghanistan is poised to do what it's never done before: change leaders through a democratic election.
Eleven candidates are trying to replace Karzai in the April 5 election. Ten are Pashtuns, the dominant ethnic group. Candidates are already holding rallies, debating and wooing tribal leaders.
But with no reliable polling, it's hard to gauge support for the candidates, and there's no clear front-runner at this point.
There are many unanswered questions. Will the elections be fair (past votes here have been marred by fraud)? Will Karzai throw his political machinery behind a preferred successor — and if so, whom? Will the Taliban disrupt the voting as they have pledged to?
We'll be writing much more about the election as it approaches. For now, here are sketches of the top-tier candidates according to political analysts.
Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, 53, an ophthalmologist who served as foreign minister in the Karzai government from 2001-2005. He split with Karzai and became the leading political opposition figure in the country. He was the main challenger to Karzai on the 2009 presidential ballot, getting 30 percent of the vote in the first round. He dropped out of the runoff election with Karzai, claiming the process was rigged against him.
Ashraf Ghani, 64, is one of the leading technocrats in Afghanistan. He has served as finance minister and as a World Bank official. He holds a doctorate from Columbia University and taught at several American universities. He is relatively well-known and popular in the West, but in the 2009 election he managed only 3 percent of the vote and finished fourth.
Qayum Karzai, 56, is the older brother of the current president. He lived in the U.S. for years and ran an Afghan restaurant in Baltimore. He served as a delegate to Afghanistan's constitution-making body in 2002, and later served as a member of the lower house of Parliament. He and other brothers of the president have been hounded by allegations of unethical business dealings.
Gen. Abdul Rahim Wardak, 68, is a former defense minister and adviser to President Karzai. He was a rebel commander during the war against the Soviet Union in the 1980s. He's held a number of other military positions over the years, and has been heavily involved with disarmament and reconciliation programs. He's well-regarded by Western military officials.
Dr. Zalmay Rassoul, 70, has served in several top posts, including foreign minister, national security adviser and minister of civil aviation. A polyglot, he studied in France, where he received his medical degree. He is unmarried and has no children, which is extremely unusual in Afghanistan. The soft-spoken politician is widely viewed as Karzai's choice as a successor, though Karzai says he will not endorse any candidate.
Abdul Rassoul Sayyaf, 64, is arguably the most controversial candidate in the race. He studied Islam at Cairo's Al-Azhar University and was one of the leading rebel commanders in the battle against the Soviets in 1980s. He had strong backing from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in part because of his fundamentalist ideology. He was close to Osama bin Laden and is credited with inviting al-Qaida to Afghanistan in the 1990s. Human rights groups say he committed a variety of abuses during the war against the Soviets, and then in Afghanistan's civil war. Despite sharing some ideological views with the Taliban, he's a sworn enemy and a target for assassination by the militant group.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Pope OKs Communion For The Divorced? Not So Fast, Vatican Says
The Vatican on Thursday sought to tamp down speculation that Pope Francis wants to reverse church teachings and allow divorced and remarried Catholics and their spouses to take Communion.
Religion News Service walks through what happened after word surfaced earlier this week that the pope reportedly called a woman in Argentina and told her it is OK for at least some divorced Catholics or their spouses to receive that sacrament.
The woman, Jacqueline Sabetta Lisbona, had written to the pope about her anguish because she felt she couldn't receive Communion since her husband's previous marriage had ended in divorce and they had not been married in a church. According to The Washington Post, "the last time she tried to take the Eucharist was last year, but the local priest ... denied her communion."
Her husband, Julio Sabetta, tells CNN that his wife "spoke with the pope, and he said she was absolved of all sins and she could go and get the Holy Communion because she was not doing anything wrong."
After that news hit the Web, the Vatican weighed in. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli notes that Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a brief statement that nothing about church teachings should be inferred from any personal calls made by the pope.
In that statement, Lombardi does not dispute the accounts of what the pope reportedly said. But he does say that the pope might have been misinterpreted, according to the Vatican's English translation of Lombardi's statement:
"That which has been communicated in relation to this matter, outside the scope of personal relationships, and the consequent media amplification, cannot be confirmed as reliable, and is a source of misunderstanding and confusion."
"Therefore," Lombardi continues, "consequences relating to the teaching of the Church are not to be inferred from these occurrences."
Pope Francis is known to pick up the phone. Agence France-Presses notes that:
"The pope has previously been reported making calls from the practical to the intense, including calling his newsagent in Buenos Aires to cancel a subscription and comforting a mother grieving over her murdered daughter.
"The Vatican rarely makes official comment on reports of the calls, which often rely solely on the person in question saying that they have been called by the pope — who has been dubbed 'the cold call pope' by the tabloids."


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Looks like a soap dispenser, huh? WRONG!
It's actually a battery-powered shower-cleaning device that sprays foaming suds around your shower after you're done. Of course, I know that NOW. I didn't know it yesterday.
While I was on call this weekend, Mrs. Grumpy installed one in our shower, and didn't mention it to me.
So yesterday morning, I was showering away in the dark (I get up early, and shower in the dark so the lights don't wake up the kids). In the dim glow of the night-lite I noticed this gadget hanging there, looking suspiciously like a soap dispenser. So, to lather up, I pressed the big blue button on the front, and put my hand under it.
