Crafter CMS fuels modern digital experiences for a rapidly growing number of global enterprises and government organizations.
RESTON, VA, USA, March 15, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — Crafter Software, the award-winning provider of headless CMS software for the enterprise, today reported a 33% increase in annual recurring revenue (ARR) in fiscal year 2020. The company also generated positive net income on both an accrual and cash basis, further strengthening its already strong balance sheet and outstanding financial condition.
“Our continued strong sales growth and profitable operations is a result of three primary factors,” said Mike Vertal, CEO of Crafter Software. “First, the innovative architecture of Crafter CMS continues to gain recognition, driving growth in both our open source community and in the numbers of new enterprise and government sector customers. We are seeing more sales opportunities and closing more new business in competitive sales situations against the legacy CMS vendors, as well as against the more limited headless-only CMS vendors. Second, our existing customers continue to expand their use of Crafter CMS to more and more digital experience applications, driving both strong renewal rates and the purchase of additional software subscriptions for expanded and new use cases. Third, sales of our Crafter Cloud private SaaS offering more than doubled last year, as more enterprises look to move their digital experience applications to the cloud.”
“Our customers are some of the largest, most well-respected organizations on the planet, and they rely on Crafter CMS to power their most business critical digital experiences,” continued Vertal. “Crafter Software is laser focused on customer and community success, and on building a durable, profitable business that our customers, partners, and open source community can rely on for the long term.”
Increasing disruption, complexity, and the exponential speed of digital change has created unique challenges and opportunities for organizations of all types. Crafter Software and its open source, Git-based headless CMS solution enables an enterprise’s entire team to innovate more, develop faster and deploy new digital experiences at incredible pace. Crafter CMS brings significant benefits to content teams, developer teams and ops teams working collaboratively at enterprises that thrive on innovation, utilize content as a strategic asset, and benefit from DevContentOps processes. Crafter’s headless CMS capabilities enable a wide variety of novel digital experiences to be rapidly developed, optimized and delivered at scale.
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Crafter Software is on a mission to replace the broken paradigm of traditional content management, and to usher in a new era of fast, agile and easier development of innovative digital experiences. Our flagship product, Crafter CMS, is amazing for developers, easy for content authors, and fantastic for IT operations — bringing the benefits of DevContentOps processes to the enterprise. We build our software solutions on the foundation of open source, transparency, robust architecture, high performance, superior quality and outstanding customer support. Crafter CMS is available in three editions: free community-supported open source, self-managed private/public cloud in the enterprise, and fully-managed SaaS in the cloud. Learn more at https://craftersoftware.com.
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MILTON KEYNES, ENGLAND – Eddie Vedder, the lead singer of Pearl Jam, got himself into a jam at a recent concert in England. In the middle of a song, Vedder went off on a lengthy anti-war rant that has some fans furious.
“They’re looking for a reason to go across borders and take over land that doesn’t belong to them,” he said. “They should get the [expletive] out and mind their own [expletive] business.”
Vedder didn’t name any specific countries in his tirade, but Israeli media is calling out the singer. The Jerusalem Post labeled it an “anti-Israel diatribe,” and Israeli Twitter users are slamming the rocker as “anti-Semitic,” among other unrepeatable things.
Vedder isn’t the only celebrity to jump into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Rihanna and Houston Rockets star center Dwight Howard tweeted “#freepalestine,” which they apparently later regretted because both deleted the tweets.
Celebrities take note because it turns out being famous doesn’t necessarily mean you’re qualified to debate international politics.

domain: news


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Hi! My name is Patricia and I’m a graphic designer. I currently live in Lisbon, and it’s in this beautiful city that I also work. It’s a lovely, sunny and bright place to live in and it’s easy to be inspired by it ☺ I guess my workspace can be described as ‘cozy’ (not to say packed with a lot of materials and stuff, which tends to drive my boyfriend crazy with the amount of space that I need). I usually work aside with my two cats that keep me company during the day: Dune and Blackjack! This blog is something that I’d like to share you all, just funny things or things that I’m currently working on…or not.
Thanks for stopping by!