Nothing came out. Instead the thing began beeping REALLY LOUD.
Holy shit! What the fuck kind of a soap dispenser is this?
Crap! Why is it beeping? It's going to wake up everybody! How the hell do I make it stop?
Fuck! There has to be a button or switch or something to turn it off! I'll press the blue button again!
That didn't do anything. Shit, I can't see if there's another button to make it stop!
I leaned forward, feeling it all over to try and find a switch.
After the 5th BEEP! the little blue thing on the bottom suddenly spun around, spraying shower-cleaning foamy stuff in a circle around it, covering the shower, the tiles, and my eyes, which were about 2 inches in front of it as I frantically tried to find a way to make it stop beeping.
It burned like hell. I screamed and fell backwards, and some shampoo bottles fell on me with a loud clatter. Snowball started barking. In the panic I tried to get to a sink to wash my eyes out, before I realized that I was already in a shower with water pouring down.
As I rinsed my eyes out the lights went on, and I became aware that I'd woken up the whole house. Wife, kids, dogs, and all.
I'm going to stick with bar soap from now on.


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This Is What's Wrong with the Legal System in America
What else could we have done with the billions of dollars squandered on regulatory friction and the pursuit of questionable claims of damage?
Behind the public-relations facade of "advocacy" and "justice," much of the American legal system is unproductive regulatory friction and the pursuit of extortionist rentier skims. I recently received an email that reflects many aspects of this systemic reality.
Want to give an enduringly practical graduation gift? Then give my new book Get a Job, Build a Real Career and Defy a Bewildering Economy, a mere $9.95 for the Kindle ebook edition and $17.76 for the print edition.
Get a Job, Build a Real Career and Defy a Bewildering Economy(Kindle, $9.95)(print, $20)
Are you like me? Ever since my first summer job decades ago, I've been chasing financial security. Not win-the-lottery, Bill Gates riches (although it would be nice!), but simply a feeling of financial control. I want my financial worries to if not disappear at least be manageable and comprehensible.
And like most of you, the way I've moved toward my goal has always hinged not just on having a job but a career.
You don't have to be a financial blogger to know that "having a job" and "having a career" do not mean the same thing today as they did when I first started swinging a hammer for a paycheck.
Even the basic concept "getting a job" has changed so radically that jobs--getting and keeping them, and the perceived lack of them--is the number one financial topic among friends, family and for that matter, complete strangers.
So I sat down and wrote this book: Get a Job, Build a Real Career and Defy a Bewildering Economy.
It details everything I've verified about employment and the economy, and lays out an action plan to get you employed.
I am proud of this book. It is the culmination of both my practical work experiences and my financial analysis, and it is a useful, practical, and clarifying read.
Test drive the first section and see for yourself. Kindle, $9.95 print, $20
"I want to thank you for creating your book Get a Job, Build a Real Career and Defy a Bewildering Economy. It is rare to find a person with a mind like yours, who can take a holistic systems view of things without being captured by specific perspectives or agendas. Your contribution to humanity is much appreciated."
Laura Y.
Thank you, Craig M. ($20), for your exceedingly generous contribution to this site -- I am greatly honored by your support and readership. | Thank you, David C. ($10), for your most generous subscription to this site -- I am greatly honored by your longstanding support and readership. |


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These fun, playful, positive reward based classes teach your puppy the basics such as sit, down, stay, come when called, loose leash walking, and on your spot. As well, you will learn about puppy nutrition, health, safety, importance of socialization, basic grooming, and how to read your puppy's body language.
Please read our Waiver before you register for this event.
Prices include GST.
This class is fully booked.


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Ole compound file
The Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) Compound File (CF) is used in other file formats as its underlying container file. It allows data to be stored in multiple streams.
The OLECF is also known as:
- Compound Binary File (current name used by Microsoft
- Compound Document File (name used by OpenOffice)
- OLE2 file
MIME types
Because the OLECF by itself is just a container it does not use a mime type. A mime type assigned to an OLECF refers to its contents.
File signature
The OLECF has the following file signature (as a hexadecimal byte sequence):
d0 cf 11 e0 a1 b1 1a e1
For earlier beta version of the format the following signature was used:
0e 11 fc 0d d0 cf 11 0e
The OLECF has no distinct footer.
The OLECF uses a FAT-like file system to define blocks that are assigned to the stream using multiple allocation tables. It uses a directory structure to define the name of the streams.
The OLECF is used to store:
- Microsoft Office 97-2003 documents:
- Word Document (doc)
- Excel Spreadsheet (xls)
- Powerpoint Presentation (ppt)
- MSN (Toolbar) (C:\Documents and Settings\%USERNAME%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\MSNe\msninfo.dat)
- Jump Lists
- StickyNotes.snt
- Thumbs.db
- Windows Installer (.msi) and patch file (.msp)
- Windows Search (srchadm.msc)
External Links
- Compound Binary File Specification, by Microsoft. Be warned this file contains at least one error: the directory entry name length is a size in bytes not in characters.
- MS-CFB: Compound File Binary File Format, by Microsoft
- Microsoft Compound Document File Format, by OpenOffice.org
- OLE Compound File format specification, by the libolecf project


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- 110 hp Power
- 92 Nm Torque
- 210 kg Wet Weight (No Fuel)
Suggested Ride Away Price from $28,867 NZD
Per week cost available* i
Made by TCX with the Ducati Corse livery, these exclusive technical low-cut boots are the perfect accessory for urban riding or a trip out of town....
Made by TCX with the Ducati Corse livery, these exclusive technical low-cut boots are the perfect accessory for urban riding or a trip out of town. CE-certified, they feature a microfiber upper with micro-injected inserts, Bycast leather gear-shifting support and a metal mesh air vent, ensuring perfect fit and adequate protection. Moreover, they offer reinforcements on the inner and outer ankle and on the point and heel. The inner liner, made with a waterproof membrane, and the anatomical, removable insole ensure extreme comfort. The excellent technical features and the anti-slip, wear-resistant rubber outsole make these boots perfect also to walk mid-range distances off your bike. With the practical Velcro and lace closure, they are provided with an additional black set. With their modern yet sporty and unmistakably Ducati look, they are perfect to ride or to hang out.
A material traditionally used in motorcycling clothing that offers a good level of breathability and guarantees increased abrasion resistance. It is a product that, starting from different bases, requires a complex series of manufacturing processes to ensure constant standards in terms of aesthetics and safety. The variation in thickness has a bearing on the perception of softness and resistance to tearing and abrasion. A thinner leather is more comfortable but is used for less technical products because it is less resistant. A thicker leather is more rigid but more resistant to tearing and abrasion. The characteristics also vary according to which part of the leather is used to produce the article.
Glossy finished kangaroo leather (thickness mm 0.9 +/- 0.1), it stands out for excellent tear and abrasion resistance. Among the materials currently in use for racing suits, kangaroo leather stands out for the best mechanical resistance to lightness ratio.
The leather is 0.9 mm (1/32") thick, making it 25% thinner than cowhide for motorcycle sport use. The same is obviously true for its weight:
One square meter of kangaroo leather weighs just 600 grams (1.32 lbs) and resists to abrasion for 5 seconds
• Excellent tear and abrasion resistance > high protection in case of falls
• Reduced leather thickness > lighter suit > better comfort, especially in case of prolonged use
• Reduced leather thickness > superior fit > the suit better accommodates the racer's movement
Top-quality full-grain cowhide
• Better mechanical performance with respect to traditional cowhide (+60% tensile strength and +80% tear resistance)
• Treated with resins and silicon wax
• Thickness mm 1.2 +/- 0.1
Extreme abrasion resistance, tear resistance and tensile strength > extreme protection in case of falls/skidding
• Very soft > extremely pleasant to the touch
• Excellent wearability > excellent fit and adaptability to movements while riding
Good quality cowhide
• Good mechanical performance
• Water-proof treatment
• Soft finish
• Thickness mm 1.2 +/- 0.1
• High abrasion resistance, tear resistance and tensile strength > high protection in case of falls/skidding
• Soft > pleasant to the touch
• Good wearability > good riding comfort
• Barrel-dyed cowhide with soft retanning
• Great softness > extremely pleasant to the touch
• Good mechanical performance > good protection in case of a fall
• Excellent fit > excellent adaptability to movement during riding
Soft cowhide of East Indian Water Buffalo for urban garments
• Thickness 0.9 +/- 0.1 mm
• Good abrasion resistance, tear resistance and tensile strength > good protection in case of falls/skidding
• Riding comfort
Buffalo leather is used in motorcycle apparel thanks to its durability, flexibility and appearance.
Thickness 0,9 +/- 0,1 mm.
The leather is barrel-dyed and then slightly sprayed.
This maintains the natural characteristics of the leather and gives the garment a worn appearance in a short time, thanks to the slight contrast between the black barrel and the sprayed one.
Tough and durable > good abrasion resistance, tear resistance and tensile strength > good protection in case of falls/ skidding
• Soft and flexible > comfortable and pleasant to the touch
• Particular texture and appearance > pleasant touch & feel
Excluding sports use, the use of fabric in motorcycle clothing is increasing rapidly. Thanks to a huge range of materials and technical solutions, products of different weight, volume and technicality can be produced, all designed for specific types of bike usage or for very different climates at prices that are more contained than for similar leather pieces.
• Stretch technical fabric made of high-tenacity 6.6 Nylon in the warp and stretch 6.6 Nylon in the weft
• Nanotechnology-based finish is used to obtain non-iron, water and oil-repellent fabric
• Excellent tear and abrasion resistance > great protection in case of falls/skidding
• Excellent wearability > excellent riding comfort
• Good thermal insulation
• Water- and oil-repellent even after washing
• Ironing not needed
• Excellent tenacity, high abrasion, wrinkle and heat resistance, high resilience, minimal moisture regain and good resistance to chemical and physical agents. Due to all of these features, polyester is used either pure or combined with other natural, man-made or synthetic fibers.
• More specifically, the polyester used in Ducati summer clothing items has an abrasion resistance of 450 cycles. Weight makes garments less prone to ballooning up at high speeds. A double polyurethane coating on the inside provides wind resistance, breathability and good water repellent properties.
• Excellent tenacity and high resilience > dimensional stability (no shrinking)
• Good abrasion resistance > 450 cycles (in accordance with UNIEN 388/2004) and a weight of 200 g/sq m > good protection in the event of a fall or skid
• High wrinkle and heat resistance > no wrinkling > great wear and abrasion resistance
• Does not absorb moisture > excellent water and dirt proofing
• Good resistance to chemical and physical agents > excellent durability
• Fabric weight > limited ballooning up even at high speeds > greater comfort
100% polyester twill fabric, 280 g/m2, abrasion resistant (1450 Martindale cycles, UNI EN ISO 388/2004), waterproofed.