domain: artistic


2020 Aston Martin Rapide E
The Aston Martin Rapide E is an all-electric version of the British company’s four-door sedan. Previewed by a concept called the Rapide E in 2016, the production model made its debut three years later at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show. The Rapide E ditches the familiar 6.0-liter V-12 engine in favor of a battery pack and a pair of electric motors, but it generates notably more power than its gasoline sibling. The Rapide E is also the company’s first electric vehicle.
Finally ready for production after several years of development, the Rapide E brings together the craftsmanship and exclusivity of the Rapide nameplate with zero-emission performance thanks to Aston Martin’s collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering. The latter provides battery systems for Formula E cars, so it has extensive know-how of high-performance electric drivetrains. Although production of the Rapide E is limited to less than 200 vehicles, it introduces the brand to the all-electric market before Lagonda will take over as a zero-emission luxury brand.
2020 Aston Martin Mid-Engined Supercar
Aston Martin has yet to bring the Valkyrie hypercar into showrooms, but the Brits are already pondering a second supercar for their lineup. According to company CEO, Andy Palmer, the mid-engined supercar is also co-developed with Red Bull Racing, and 130 engineers and designers are already working on the project. The new vehicle will be aimed at the Ferrari 488 GTB.
The unnamed supercar will ride on a bespoke platform developed specifically for this model. Instead of the Valkyrie’s race-spec chassis or the Vantage’s bonded-aluminum platform, it will get its very own underpinnings that will feature a new carbon-fiber monocoque with aluminum sub-frames. There’s no specific word as to when it might arrive, but rumor has it sales will commence around 2020.
Continue reading to learn more about Aston Martin’s upcoming supercar.
The Aston Martin Vantage of the Future Could be the Recipient of an AMG-Branded Inline-Six
Aston Martin and Mercedes-AMG have a technical partnership that dates back to 2013. That relationship laid the foundation for the Aston Martin DB11 to come to life, thanks in large part to its AMG-sourced, 4.0-liter, biturbo, V-8 engine. Recently, Aston Martin’s chief engineer, Matt Becker, hinted that the two brands could have another partnership in the works, one that would involve Aston Martin using another AMG-engineered engine on one of its future models.
2019 Aston Martin Vanquish
Launched in 2016, the DB11 brought Aston Martin into a new era, one that sees a brand-new platform replacing the Vertical\Horizontal underpinnings that entered production in 2004. With the DB11 having replaced the iconic DB9 and a new-generation Vantage almost ready for a public debut, Aston Martin is now working on a new version of the Vanquish, and a prototype was just spotted on the Nurburgring track.
Not much is known about the upcoming Vanquish, but the spy shots suggest a DB11-inspired design. This is far from surprising though, as the DB11 was used to introduce the company’s latest styling language. So much like the DB9, which inspired the rest of the Aston Martin lineup back in the day, the DB11 will lend many of its features to the new Vantage and Vanquish. Of course, the Vanquish will be most aggressive of the trio in terms of styling, but also as far as performance goes.
There’s no word as to when the new Vanquish will arrive, but given that the second-gen model is five years old as of 2017, I don’t think we’ll see it sooner than late 2018 in showrooms. But, until that happens, let’s take a closer look at what we already know about the British grand tourer.
Continue reading to learn more about the upcoming Aston Martin Vanquish.
2018 Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Speedster
Introduced in 2012, the second-generation Vanquish isn’t yet as old as the model it replaced, but it won’t be long until Aston Martin unleashes the third-generation car. And it seems that the grand tourer is getting a proper send off with several special-edition models up for grabs. Arguably the most spectacular of them all is the Zagato, which was built in both coupe and Volante body styles. Limited to only 99 units each, the Zagatos are long gone as of 2017, but if you’re still looking to get one, Aston Martin just unveiled two new version wearing the Zagato badge. One of them is the Vanquish Zagato Speedster, a two-seat drop-top that steps away from the usual convertible configuration.
The Speedster’s arrival is far from surprising, because we’ve already seen a camo-free example being driver near the Nurburgring track earlier this summer. However, it is a bit surprising that it was designed as a two-seater, as is the fact that Aston Martin expanded the current Vanquish Zagato range to no fewer than four models, including a shooting brake. Find out more about the Zagato Speedster and what makes it stands out compared to other models in the review below.
Continue reading to learn more about the Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato Speedster.
2020 Aston Martin Lagonda SUV
The Aston Martin Lagonda was a luxurious sports saloon that was in constant production from 1974 to 1990, covering four different generations or “series.” Then in 2009, Aston Martin talked about reviving the Lagonda name, and to do so, brought out an
ish concept that was, well, kinda ugly. It did get some good reviews as well, but for the most part, it wasn’t exactly up to par with anything else on the market. It was slated for production at one point toward 2012 when Aston expressed interest in bringing it to market in places like China, but once CEO Dr. Ulrich Bez was no longer in the picture, the Lagonda name was then rescheduled to be its own marque – one that can be found in the latest Lagonda Tarif – a fine vehicle in its own right. However the market is constantly changing, and coupe-ish SUVs are becoming more of a thing, and that’s why you’re looking at our latest rendering of a new Aston Martin Lagonda.
Essentially a mix of several models combined together, we’ve got the tall roofline muscular and defined rear haunches, a little bit of DB11 DNA, and a much larger version of the DB11’s grille design with a massive emphasis on height. Needless to say, our rendering artist has much better taste than whoever was responsible for that Lagonda SUV concept of 2009. To put it simply, this one isn’t ugly at all. Let’s dive into the rendering and take a much closer look at what’s going on here.
2018 Aston Martin DB11 S
Introduced in 2016 as a replacement for the iconic DB9, the Aston Martin DB11 brought the British carmaker into a new era, one that finally sees the old VH platform retired. Now using lighter underpinnings engineered with help from Mercedes-AMG, the grand tourer is more than capable of competing against its more modern rivals. However, the DB11 is still a long way from becoming a proper vehicle lineup, with the convertible still under development. But this may end by the end of 2017, as Aston Martin is already testing a higher performance version of the coupe.
Spotted on public roads for the very first time in 2017, the beefed-up DB11 uses a new aerodynamic package that includes a reworked bumper, new side skirts, and a race-inspired diffuser at the back. Although Aston Martin has yet to confirm it is working on a new version and there aren’t many hints out there, I believe that this is a more powerful variant of the DB11. Several reports suggest that it could wear an "S" badge, just like the upgraded version of the Vanquish. Expect this new model to break cover by the end of the year, probably before the BD11 Volante will be unveiled in early 2018. Meanwhile, let’s have a closer look at what we already know about the DB11 S in the speculative review below.
Continue reading to learn more about the Aston Martin DB11 S.
2018 Aston Martin AM-RB 001
Mostly known for its V-12-powered grand tourers and the race cars based on them, Aston Martin isn’t the kind of automaker you’d go to in search of a supercar. There is one exception though. In 2009, the Brits launched the One-77, a coupe that was powered by the most powerful, naturally aspirated engine at the time, was loaded with state-of-the-art features, and built in extremely limited numbers. Come 2016 and Aston Martin unveiled its first full-fledged supercar. Called the AM-RB 001, it was developed in collaboration with Red Bull Racing and will hit public roads in 2018. Although the full details on the car aren’t out yet and the preliminary photos show a prototype that will be further revised before the official launch, Aston Martin promises that the AM-RB 001 will be "an unprecedented fusion of form and function" and a vehicle that will be "entirely useable and enjoyable as a road car, but with the capability to perform like no road car before it on a race track."