Twill is a type of fabric with a textile weave characterized by an aesthetically pleasing diagonal pattern. This weave grants the fabric softness and good deformability, features that make garments produced with it both comfortable and resistant.
• Softness of fabric > garments adapt to body movement > excellent ergonomics
• Abrasion resistant > excellent protection in case of falls or slides
• Natural look > eye-pleasing
• Waterproofing > garments will not get soaked in rainy conditions
Softshell fabric is a combination of 3 different layers overlapped on one another (polyester outer face, membrane in the middle and micro-fleece inner face). The three layers are pressed together in a laminating machine.
Heat and pressure are applied to the top and bottom layers to bond them together with the breathable membrane in-between.
Each of the three layers fulfills a specific function:
• the tight and elastic weaving of the outer layer provides wind-cutting and water repellent properties.
• the middle layer membrane determines the garment performance: depending on the needs, some products are wind proof and breathable, others waterproof and breathable
• the micro-fleece inner layer keeps the body warm and lends the fabric a soft and pleasant touch.
• The unique construction of this fabric ensures breathability and keeps out the elements
• Great resilience > In order to fulfill its functions, a Softshell garment must hug the body and flow with its movements > slim fit, great comfort and excellent material performance
• Excellent color fastness and dimensional stability > product features remain unaltered through time
• Textile fibre of vegetable origin
• Characterised by good skin friendliness
• Disperses heat quite easily
• Highly hygienic
• Comfort
• Softness
• Pleasant to the touch
• Mixed fabric
• Due to their higher tension, the bottom warp threads push the weft threads down forming a depression, while the loose threads remain on the surface and create a relief. This creates a quilted effect, enhanced by the softer padding of the weft yarn, also called honeycomb structure.
• Comfort
• Softness
• Pleasant to the touch
• Weft knit fabric
• Slightly elastic structure
• Shaved or honeycomb surface that can be made with any type of fibre
• Comfort
• Softness
• Pleasant to the touch
• Interlock knit cotton fabric
• This fabric is a variant of jersey, but it is easier to cut
• Compact weave double-knit fabric
• Comfort
• Softness
• Good elasticity (less elastic than ribbed fabric, but much more restraining)
• Polyester is a synthetic fibre which is mixed with polyamide, cotton, etc., in order to make fabrics more restraining and resistant
• The presence of polyester ensures an excellent hold and that the garment will maintain its shape even after numerous washes
• The high percentage of cotton preserves the body thanks to its contact with natural fibre
• Excellent resistance
• Polyester content ensures excellent shape retention
• Pleasant when it comes in contact with the skin due to the high percentage of cotton
• Synthetic fibre
• Shiny fabric
• Rough if not properly worked
• Good elasticity and does not wrinkle
• Resistant to mould and bacteria
• Water repellent and does not absorb stains and humidity
• Good breathability if properly worked
• High tear and abrasion resistance
• Comfort
• Easy garment maintenance (machine washable, non-shrink, crease-resistant)
• Breathability
• Good thermal insulation
• High-speed drying
Elastane fibre grants a series of benefits to the garment, which increase according to the percentage of elastane used:
• soft and flexible
• lightweight
• abrasion-resistant
• Increased elasticity as % of elastane increases
• Tensile strength proportional to the % of elastane
• High tear resistance
• Resistant to cosmetic oils, sweat, lotions, detergents
• No static electricity problems
• No pilling
• Soft and warm fabric
• Even, slightly fuzzy surface
• Particularly warm and yet light, because the fibres raised through brushing retain the air which acts as thermal insulation
• Lightweight
• Softness
• Pleasant to the touch
• Good thermal insulation
• Technical material, namely a system of innovative and versatile fibres with excellent tear resistance, abrasion resistance and tensile strength
• Made of soft and light fibres characterised by important anti-allergenic properties.
• Excellent moisture wicking properties
• High tear and abrasion resistance
• High tensile strength
• Ideal for sports and leisure garments
• High-speed drying (three times higher than cotton)
• High breathability
• Extreme comfort
• Fleece is a synthetic fabric derived from polyester.
• It is knit using a special technique that makes it bulky and soft. It features many advantages: it is very warm, machine washable, non-shrink, crease-resistant. It is not wind-proof or waterproof.
• High thermal insulation
• High level of softness
• Inexpensive
• Non-deformable
• Easy garment maintenance (machine washable, non-shrink, crease-resistant)
• Its name stems from the merging of the initials of New York (Ny) and London (Lon)
• It can be produced in very fine threads and has an elastic structure which allows it to adapt to the most varied shapes and the most complex and unpredictable movements of the human body
• It is used for all close-fit garments that must follow body movements and for outer coating of anoraks because of its high insulation properties
• High resistance to wear and tear
• Comfort
• Can be combined with fleece to create warm and waterproof garments
• It looks like a porous rubber
• Lightweight
• Elasticity, resistance to cut and crushing
• Wear and heat resistance
• Inert to chemical agents
• Inexpensive
• Water resistant
• High tear and abrasion resistance
• Good elasticity
• Breathability
• Warm
• Comfort
• Easy garment maintenance (machine washable, non-shrink, crease-resistant)
• Fibre obtained from Merino sheep
• This type of wool is particularly prized for its fineness, due to the fact that the hair of a merino sheep is thinner than the hair of a common sheep
• Because a merino wool garment is lighter than an ordinary wool garment, it can be worn in warmer seasons too
• Wear resistance (more resistant that common wool)
• Crease resistance (creases less than common wool)
• Lightweight
• Great water absorption capacity
• Made with two warps and a weft. The first warp forms the basis of the fabric, the second warp forms the effect which is better known as loop. The shearing consists in cutting the upper part of the loop, thus lending the terry cloth a velvet-like texture
• Great water absorption capacity
• Extreme softness with velvet effect
• Pleasant to the touch
The linings, whether fixed or detachable, offer an important contribution to the comfort of the garment and therefore to the well-being and safety of the motorcyclist. They are made with technical fabrics that, depending on the use of the garment, cool, warm or help maintain the body's microclimate.
Membranes are a fundamental functional element for many items in the collection. Whether they are laminated on the outer layer or removable, they are made of high quality materials that offer waterproofness and/or protection from the wind while maintaining great breathability and excellent comfort.
Thanks to this special three-dimensional lining, an air chamber forms between the outside and inside of the garment, in order to provide an ideal microclimate.
• Good inner ventilation > fast drying in warm weather
• Good insulation at mild temperatures > as the outer temperature varies, it is not necessary to add or remove the thermal lining
• Excellent fit > does not require the addition of a further thermal lining, which would modify the garment's fit
• Innovative bacteriostatic polyester lining developed using nanotechnology
• Silver ion nanoparticles added to the yarn during the extrusion process: this process is unlike any ordinary finishing process, since the ions become embedded in the fibre and are evenly distributed inside the yarn
• Bacteriostatic > more hygienic
• Prevents unpleasant odours > better comfort
• Maximum fabric stability and wash resistance > the product features remain unaltered through time
• Inner liner made of high-tenacity polyamide yarns and woven fibres that provide excellent mechanic performance
• Maximum fabric stability > the product features remain unaltered through time
• High mechanical resistance parameters > compliant with the standards required to obtain the CE certification
• Elastomer coated with Polyamide in warp and weft
• Bi-axial elastic properties: the fabric is elasticized in width and length
• Water- and oil-repellent treatment
• 715 g/m2
High mechanical resistance > high abrasion resistance, tear resistance and tensile strength
• Good elasticity > good vertical and horizontal flexibility
• Good wearability > good riding comfort
• Mesh fabric used for breathable garments ideal for hot and humid climate
• Fresh > excellent riding comfort
• Breathable > maximum aeration
• Lightweight
H2OUT® is a special micro-porous waterproof, windproof, breathable membrane, that Spidi created after long term studies and tests in cooperation with big Japanese textile group Toray and OutDry.
The membrane is specific for motorcycling, when water and wind soak through the fabric, and body temperature tends to drop if the right protection is missing. Tested and constantly updated with the use of Tecnorama artificial weather simulator for more than 20 years.
• Waterproof over 20.000mm H2O
• Breathability over 10.000g/ m2/24h (* A-1 upright cup method JIS L1099 A-1, ISO 2528)
• Water repellency over 80 points (after 20 wash cycles)
• Wind and rainproof > great comfort even in adverse weather conditions
The hydrophilic membrane applied to D-Dry® fabric, developed by Dainese D-Tec®, has a particular structure that ensures total waterproof combined with an high breathability, thanks to the come out of water vapour produced by the body
• Waterproof over 10,000 mm H2O
• Breathability
• Windproof > maximum comfort in different weather conditions
Windout is a wind-proof, breathable membrane designed to protect against the wind-chill effect (i.e. the heat loss perceived by the human body when exposed to the combined effects of low temperatures and wind.
As a matter of fact, the cooling effect of the wind makes the human body feel colder than the actual air temperature).
Made from 120 g/sq m polyamide fabric with water repellent treatment on the outside and breathable, windstopper inner coating.
• Wind-proof > good comfort in all weather conditions
• Breathability > good aeration
• Water repellent treatment + inner coating > 3.000-mm water column and moisture vapor transport rate of 400 g/ sq m/24 hr (iso uni 4818 part 26).
Designed to allow for elbows to slide safely on road pavement.
RSS is made up of:
• A replaceable nylon slider with a special design that facilitates sliding over road surface
• An alluminium plate on the back of the elbow
• Easy-grip area facilitates proper sleeve positioning
• Double screw attachment system for slider replacement
• Nylon slider. at any angle of the elbow > it adapts to any track and riding style
• Alluminium plate: enhanced protection in the event of a fall
• Easy-grip area: improved fitting and proper positioning of protections
• Double screw attachment
system for slider replacement >quick replacement
The aluminum plate in the center of the shoulder protection can also be changed by the end customer by unscrewing the four screws and replacing the damaged plate with a new one, which can be purchased as a spare part.