These claims are mighty brave, but not surprising given the fact that the supercar is a joint effort with F1’s Red Bull Racing, which is headed by Adrian Newey, arguably the most successful Formula One designer. The F1-derived technology, Newey’s extensive knowledge about aerodynamics, and Aston Martin’s vast racing experience should make the AM-BR 001 quite the insane supercar. The car’s projected performance is "in line with that of today’s LMP1 Le Mans sports prototypes," which sounds spectacular to say the least. The task of engineering the AM-RB 001 will be shared between Q by Aston Martin Advanced and Red Bull Advanced Technologies, with production taking place at Aston Martin’s Gaydon facility — the exact same factory that was built for the One-77. A track-only version is also on the table, but until we find out more about that, let’s have a closer look at the prototype that previews the road-going model.
Continue reading to learn more about the Aston Martin AM-RB 001.
Next-Generation Aston Martin Vanquish Could Receive New V-12 Engine With 700 Horsepower
The Aston Martin Vanquish has regularly sat as the British automaker’s top-of-the-range model and, as the second-generation version of the Vanquish nears its end, word has it that the third-generation model is going to receive a highly tuned version of Aston Martin’s new 5.2-liter twin-turbo V-12 engine that will have more than 700 horsepower on tap.
Production of the new V-12 engine, dubbed the AE31, recently began in the company’s engine plant in Cologne, Germany and, while Aston said that it has an official output of 600 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, its chief powertrain engineer Dr. Brian Fitzsimmons told Auto Express that the twin-turbo V-12 has hit 820 horsepower during testing. That allows the company to tune the engine to fit into the Vanquish’s status and, since the DB11 will have 600 ponies on tap when it hits dealerships later this year, it’s important for the Vanquish V-12 to eclipse the DB11’s power output to retain its flagship stature.
Fitzsimmons didn’t dive into the specifics of how Aston Martin plans to increase the V-12’s output to hit 700 horses, opting only to say that some “elegant solutions” are being worked on get to that number while also keeping emissions at a minimum. What appears certain is that the new V-12’s characteristics - the extra turbochargers and the more efficient nature of the whole system - will play a big role in its ability to be versatile with its power output.
If the next-generation Vanquish does get north of 700 horsepower, it would be a significant jump from the incumbent’s 568-horsepower output. 700 horses would put it in the league of the Ferrari F12 and the Lamborghini Aventador SuperVeloce. That’s elite company right there.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
2017 Aston Martin Vantage GT8
Earlier, in April of 2016, we found out that Aston Martin was planning to launch a race-focused version of the V8 Vantage. It will be offered as the GT8 and will follow in the footsteps of the GT12, a limited-edition, track-ready version of the V12 Vantage. The rumor was immediately confirmed by a prototype that showed up on the Nurburgring. Only a few days have passed since then and Aston Martin unveiled the Vantage GT8.
Looking very similar to the V-12-powered GT12 model, the GT8 confirms that Aston Martin is set to launch significantly more track-ready vehicles in the future. Word has it that the GT8 will be one of two limited-edition cars to be unveiled in 2016, so there’s another exciting model to expect from the Brits by the end of the year.
Back to the sports car in question, it’s essentially a road-going version of the V8 Vantage GTE race car and joins the GT12, which is a road-legal variant of the GT3-spec model.
"We long held the desire to create a road car that truly reflects our racing activity at Le Mans. With the Vantage GT8, we’ve finally been able to achieve that. By focusing on weight savings and aerodynamics, we’ve taken the V8 Vantage to an entirely different level of agility and aggression. It’s a hugely exciting car honed to the keenest possible edge,” said David King, director of Special Projects and Motorsport.
Aimed at the likes of the Porsche 911 GT3, the Aston Martin GT8 will hit the market in limited numbers. Find out more about that in our full review below.
Updated 04/15/2016: Aston Martin dropped the official details for its new Vantage GT8 special edition.
Continue reading to find out more about the Aston Martin Vantage GT8.
Rumors about Aston Martin planning to develop an all-electric sedan based on the Rapide S have been around the Interwebz for a few months now, but the Brits have yet to confirm that a production model is indeed underway. That changed today, when Aston Martin showcased the RapidE concept in London.
The electric sedan was unveiled outside Lancaster House, the venue for a meeting between Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and President of The People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping. Though it may seem awkward, the unveiling was carefully planned, as the RapidE project is financially back by ChinaEquity, an investor in Invest Industrial — one of Aston Martin’s owners. The Shanghai-based company is believed to be pouring up to £50 million in the RapidE, which will be aimed primarily at the Chinese market.
“We see luxury electric vehicles as an intrinsic part of our future product portfolio and welcome ChinaEquity into the next phase of study for the project development, said Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer. “The exciting RapidE concept tangibly demonstrates the capability and ambition of Aston Martin towards developing low- and zero-emission sports cars.”
During the Lancaster House event, Aston Martin and ChinaEquity announced an agreement to explore the development of a production version of the RapidE concept, which could arrive in dealerships sometime in 2017.
Continue reading to learn more about the Aston Martin RapidE Concept.
2016 Aston Martin Vantage GT12 Special Edition
In 2005, Aston Martin took on the incredible task of looking the Porsche 911 dead in the eye and not backing down, with the introduction of its Vantage. While it may not have been quite the performer of the 911, the Vantage was a stunning piece of automotive architecture in comparison to the 911. In 2011, the V12 Vantage joined the V8 model in the market, and suddenly the entire 911 lineup had something to worry about.
In 2015, Aston Martin took things up a notch and released a new limited-run model that that draws inspiration from the British carmaker’s GT3 race car. At first called the Vantage GT3, the track-ready coupe was renamed the GT12 after Porsche sued Aston Martin, claiming ownership of the GT3 name for road cars.
With the GT12, Aston Martin takes a new step in its quest to compete with the big boys of the industry. Sure, with its limited funds and resources, it can only do so much, but this is definitely a step in the right direction. Does the GT12 Special Edition have what it takes to hang with the masters of the road and track?
Continue reading my full review to find out.
The Lagonda name, previously used by Aston Martin for a hand-built, ultra-expensive sedan built between 1976 - 1990, returned under the spotlight about five years ago when the Brits introduced the Lagonda Concept.
Oddly enough, that concept had nothing to do with the four-door grand tourer, but rather a sporty SUV proclaimed to be a more luxurious alternative to the popular Porsche Cayenne. Rumors about a production version went back and forth with no relevant outcome, although the consensus was the vehicle might arrive in 2016.
But now we have to put the Lagonda SUV behind us, because it appears Aston Martin is actually planning to revive the iconic nameplate for a brand new sedan. Such a vehicle was spotted testing in the United Kingdom covered in camouflage. Our friends over at Autoblog think the Brits will slap a Lagonda badge on its trunk.
Details are scarce right now, but it’s safe to assume the four-door will be based on the Rapide S and ride on a stretched version of its wheelbase. Power is likely to come from the same 6.0-liter V-12 engine that delivers 558 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque. More details should become available later this year, so stay tuned to TopSpeed for all the updates.
Updated 10/01/2014: Aston Martin unveiled a new set of images, including the first interior pictures for its future Lagonda super sedan. Check them out in the picture gallery.
Updated 11/13/2014: Aston Martin announced that the new Lagonda sedan will be known as the "Lagonda Taraf." The model will be initially offered on the Middle East market, with details on the worldwide availability to be announced at a later date.
Click past the jump to read more about the Aston Martin Lagonda Taraf.
The Aston Martin Vanquish made its official entry to the grand tourer market as a replacement for the aging Virage in 2001. Designed by Ian Callum, the man who also penned the gorgeous Jaguar F-Type, the Vanquish was launched with a 5.9-liter V-12 rated at 450 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Production of the first-gen model ended in 2007, when the DBS rolled out as a replacement. Based on the DBR9 race car, the DBS featured the same engine, but output was increased to 510 horses and 420 pound-feet. The Vanquish name returned for the 2012 model year as an evolution of the DBS. Inspired by the exclusive One-77 inside and out, the new Vanquish kept the company’s proven 5.9-liter V-12, now squeezing no less than 565 ponies and 457 pound-feet. Going into 2015, the Vanquish remains basically unchanged inside and out, but receives an extensive drivetrain upgrade that includes a brand-new autobox and minor engine tweaks.