• reduced volume > high comfort, attractive look
• high abrasion resistance > extreme protection
• smooth surface for reduced friction prevents dangerous rotations in the event of a fall
• interchangeable plate > greater practicality > less time required for replacement
The co-injected shoulder replaces removable composite protectors
• Comprises a CE-approved protector made through the injection of plastic material over a mesh externally covered in polyurethane
• A pocket for the insertion of the metal plate fastened by rivets on the inside is created inside this structure
• Jointed to the rest of the garment
• High impact energy absorption and distribution > extreme protection in case of falls/ skidding
• Reduced volume > high comfort, attractive look
• High abrasion resistance > extreme protection
• Since the protector is fixed, it maintains the correct position in the event of a fall
• Smooth surface for reduced friction in the event of a fall
Aluminium inserts. May be placed on shoulders and/or knees and/or elbows.
• High impact energy absorption and distribution > extreme protection in case of falls/skidding
• High abrasion resistance > extreme protection
• Smooth surface for reduced friction prevents dangerous rotations in the event of a fall
External PU shoulder protection offer additional abrasion resistance in key impact area.
Ergonomic, dual density plastic inserts.
• Glossy material > friction control for a stable sliding in case of crash, plus additional impact protection
• Ergonomy > good riding comfort
UNI EN 1621.1* certified composite protectors
• A rigid outer plastic shell absorbs and distributes impact energy over the protector's entire surface thanks to a thin reticulated structure
• The inner part of the protectors is made of high-density expanded polyethylene with high deformation and low memory properties
• High impact energy absorption and distribution > extreme protection in case of falls/ skidding
• Lightweight and thin > good comfort
EN 1621.1 certified soft protectors*
• Made of an outer layer in polymer with high absorption capacity and remarkable elasticity, bonded to an inner layer of polyethylene foam
• The perforated structure also ensures the correct ventilation of the area
• High impact energy absorption and distribution > good protection in case of falls/ skidding
• Flexible, lightweight and ergonomic > good riding comfort
• Lightweight > good ventilation
Nitrile rubber protectors are certified to EN 1621.1 – very thin, lightweight and with ergonomic design. Fully perforated construction. Hexagon pattern for superior absorption capacity. The design draws inspiration from the patterns used in nature to create complex structures that offer more protection or more flexibility depending on how their elements are arranged in the space
• High impact energy absorption and distribution > high protection in case of falls/ skidding
• Hexagon pattern in contact with the body, pre-curved ergonomic shape, great flexibility > high riding comfort
• Lightweight, perforated frame> excellent ventilation
MultiTech protectors have been designed incorporating the safety and health requirements of certification standards, yet with enhanced comfort, ergonomic and kinematic properties.
Extreme flexibility, low thickness, a soft feel and excellent adaptation to the body, ventilation areas are their key features.
• EN1621-1 certification, Type A, level 1. Transmitted energy 29.8kN (shoulder) 29.6 kN (elbow) > certified protection
• Total weight of kit is 360 gr > lightweight
• extreme flexibility, low thickness, soft feel and excellent adaptation to the body > great comfort
• ventilation areas > keeps body cool and lets moisture escape > riding comfort


text:
Xen is a high performance and secure open source virtualization framework. Virtualization allows one to run many guest virtual machines on top of a host operating system such as Fedora. What this means is that using one computer, you can mimick several individual computers and even run different operating systems in each of these virtual machines. Virtualization has been around for some time in products such as VMWare and VirtualPC, however it has historically been resource intensive and the guest operating systems ran at quite a performance hit. Xen however uses a different approach of being a true hypervisor and platform and has taken virtualization to a new level of performance and security.
Fedora used to be able to act as a Xen host, but that possibility went away a while back. Thanks to this effort, it is now more than possible to use Fedora as a Xen host (starting from Fedora 16).
By using modified kernels, Xen can take advantage of certain capabilities that allow you to have all the benefits of virtualization, without incurring the huge performance penalty often associated with virtualization. You can run guest operating systems at near native speeds with Xen. More recently, it has become possible to use Xen to run guests without them needing to have a modified kernel, provided the hardware offers some virtualization extensions (which is, nowadays, almost always the case).
The security of your environment can be enhanced by running different services in complete isolation, without resorting to the purchase of additional costly hardware. If your server used to run a web server and an e-mail server together, you can now isolate these two services and run them as though they were running on completely separate machines.
Using Xen, you can run an environment of multiple operating systems, all from one machine. An instance of Fedora can be ran in conjunction with more instances of Fedora or with other operating systems such as NetBSD, all simultaneously. These examples are simply scratching the surface of the many possibilities that Xen allows.
Xen Quick Start Guides
Depending on which Fedora release you are using there are different guides for getting started with Xen. Choose, among all the material linked below, the docs that better suits your needs and configuration.
Xen was officially part of Fedora from the beginning (of Xen itself) to Fedora 8. At that point, the Linux kernel dropped support for Xen, and that is why, for Fedora 9 to Fedora 15, you need custom kernels. Now Xen support has made it to the upstream kernel again, therefore, using Fedora as a Xen host is again available without unofficial packages starting from Fedora 16.
For Fedora 16 and newer:
- The Xen Project wiki has a Fedora Category, with all the links to all the information you need to setup a Fedora host or guest. In particular:
- Notice also that:
For Fedora 15 to Fedora 9:
- Using one of these releases as a Xen host will be a little bit more tricky. If willing to do so, check out the packages available at this experimental repository http://myoung.fedorapeople.org/dom0)
For Fedora 8 and older:
- Fedora 8
- Fedora 7
- Fedora Core 6 with a stable Xen 3.0.3 release included in the base distro & suitable for more extensive deployment
- Fedora Core 5 with a Xen snapshot included in the base distro for the first time, and suitable for exploration & initial testing
- Fedora Core 4 with experimental Xen 3 snapshot available as add on packages
Frequently Asked Questions
What follows are a handful of frequently asked questions about Xen in general. For questions specific to a Fedora release, consult the quick start guides linked above.
Q. What APIs are available for developing Xen management applications ?
A. The libvirt library provides an API which is guarenteed to be stable across the different versions of Xen in previous & future Fedora releases. libvirt provides a C library and Python bindings. There are also optional Perl bindings on CPAN and OCaml bindings.
Q. Is there any GUI tool for managing Xen virtual machines ?
A. The virt-manager application provides a GUI tool which can be run in Domain-0 to manage virtual machines. It is a standard part of Fedora Core, from version 6 onwards. It is also possible to run it in Fedora Core 5, albeit with reduced capabilities.
Q. Are there are tools available for automating Xen network deployments (aka "provisioning" tools)?
A. Yes, see Cobbler. To a certain extent, even xen-tools can help on that, see xen-tools, and see here on how to use that on Fedora.
Q. What are the architectures Xen is available on?
A. Xen is available on the x86 and some variants (v7 and v8) of the ARM architecture.
Q. Does Xen allow mixing of architectures (eg PPC guest on x86 host)?
A. No. The Xen virtualization system only allows for native architectures, either via para-virtualization, or full virtualization. To run a guest virtual machine with a different architecture from the host would be a job for the QEMU emulator instead.
Q. How can I have more information or get involved in development of Xen in Fedora ?
A. The dedicated mailing list for users of Xen on Fedora is email@example.com. For general questions about Xen refer to [ email@example.com] (no subscription required). For non-Xen discussions, the Communicate page details many other ways of communicating with Fedora users & developers.
Old Presentation and Articles
- cobbler : a presentation on automated virtual deployment at Red Hat Summit 2007 (San Diego) -- (further info) -- MichaelDeHaan
- libvirt : a presentation on the libvirt management API at the Xen Summit, 2006 (San Jose)
- Building blocks for managing virtualized systems : a presentation on Xen management tools from the Red Hat Summit 2006 (Nashville)
- Fedora Users and Developers Conference (FUDCon) 3 had a presentation from Red Hat and Fedora Xen developer DanielVeillard. Check this out FUDCon presentations
- Daniel Veillard also gave a presentation on the same topic at Linux Tag 2005. See http://veillard.com/Talks/2005LinuxTag/Overview.html
- Red Hat Magazine Xen feature with an interview on Red Hat and Fedora Xen developers - RikvanRiel and DanielVeillard at


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Diamond Gold Dust Face Sheet Mask
Shipping & Returns
Having trouble with your order? or want to find out more? contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com
Shipping Options
Shipping calculated on checkout depending on destination. See below for available shipping options and estimated charges.
Once you receive an email to confirm your order is on its way, a tracking link will be provided.-
United States:
Free Standard Shipping on all orders in the US over $15 with optional upgrades. All orders are tracked as standard.
Shipping Option | Price |
Standard (2-8 Business Days) | $5 USD |
Express (2-5 Business Days) | $10 USD |
- Canadian:
There is no free delivery on our Canadian orders as this is treated as an international shipment.
Shipping Option | Price |
Packet Plus (4 - 12 Business Days) | $20 USD |
Free Standard Shipping on all orders in the UK over £15 with optional upgrades.
Shipping Option | Price |
Express Recorded (1 - 2 Business Days) |
Express Standard (1-2 Business Days) |
Standard Recorded (1-3 Business Days) |
Standard (1-3 Business Days) |
Please note our UK orders are delivered by Evri and Royal Mail, and signatures are no longer required for Royal Mail deliveries. Additionally, only orders placed before 12pm Monday-Friday will be dispatched on the same day and Weekend orders get processed on the Monday morning.
We are temporarily restricting shipments to EU due to the changes occurring since Brexit and until we can find a feasible solution that prevents hidden costs/charges to customers, and parcels being held in customs. We apologise for this inconvenience and hope to have a solution in the near future.
Our returns policy covers you up to 14 days from dispatch date (you'll receive an email from us upon dispatch).
Can I exchange an item once I receive it?
- We do not offer exchanges, if you have not opened or used the product, we do accept returns and can offer a refund in this case, and follow the steps below.
If you aren't totally happy with your items, please let us know by emailing email@example.com, in your message please let us know that you wish to return your items and answer the below questions:
- Reason for returning
- Items you are returning
- Confirmation all products that are being returned are in unopened and in original packaging
Once you've answered the above, we will email you return shipping instructions.
Have you not received your parcel? please take these steps prior to contacting us:
- If the tracking says your parcel was delivered but you cannot locate it please check your back door, garden, any safe place and check with your family members and neighbours.
PayPal vs Non-PayPal Orders:
- If the order was placed via PayPal, we are able to cover return shipping. If the order was placed with a credit or debit card, we are unable to cover costs for returning the items to us. Once we receive your return a refund will be processed in 7 working days to the original payment method.