Although output gains are slight, the coupe’s performance has increased dramatically, as the 2015 Vanquish ascends into a league reserved for sports cars that can return three-second 0-to-60 sprints. How quick is the updated Vanquish and what’s new for the 2015 model year? Read on to find out.
UPDATE 02/15/2013: Aston Martin has unveiled yet another cool video for its latest Vanquish supercar, this time presenting the engineering behind this incredible super GT. Enjoy!
Updated 08/06/2014: Aston Martin unveiled details on the 2015 Vanquish which will be put on sale in the third quarter of 2014. The main addition for 2015 model year is a newly developed Touchtronic III eight-speed automatic transmission. Details after the jump.
Hit the jump to read more about the new Aston Martin Vanquish and decide for yourself.
Back in 2011, Aston Martin introduced the V12 Zagato Concept to the world, a supercar that was born from the creative minds of Aston Martin and Italian coachbuilder, Zagato. The overwhelming popularity of the concept prompted the folks over at Aston to expedite the release of the production car and lo and behold, the production car was supposed to make an appearance at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
But what we saw at Frankfurt appeared to be the same one we saw at Pebble Beach and Villa d’Este, albeit with a new trunk lid as opposed to the huge spoiler we saw before.
The ’production version’ of the V12 Zagato was one of the highlights of Aston Martin’s booth at Frankfurt, where it was joined by the pair of V12 Zagato race car variants that participated at the 24 Hours of Nurburgring - ’Zig’ and ’Zag’ - as well as the One-77 supercar and the newly released Virage and Vantage S. Now, Aston Martin has finally revealed all the goods for their exquisite super car.
UPDATE 07/23/12: Aston Martin has announced that only 101 units of the V12 Zagato will be produced, making an already exclusive car that much more limited. The number is also 49 less than what the British automaker initially suggested so keep this new update in mind when you’re thinking of making a purchase.
Hit the jump to read more on the Aston Martin V12 Zagato.
Icon has recently received a fair amount of press due to its legal issues with Mattel, but they are also still hot on the path of building awesome custom cars. On deck for Icon is a car that is a little bit out of their norm, which is building bad-ass off-road machines. It is a modernized version of the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato Volante.
The project appears to be still in its concept phase, so all of the details are a little scarce and we have reached out to Icon for additional information. For now, we do know that this model will boast a strikingly similar body as the 1960s Aston Martin legend, but in true Icon fashion there will be loads of customization. First on the list of customizations will be to hack off the DB4’s annoying fixed head, and the signature Zagatto dual humps, but leaving the humps on the rear of the car, which you can see in the above image.
The next Iconization will be replacing the 3.7-liter in-line six-cylinder engine that the Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato originally featured and replacing it with a modern day V-12 engine from an Aston Martin V12 Vantage. Given Icon has a shoehorn large enough to cram this 6.0-liter V-12 power plant into the DB4’s engine compartment, it will give this classic ride somewhere in the range of 510 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough to give any car nut that warm and fuzzy feeling.
To make sure that this reborn DB4 GT Zagato stays as true to original form as possible, Icon is working closely with Ercole Spada, who just so happened to be the original designer for the Zagato coupe. How’s that for dedication to your craft?
We are still awaiting confirmation of these reports and actual specs from Icon, and we’ll update you and this review as soon as we receive additional information.
For the 2013 model year, Aston Martin is producing an all new DBS, which means the current lineup is, of course, on its way out the door. Recently, an insider sat down with Car and Driver, and discussed what the British automaker’s plans are with the current DBS.
According to the source, the final 100 models of the DBS will be dubbed the DBS Ultimate Edition and will feature a nice array of extra goodies. The source didn’t offer too much about what the Ultimate Edition will include, but said to look to the differences between the 2010 DBS and the 2010 DBS Carbon Black for a good idea of what’s to come with this model.
This would first off mean that there are likely not going to be any mechanical modifications. Then again, 12-cylinder monster pumping out 510 ponies, there is really no need for any mechanical changes. For the most part, the changes will be extra features and a few mild visual changes.
The vast majority of the additions to the 2010 DBS Carbon Black Special Edition was making everything black on the inside and outside, except for a few splashes of silver on the inside. The rims were a polished alloy with its inserts painted, you guessed it, black! You also had the option of alloy or carbon black doorsill plates – woo hoo a choice other than black. The 2010 Carbon Black Special edition also added in an upgraded 1,000-watt stereo system.
To wrap this all up, we can anticipate a new paint job for the Ultimate Edition, something not already a part of the DBS line. A set of upgraded rims to mimic the paintjob should be expected. Plus, we should anticipate an upgraded stereo system from the already impressive 1,000 watt system on the existing DBS.
This is all we know at this point, we will keep you up to date as more info comes out.
UPDATE 05/08/12: Itching to see what the Aston Martin DBS Ultimate Edition looks like? Fret no longer because the British automaker recently dropped the covers off of their final DBS models with some catalog photos online! Check it out in all its sleek and spankin’ sexiness.
UPDATE 05/14/12:Aston Martin has announced prices for the new special edition DBS Ultimate: $287,576 for the coupe and $302,576 for the roadster version.
Aston Martin is preparing to offer a facelift version for every model in the line-up thanks to that high interest loan they just secured from global investors. There’s already been talk of what will happen to the future DB9 debuting sometime next year, as well as a new DBS in late 2012. Now spy photographers have caught the future Vantage model testing near the Aston Martin technical center in Germany. The vehicle is still in the early stages of development, but it already hosts a number of changes that will significantly change the vehicle’s overall look.
The Aston Martin Vantage will not be a completely new vehicle as previously thought, but a facelift version including new and wider skirts and major changes in the body panels. That being said, these additions could have just been added to hide any changes made to the chassis of the vehicle. No other details have been offered, but it is believed that the exterior design will take its inspiration from the One-77 supercar with its borrowed bonnet, sides, and cooling vents, in an attempt to make the car look more aggressive and sporty. These changes may also supply a decrease in weight, by about 350 lbs.
The 2014 Vantage will more than likely be powered by the same 4.7-liter V-8 and 6.0-liter V-12 engines currently found in the sports car, possibly tweaked to deliver more power, better fuel economy, and lower emissions.
Expect to see the new Aston Martin Vantage in late 2013.
As expected, Aston Martin brought its latest iteration of the Vantage to the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Aston has been designing rolling works of art for a very long time and has recently retaken a stance as a racing power as well. The company’s GT4 racecar won its class in two of the most important races of the year, Nurburgring 24 and Spa 24 hours, and have begun fusing racecar technology into the road cars with more fervor than ever before. The top-of-the-line V12 Vantage has the motor from the larger DB9 shoehorned into its engine compartment, making it a true hot rod. That formula may work for some, but others were seeing a lapse between the V12 model and the base V8.
At the beginning of Summer 2011, Aston Martin will introduce the V8 Vantage S, hoping to squeeze some more profit out of its best selling model line and please enthusiasts at the same time. Increases in engine performance, transmission, chassis, and aerodynamics will all further the appeal of an iconic sports car.
According to Dr. Ulrich Bez, CEO of Aston Martin, “The Vantage S epitomizes every attribute of the V-8 Vantage and pushes the driver experience beyond what we have offered before.”
UPDATE 03/11/2011: Aston Martin has revealed an amazing video of the V8 Vantage S showing the car in action. Just listen to the music of that engine! Video after the jump.
Hit the jump for more details on the 2011 Aston Martin Vantage S.


|Publication number||US5334915 A|
|Application number||US 07/953,217|
|Publication date||Aug 2, 1994|
|Filing date||Sep 30, 1992|
|Priority date||Sep 30, 1991|
|Also published as||DE69209604D1, DE69209604T2, EP0535911A1, EP0535911B1|
|Publication number||07953217, 953217, US 5334915 A, US 5334915A, US-A-5334915, US5334915 A, US5334915A|
|Inventors||Hajime Ohsaki, Keiichi Shimizu|
|Original Assignee||Toshiba Lighting & Technology Corporation|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (5), Referenced by (11), Classifications (21), Legal Events (4)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operating circuit arrangement for a discharge lamp. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved operating circuit arrangement for a fluorescent lamp, which includes at least a chopper circuit and an inverter circuit.
2. Description of the Related Art
An operating circuit arrangement for a discharge lamp formed with a chopper circuit, an inverter circuit and a lighting circuit is well known. The inverter circuit inverts a d.c. voltage to a high frequency voltage and supplies it to the lighting circuit. The d.c. voltage is generated by the chopper circuit where it is then supplied to the inverter circuit. A discharge lamp adapted to the lighting circuit is operated in response to the high frequency voltage. By the operation of the chopper circuit which supplies a substantially constant d.c. voltage to the inverter circuit without lowering the power factor and distorting the output current, the lamp efficiency is increased. The chopper circuit is provided with a chopper control circuit, which controls a driving frequency of a Field Effect Transistor (FET) used as the chopping means in order to generate a given d.c. output voltage. Operation of a separately-excited oscillation type invertor circuit is controlled by an inverter control circuit. Each of the control circuits are provided with specific power source circuits. This is disadvantageous in view of power consumption because the power consumption is continued at the chopper circuit even after the extinction of the discharge lamp. Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) 62-77860 discloses an operating circuit arrangement for a fluorescent lamp, which comprises a chopper circuit, an inverter circuit and a chopper output control circuit. In the Kokai disclosure, an output derived from a secondary winding provided in the inverter circuit is fed to the chopper output control circuit and is regarded as a power source for the chopper output control circuit. However, this output is dependent on the operating condition of the inverter circuit. Namely, the output is not constant. This is disadvantageous for the operating circuit arrangement.
Generally, a conventional inverter circuit is designed to start its operation when the output of the chopper circuit exceeds a given value. As long as the output of the chopper circuit is lower than the given value, the discharge is held in an off-state circuit is regarded as a no-loaded condition. When the operating condition is changed from a no-load condition to a loaded condition, a high output voltage is applied to a switching device of the inverter circuit, which can damage the switching device. This is also disadvantageous for the operating circuit arrangement for the discharge lamp.
To accomplish the above object, there is provided an operating circuit arrangement for a discharge lamp comprising:
An operating circuit arrangement for a discharge lamp comprising:
a rectifier circuit for rectifying an a.c. voltage to a d.c. voltage;
a chopper circuit arrangement coupled to said rectifier circuit, which comprises a chopper circuit for stepping up said d.c. voltage and generating a d.c. output voltage and a chopper control circuit for controlling the operation of said chopper circuit, wherein said chopper control circuit is responsive to said chopper circuit;
an inverter circuit arrangement coupled to said chopper circuit arrangement, which comprises an inverter circuit for generating a high frequency voltage for operating said discharge lamp and an inverter control circuit for controlling the operation of said inverter circuit, wherein said said inverter circuit is led to a given steady operational mode in which said discharge lamp is started and operated prior to the generation of a given level of said d.c. output voltage by said chopper circuit; and
a starting circuit coupled to said inverter control circuit and said chopper control circuit for starting both said inverter control circuit and said chopper control circuit.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
The accompanying drawings illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 1 shows a fluorescent lamp device utilizing an electric circuit arrangement of the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of an electric circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment of an electric circuit arrangement according to the present invention; and
FIG. 4 shows a third embodiment of an electric circuit arrangement according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 shows a fluorescent lamp device. A longitudinal fluorescent lamp 1 is attached to a lamp fixture 2 in which an electric circuit arrangement 100 of the present invention described below is installed.
FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of electric circuit arrangement 100 of the present invention. Circuit arrangement 100 shown in FIG. 2 is composed of a power supply circuit 40, a chopper circuit 50, an inverter circuit 60, a chopper control circuit 70, an inverter control circuit 80 and a lighting circuit 90.
Reference numerals 3,4 denote input terminals which are intended to be connected to an a.c. voltage, such as 100 volts, 60 Hz. A full-wave rectifier circuit 5 is connected to terminals 3,4 through a transformer 6. Two output terminals 7,8 of rectifier circuit 5 are interconnected to a capacitor 9. An output voltage of power supply circuit 40 is applied to chopper circuit 50. A Field Effect Transistor 10 (hereinafter referred as FET) and a transformer 11 are provided in chopper circuit 50. The drain of FET 10 is connected to one end of a primary winding 11a of transformer 11. The other end of primary winding 11a is connected to one end of output terminals 7,8 of power supply circuit 40. Numeral 11b denotes a secondary winding of transformer 11. A junction point between FET 10 and primary winding 11a is connected to a diode 12, A capacitor 13 of which one end is connected to diode 12 is parallel with a resistor 14. The other end of capacitor 13 is connected to the source of FET 10. Namely, the drain of FET 10 is connected to one end of primary winding 11 while the source of FET 10 is connected one end of capacitor 13. An output d.c. voltage of chopper circuit 50 is applied to a separately-excited oscillation type of inverter circuit 60. Inverter circuit 60 provides a pair of Field Effect transistors 15a,15b as switching means. Output terminals 16,17 of chopper circuit 50 is connected to the drain of FET 15a and the source of FET 15b, respectively. Each gate of FETs 15a,15b is driven by a drive circuit 18. One end of a transformer 19 is connected to a capacitor 20 while the other end is connected to the source of FET 15a (and the drain of FET 15b). An a.c. voltage derived between capacitor 20 is the output of inverter circuit 60. The a.c output voltage is applied to a series circuit of a primary winding 21a of a transformer 20 and a capacitor 22 of lighting circuit 90. The a.c output voltage is also applied to coiled electrodes of fluorescent lamp 1. Numeral 23 denotes a capacitor connected to one of the electrodes of fluorescent lamp 1. Each of the coiled electrodes is connected to secondary windings 21b,21c of transformer 21, respectively. Neither the chopper control circuit 70 or inverter control circuit 80 has a separate power source. An a.c. voltage derived from secondary winding 11b of transformer 11 is applied to terminals 24,25 for control circuits 70,80. The a.c. voltage is rectified and smoothed to a d.c voltage by a rectifier circuit forming with capacitors 26,27 and diodes 28,29,30. The d.c. voltage thus obtained is applied to inverter control circuit 80 and chopper control circuit 70. Inverter control circuit 70 is connected to drive circuit 18 for adjusting frequency of the a.c. output voltage of inverter circuit 60. Chopper control circuit 70 is connected to the gate of FET 10 for controlling the chopper operation. A starting circuit 95 which is composed of a resistor 31 is connected to inverter control circuit 80. Starting circuit 95 is connected to chopper circuit so that the d.c. voltage derived at terminals 16,17 is supplied to inverter control circuit 80 therethrough. Starting circuit 95 may provide a switch device 32.
Each operating principle of chopper circuit 50 and inverter circuit 60 is conventional, however, the inverter circuit 60 as shown in this embodiment is so started that fluorescent lamp 1 is operating even before chopper circuit 50 starts the chopper operation. The output of chopper circuit 50 is applied to starting circuit 95. The d.c. voltage mentioned above is tentatively supplied to inverter control circuit 80 from starting circuit 95. Inverter control circuit 80 begins its operation in response to receiving the d.c. voltage. When chopper circuit 50 is out of the operation, the d.c. voltage applied to starting circuit 95 is equivalent to the output derived at terminals 7,8. The operation of drive circuit 18 connected to the gates of FETs 15a,15b is controlled by inverter control circuit 30. As such, the inverter circuit 60 can start its operation in advance to the operation of chopper circuit 50 by receiving a low level input voltage supplied from the rectifier circuit comprised of capacitors 26,27 and diodes 28,29,30. This method of starting is often referred to as soft starting.
To ensure the soft starting of inverter circuit 60, if necessary, another switch device 98 is provided as indicated by dotted line in FIG. 2. No voltage is applied to chopper control circuit 70 unless switch device 98 is held in the closed position, so that the operation of chopper control circuit 70 is delayed until the time where inverter circuit 60 goes in a steady operating state.
Inverter circuit 60 generates a high frequency voltage, which leads to fluorescent lamp 1 to be operated. Chopper control circuit 50 is also started in response to receiving the d.c. voltage from starting circuit 95. The gate of FET 10 is driven by chopper control circuit 70. Chopper circuit 50 is thus started and generates a predetermined d.c. voltage, for example 410 volts. Accordingly, chopper circuit 50 is started when inverter circuit 60 goes into a steady operation so as to increase the light output of fluorescent lamp 1. When lamp current flowing in lighting circuit 90 becomes larger than a predetermined value, the operation of inverter circuit 60 determined to being steady mode. Although a detailed lamp current detector is not shown, it will be easily obtained by detecting current flowing through lighting circuit 90. In response to the steady mode, switch device 32 of starting circuit 95 is opened. No voltage is applied to both inverter control circuit 80 and chopper control circuit 70 through starting circuit 95. Instead, the output derived from secondary winding 11b of transformer 11 is supplied to both control circuits 70,80 through the rectifier circuit. The output voltage derived from transformer 11 of chopper circuit 50 is less dependent on the operating condition of inverter circuit 60 so that the output voltage is relatively constant. This is the main advantage of this embodiment. Opening of switch device 32 prevents starting circuit 95 from consuming power at resistor 31, however such switch device 32 may be eliminated.
Another embodiments in accordance with the present invention is shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 and explained hereafter where like reference characters designate identical or corresponding elements of the above-mentioned first embodiment.
FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of a circuit arrangement according to the present invention, which is regarded as a modification of the circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 2. In this modification an output voltage derived from a secondary winding 11b of a transformer 11 in a chopper circuit is supplied only to a chopper control circuit 70 through a rectifier circuit. An inverter control circuit 80 shown in FIG. 3 is equipped with a separate d.c. power source (not shown), which is regarded as a starting circuit corresponding to starting circuit 95 shown in FIG. 2. A chopper control circuit 70 is connected to a starting circuit 95. An oscillation control circuit 85 which is connected to inverter control circuit 80 is designed to respond to the lamp current flowing through lighting circuit 90 and is externally operated. The oscillation control circuit 85 generates a signal to stop the operation of inverter control circuit 80 when fluorescent lamp 1 is extinguished or a stop signal is externally applied thereto. Accordingly, the operation of inverter circuit 60 is stopped when discharge lamp is extinguished.
Fig. 4 shows a third embodiment of a circuit arrangement according to the present invention. A series circuit of a resistor 201 and a capacitor 202 is interconnected to the output terminals 16,17 of a chopper circuit 50. A diode 203 and a bidirectional diode-thyristor 204 are interposed between a junction point of the series circuit and the source of a FET 15a (and the drain of a FET 15b). An inverter circuit 60, which is considered a self-excited type of inverter circuit, is provided with a saturatable transformer 205 having a pair of input windings 205a,205b. The gates of FETs are connected to resistors 206,207, respectively. One end of each input windings 205a,205b is connected to resistors 206,207, respectively while the each other ends are connected to capacitors 208,209, respectively. Each gate and source of FETs 15a,15b is interconnected by resistors 210,211, respectively. An output winding 205c of transformer 205 is interposed between a fluorescent lamp 1 and the source of FET 15a (the drain of FET 15b). A series circuit of shunt capacitors 213,214 is interconnected between output terminals 16,17. Unlike the other embodiments described above, the circuit arrangement shown in FIG. 4 has two starting circuits. One of the starting circuit is connected to a chopper control circuit 70 and is denoted by numeral 95. The other is formed with resistor 201, capacitor 202 and bidirectional diode-thyristor 204. An inverter control circuit in this embodiment is formed with resistors 206,207,210,211, capacitors 208,209 and output winding 205 of transformer 205. Inverter circuit 60 is capable of starting with a relatively small input voltage, so that a soft starting is achieved.
Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the present invention. That scope is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US4042856 *||Oct 28, 1975||Aug 16, 1977||General Electric Company||Chopper ballast for gaseous discharge lamps with auxiliary capacitor energy storage|
|US5140224 *||Mar 27, 1990||Aug 18, 1992||Toshiba Lighting And Technology Corporation||Apparatus for operating discharge lamp|
|EP0059064B1 *||Feb 16, 1982||Oct 2, 1985||THORN EMI plc||Lamp driver circuits|
|EP0439240A2 *||Jan 17, 1991||Jul 31, 1991||SEMPERLUX GmbH, LICHTTECHNISCHES WERK||Electronic ballast|
|JPS6277860A *||Title not available|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US5471117 *||May 11, 1994||Nov 28, 1995||Mti International, Inc.||Low power unity power factor ballast|
|US5491388 *||Mar 24, 1993||Feb 13, 1996||Toto Ltd.||Power regulator of discharge lamp and variable color illumination apparatus using the regulator|
|US5668446 *||Sep 23, 1996||Sep 16, 1997||Negawatt Technologies Inc.||Energy management control system for fluorescent lighting|
|US5694007 *||Apr 19, 1995||Dec 2, 1997||Systems And Services International, Inc.||Discharge lamp lighting system for avoiding high in-rush current|
|US5729098 *||Jun 4, 1996||Mar 17, 1998||Motorola, Inc.||Power supply and electronic ballast with a novel boost converter control circuit|
|US5825137 *||Jul 1, 1997||Oct 20, 1998||Titus; Charles H.||Electronic ballasts for plural lamp fluorescent lighting without feedback circuitry|
|US5962989 *||Sep 16, 1997||Oct 5, 1999||Negawatt Technologies Inc.||Energy management control system|
|US6100644 *||Apr 29, 1999||Aug 8, 2000||Titus; Charles H.||Dimmable and non-dimmable electronic ballast for plural fluorescent lamps|
|US6407511||Jun 14, 2000||Jun 18, 2002||Changgen Yang||Electronic ballast suitable for lighting control in fluorescent lamp|
|DE19501695B4 *||Jan 20, 1995||Oct 2, 2008||Tridonicatco Gmbh & Co. Kg||Vorschaltgerät für mindestens eine Gasentladungslampe mit vorheizbaren Lampenwendeln|
|WO1996033595A1 *||Apr 19, 1996||Oct 24, 1996||Entergy Systems & Services, Inc.||Discharge lamp lighting system and method|
|U.S. Classification||315/307, 315/200.00R, 315/244, 315/DIG.5, 315/224, 315/205, 315/DIG.4, 315/241.00R, 315/DIG.7|
|International Classification||H05B41/282, H05B41/24, H05B41/295, H05B41/392, H02M7/537|
|Cooperative Classification||Y10S315/04, Y10S315/07, Y10S315/05, H05B41/2825, H05B41/295|
|European Classification||H05B41/295, H05B41/282P|
|Sep 30, 1992||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: TOSHIBA LIGHTING & TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, JAPAN
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:OHSAKI, HAJIME;SHIMIZU, KEIICHI;REEL/FRAME:006266/0800
Effective date: 19920928
|Jan 20, 1998||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Jan 10, 2002||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|Jan 6, 2006||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 12


text:
Vivian Antoniw Collection - 2004.18 (ca. 1960): The Vivian Antoniw Collection consists of textual and photographic materials including Antoniw’s graduate thesis research work c.1960 on Northwest Coast totem poles, particularly near Hazelton, Kitimaat area. Materials include textual records, thesis, photographs, slides, artistic sketches by Antoniw and grey literature related to Northwest Coast art.
Restrictions on access: None
First Nations - 2002.9.4 series from the Walt Taylor fonds - 2002.9 (1919-2002): Series consists of posters, newsletters, maps, reports, articles, statements, conference proceedings, background papers, correspondence, newspaper clippings, pamphlets, declarations, brochures, memoranda, proposals, speeches, publications, court documents, and telexes related to Walt Taylor's direct involvement with, or indirect research into, the following First Nations groups, individuals and events: Gitksan-Wet'suwet'en Tribal Council; Gitksan-Carrier Tribal Council; Cariboo Tribal Council, Tahltan Nation, Nisga'a Tribal Council, Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs, Council of the Haida Nation, Cree Nation, Leonard Peltier (Anishinabe and Dakota/Lakota Nations) Iroquois Nations, Nazko Nation, Kluskus Band and the Delgamuukw et al v. The Queen court case. View Finding Aid and with series' file list beginning on page 54 of the document.
Restrictions on access: None.
"Unlocking the Medicine Chest" drafts - 2000.10.1 series from the David G. Fish fonds - 2000.10 (1995-1997): Series consists of different drafts of Chapter 7, "Unlocking the Medicine Chest: The Implications of Transferring Control of Health Services to First Nations," for the book, Prospering Together: The Economic Impact of Aboriginal Settlement in British Columbia, published by the Laurier Institute, as well as other related records. Includes publication "A Statistical Report on the Health of First Nations in British Columbia", Health Canada, 1995.
Restrictions on access: Some restrictions in effect. Contact the archives for details.

domain: library


text:
The failure to properly act on the knowledge of the accusation of sexual assault against Al Alvarez during his hiring process points to a failure in our structures of government and law that fail to protect victims while letting the accused proceed with life as usual.
As an organization of progressive women we echo and support Katie Brennan's message that this is unacceptable. She is deserving of justice. We support the Governor's call and commitment to leave no stone unturned in figuring out how to provide victims of sexual assault pathways to be protected, supported and most importantly heard and listened to. The independent investigation, Equal Employment Opportunity and Attorney General offices reviews must lead to real structural change to make sure that victims such as Katie are heard and that the accused are not given a free pass.
In addition, the hearings called by the Legislature have the potential to contribute to the progress we need to make. But we are calling upon the Legislature to not make this a political witch hunt but rather a substantive examination of the way women, and victims of sexual assault, are treated in NJ Government and law.
The New Jersey Legislature is comprised of 180 elected officials. Just barely 25% of the members are women. Only one woman has been Speaker of the House. No woman has ever held the position of Senate President. This remains a male bastion of power that cannot ignore the power dynamic that is created in this inequity.
We think it is essential that in the Legislative hearings on hiring practices, and treatment of sexual assault victims, they include themselves in the scope of the investigation.
What is the record of the NJ legislature in overlooking or looking the other way at accusations of assault, harassment and misconduct? How many Legislators have non-disclosure agreements signed to keep victims silent? How many of them have made it hard for a woman to find justice if a victim with any hope of keeping a job in a male dominated workplace? What pathways exist within the Legislative branch of NJ Government to report assault and protect victims in a political space?
Furthermore, we question the motives behind the appointment of Michael Critchley Sr as the investigating attorney. His ties to George Norcross leave room to surmise the potential political agenda behind this investigation as we continue to witness Steve Sweeney's attempts at diminishing the public's support of Governor Murphy to obstruct movement towards progressive changes that will benefit the people of New Jersey. The appointment of Michael Critchley Sr with a notorious history of victim blaming as evidenced in his defense of the Delbarton School, also lead to further questions around the actual motives and purpose of these hearings. If the Legislature is sincere in their interest to improve the pathway for all victims of assault, rather than a political assault on the Governor, the scope of the Legislative investigation must include an examination of their branch of government. We are calling on the 180 members of the Legislature to respect all women and take a good look in their own house as part of this process.
Only then can we begin to make real changes in the way government treats women, protects and respects victims and assures that justice is not out of reach.

domain: law


text:
LA CROSSE, Wis. - Monday night was the last chance for La Crosse voters to see the candidates for mayor square off in a debate.
Doug Farmer and Tim Kabat debated at an hour-long event on the UW-La Crosse campus. It was a very cordial debate with the candidates agreeing on many of the topics asked.
One question, however, where the two had a little bit of a tense exchange was when they were asked about neighborhood revitalization.
Kabat accused Farmer of not doing enough during his years on the city council. Farmer defended his record, saying he will make the issue one of his top priorities is elected.19467894
"Given the opportunity when you were on the council in 2006 to fund a neighborhood revitalization program, which we created, for the Powell-Hood-Hamilton Neighborhood to build five new homes a year for 20 years, the council decided it was not a priority at that time," said Kabat.
"We have lots of houses that don't need to be demolished," said Farmer.
"(There are) lots of houses that we can do and improve very quickly. We just haven't had enough money. Let me add it," he added.
The candidates were asked if they support the proposed playbook when it comes to giving taxpayer dollars as economic incentives to businesses looking to build or expand in the city. They disagree on whether it would work.
"Projects come along everyday and you've got to still have flexibility but without any guidelines in place it's been very difficult to negotiate deals because each deal is different," said Kabat.
"The guidelines are only good until they're in someone's way and this is the exception where these guidelines don't apply and they're set aside," said Farmer.
Kabat received about 1,200 more votes than Farmer in the primary. Several of the candidates, however, have backed Farmer since then which means it could be a much closer general election on April 2.
- The Latest: Walker proposes new welfare work requirements
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- You participated in the Women's March. Now what?


A formal complaint has been filed with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office against Lakewood City Council candidate Pete Roybal for accepting a loan from a current councilman.
Roybal received a loan from Ward 4 Councilman David Wiechman in the amount of $2,000, according to the Colorado Secretary of State’s website.
Candidates cannot accept a loan for the use of their campaign unless it is received from a financial institution. The Colorado Campaign and Finance Manual states “candidates may not receive loans from other individuals or entities.”
Rich Coolidge, communications director with the Colorado Secretary of State’s office, said the issue will be reviewed by an administrative law judge to determine whether a law has been broken.


1. Information on insects that attack yarn & knitwear.
2. How to remove insects from yarn & knitwear .
3. How to store knitting yarn & knitwear.
4. How to wash wool, alpaca, mohair, angora, silk and other hand knits.
You probably know that moths, or more specifically the clothes moth caterpillar can attack knitwear, but have you heard of Wooly Bears? These are the larvae of the carpet beetle, they're 4-5mm long, hairy and will eat your lovingly made knitwear
The problem started when I had a bird's nest in my loft. I was warned to get it cleared out as soon as the fledglings had gone to avoid getting bitten by starling mite, but no one warned me about wooly bears. Apparently they live in bird's nests, but when the nest is empty they migrate in search of new food sources.
Having feasted on some of my childhood soft toys that were stored in the loft they found their way into my built in wardrobe. So if you've had bird's nesting in your roof I would recommend you check your knitwear. They will attack wool and any other animal fibre.
My first sign of trouble was spotting a brown 'husk' on a pale coloured jumper. On closer inspection it was a shed skin and the culprit wasn't far away.
Getting Rid of Insects in Yarn & Knitwear
Thankfully they hadn't done much damage. A thorough clean of the wardrobe and washing all the knitwear in the effected area was the first step. (See below for instructions on how to wash knitwear.)
I had some items I didn't want to wash, such as unfinished knitting projects and my yarn stash, so these went through a few freeze-thaw cycles to kill anything that might be lurking. I sealed them in plastic bags and put them in the freezer for a couple of days followed by 2-3 days at room temperature. I repeated this a couple of times.
My new storage regimen should help prevent further attacks.
Storing Knitwear and Knitting Yarn
Storing knitwear in sealed boxes or bags when not in use reduces the risk of insect attack.
Always wash and thoroughly dry your knitwear before you store it away. Soiled knitwear is more attractive to insects.
The same is true for storing knitting yarn. Any yarn with animal fibre in it is liable to insect attack, so storing it in a sealed box or bag will save a lot of hassle in the long run.
Hanging knitwear on coat hangers can cause sagging and can distort the shape of the shoulders. It's worth folding them carefully and storing them in a drawer when in use and in a sealed box or bag for long term storage.
Unless you've used superwash wool or a robust synthetic yarn you'll need to wash your finished knitting with care.
Dissolve a few soap flakes/washing powder in a little hot water. (Don't use too much or it will take forever to rinse out!) When dissolved add cooler water until the water is barely lukewarm.
Submerge your knitting in the water and allow to soak for a couple of minutes.
Handle your knitting with care while wet, remember that rubbing and heat both cause wool and some other animal fibers to felt. Work methodically across the garment gently squeezing the fabric. Support the weight of the knitting as you remove it from the water. Very gently squeeze out the soapy water. Do not wring the fabric.
Rinse by submerging in plenty of barely luke warm water (containing fabric conditioner if desired). Support the weight of the knitting as you remove it from the water and again gently squeeze out as much water as possible.
It's important to dry knitting as quickly as possible to avoid it smelling musty or getting mildew. Roll it in a towel and squeeze gently (I stand on the towel). Repeat with fresh towels if needed until the knitwear is as dry as you can get it.
Leave the garment to dry flat after gently pulling it to its correct shape and smoothing the fabric. For lace knits or items that require more severe reshaping see our article on blocking your knitting.
You can use an electric fan to increase the air flow and help the knitting to dry faster.
If you use Eucalan wool wash then you don't need to rinse it out and it has the added benefit of Eucalyptus or Lavender extract to repel moths and lanolin to soften the wool.
If your knitwear isn't made of wool you could go for a product like 'Soak' that is also rinse-free.


text:
Ahead of Sunday's Rob & Chyna series premiere, E! has rolled out yet another clip from your soon-to-be favorite reality TV series. In the preview, Rob and Scott Disick are in a car talking about "bathroom stuff," you know, like a toothbrush and deodorant, because Rob's just been kicked out of the home he lives in with Chyna. He says he's giving her space but then quickly follows up with a complaint about how this happens all the damn time. In fact, it happens so often that he's seriously thinking about taking his second home — presumably the Calabasas pad proud mama Kris decorated for him some time ago — off the market. Scott provides sage advice about how he's actually lived this life with Kourtney, and that Chyna's hormones basically mean Rob will get kicked out often.
The return of Rob on reality TV, full time, brings me so much joy. I'm mostly excited about the fact that the world will have more opportunities to make GIFs of all the epic moments he and Scott share. Some examples:
But, wait, there's more! E! just released a second clip on Friday, featuring Chyna and her pals mocking Rob and mama Kris's relationship. No, really. She uses the words "Mama's Boy." Oh shit.
Rob & Chyna premieres Sunday, Sept. 11, at 9 p.m.
Follow Peggy on Twitter.

domain: celebrity


Add your site here! Send an email to links @ kwintessential.co.uk
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text:
Shahid afridi backed to shoaib akhtar assert on sachin tendulkarControversy prone former Pakistan captain Shahid Aftidi backed his ex-teammate Shoaib Akhtar's assert that Sachin Tendulkar was uncomfortable against his ball, saying that he had once witnessed the Indian batsman trembling while facing the pacer. He said Tendulkar was uneasy against Akhtar a claim which the pacer made in his recently launched autobiography. Afridi also went to state that Tendulkar was also uncomfortable facing young Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal during World Cup match.
This Pakistan former Captain, who retired after revolting against the his own Board and has a history of making controversial remarks. I think Afrid would like to come back to Pakistan team and initiated his work for it.

domain: sports


Impact of carrier injection level on light-induced degradation of Cz-Si solar cell performance
Light-induced performance degradation, which has been significant for highly efficient Cz-Si solar cells, was investigated for fundamental interpretation of the phenomenon. Illuminations with light intensities of 0.2 to 100 mW/cm2 were carried out on two Cz-Si solar cells fabricated from different base resistivity substrate. Cell performances decayed double exponentially with several types of degradation processes indicating a very initial fast drop. Decay curve fittings with simple exponential equations obtained time constants, and the correlation with illumination intensity was evaluated. The resultant decay times were almost independent of illumination intensity over 1 to 100 mW/cm2. The trend of the independence appeared more significantly on a cell with higher base resistivity. Defect concentration much less than injected carriers were considered for the physical image of the decay time saturation.


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We are delighted to announce the 12th edition of TUM, scheduled for February 29th and March 1st 2024.
Over the past years, we have been diligently working on enhancing and refining technologies for laparoscopic and robotic urologic surgery. Our journey has taken us from 3D-guided surgeries to the adoption of 4K vision and the implementation of highly advanced broadcasting systems, all designed to offer participants the most immersive experience possible. From the very first editions of our meeting, our goal has been to provide an enriched surgical environment.
Our exploration continued as we delved into the study of organ-specific 3D virtual models derived from standard imaging. This led us into the realms of augmented reality and mixed reality surgery, with the primary objective of improving surgical planning and intraoperative guidance. We aimed to maximize surgeon awareness during procedures, taking advantage of the information provided by virtual models of real anatomy.
Our initial forays into the augmented reality surgery were semi-automatic, but we soon transitioned to augmented reality platforms powered by artificial intelligence, with subsequent automatic overlapping of the 3D augmented reality images.
Taking our commitment further, last year we created an immersive platform for a virtual reality experience, in the Metaverse.
The surgeons had the possibility to navigate the 3D virtual models of the patients in a virtual environment, sharing the surgical planning with the moderators and the delegates even if located in different sites.
In this TUM24 edition, we will bring the delegates, moderators and surgeons into the Uro-Verse, that it is more than only a virtual platform. Uro-Verse is a testament to the dynamic synergy between technology and surgery, and it is set to redefine the landscape of urology for years to come. In Uro-Verse, the boundaries of physical geography dissolve, and this virtual realm facilitates collaborative learning, discussions, and surgical innovations.
Another novelty will be represented by the presentation of our fourth generation of the 3D virtual models. 3D BioDigital Virtual Models of the patients’ anatomy will be a Digital Twin of the organs, and will be showed into the Uro-Verse environment, with an unprecedent level of precision and customization that has the potential to further improve the realism and the accuracy of immersive surgical planning.
I am confident that this special edition of TUM will be a resounding success, with a multitude of innovative surgical technologies to be presented, and a distinguished faculty of surgeons joining us from all corners of the world.
We hope that our ambitious program will be enjoyed by all attendees, and we warmly welcome you to Turin for this 