Incorrect Details Supplied? Please follow these steps:
- If there's an error in you delivery address please contact Customer Services a soon as possible with your order number and correct delivery address ready and if we still have time we will try to make things right. In case it is too late and the order was shipped to the wrong delivery address customers bear all the responsibility for this
PO Boxes:
- We are unable to deliver to PO Boxes.
What courier service do you use for international deliveries?
- For international delivery, we use DHL.
How long does it take for a return to reach you?
- Please note return will reach our warehouse in a 1 - 3 weeks time, and we do not have control over the speed of this.
*Dates are subject to stock and courier availability. Exact delivery dates will be confirmed at the point of checkout.


text:
The second U.S. case of a dangerous new virus from the Middle East has been found in Florida, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday.
The patient is a health care worker from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, who developed symptoms May 1 while traveling to Orlando, Fla., to visit family, the CDC said.
MERS is a life-threatening respiratory infection that first emerged on the Arabian Peninsula in 2012. The virus is related to one that causes the common cold and SARS, which sparked a worldwide alarm in 2003.
There have been 538 confirmed MERS cases reported globally, including 148 deaths. Most cases have occurred in Saudi Arabia. But travelers have carried the virus to other parts of the world, including the U.K., France and Malaysia.
State and federal health officials are working to make sure the virus does not spread in Florida, CDC Director Thomas Frieden said in a telephone briefing for reporters. But there's no reason for widespread alarm.
"Our experience with MERS, so far, suggests the risk to the public is extremely low," Frieden said. The virus doesn't appear to spread easily from one person to another, he added.
Nevertheless, officials are tracking down hundreds of people who may have had contact with the patient during flights to London, Boston, Atlanta and Orlando.
The man developed a fever, chills and a slight cough during the first flight. He was admitted to a hospital after seeking care at an emergency room. He didn't visit Disney World before getting admitted to the hospital, the CDC said.
The man is now in isolation, but he's doing well, officials said. No additional information about the patient has been released.
The first U.S. case of MERS was detected in Indiana in late April. A man caught the virus while working in a hospital in the Saudi capital. He then flew from Riyadh to London and then Chicago, where he developed symptoms. He later took a bus to Munster, Ind., where he was visiting family and went to an emergency room.
There's no indication the man infected anyone else on his trip or in the hospital where he was treated. He was released from the Community Hospital in Munster on Sunday, after doctors determined he was no longer infectious.
"The patient has tested negative for MERS, is no longer symptomatic and poses no threat to the community," Alan Kumar, the hospital's chief medical information officer, said in a written statement.
Health officials around the country are closely watching for MERS because there's no vaccine or treatment for it. And they're still not sure how people catch the virus. Most signs point to camels. The virus is widespread in the animals; some people have had contact with camels or their milk before getting sick.
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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playwood.it uses cookies to optimize your browsing experience.
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This policy is effective 01/03/2018


text:
Randy Travis Awake
In a news release and video from the Texas hospital where the 54-year-old singer is recovering, doctors said Travis remains in critical condition and on a ventilator, but is off a heart pump and is breathing spontaneously. His breathing support is gradually being reduced and he has begun the early stages of physical therapy.
Mary Davis, Travis' fiancee, thanked the singer's friends and fans for their prayers and support.
"I know that Randy feels each and every one of those," Davis said in the video. "He feels the hands of the doctors and the care of the nurses and the love of his fans. His friends and family have all been touched by that. He is responding well to voices and he sees and he understands. He's miles beyond where any of us thought he would be a few days ago."
Travis will stay at The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano for two to three more weeks before being transferred somewhere else to undergo aggressive physical therapy. Doctors say it will take months to recover from the stroke, but scans shows the swelling in his brain is subsiding following surgery and he is making good progress in his recovery.
The Grammy Award-winning "Three Wooden Crosses" singer checked into the hospital on July 7 after a viral illness affected his heart.
Doctors said Travis has a seriously weakened heart – a condition called cardiomyopathy – that the viral infection apparently made worse. However, he doesn't have an active heart infection, and doctors said long-term, he should be able to manage his weakened heart with medication.
Dr. Michael Mack, a cardiac surgeon and medical director of cardiovascular disease at Baylor Health Care System in Dallas, said Travis' heart no longer needs a small pump to help control blood flow.
Mack said echocardiograms indicated the heart problem was not caused by drug and alcohol abuse.
"Mr. Travis does have a family history of cardiomyopathy and it is more likely related to that," Mack said.
Travis has had troubles with alcohol recently and pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in January following an accident last August. He received two years of probation and a $2,000 fine. He was required to spend at least 30 days at an alcohol treatment facility and complete 100 hours of community service.
Before falling ill with a viral upper respiratory illness, he'd recently made several public appearances, including a spot on the Country Music Association Festival's nightly concert lineup and a poignant performance at George Jones' funeral.
Travis was admitted to Baylor Medical Center McKinney near his home in Tioga, about 60 miles north of Dallas, and was transferred to The Heart Hospital Baylor Plano after doctors stabilized his heart with the pump. As doctors removed the pump, he had the stroke, Mack said.
The North Carolina-born Travis is a traditional country purist known for hits "Forever and Ever, Amen" and "I Told You So." His 1986 Warner Bros. debut album Storms of Life sold 3 million copies, and helped return country music to the sound of Hank Williams and George Jones. It also made Travis and his mellow baritone a star, leading the way for other artists from Alan Jackson to "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery.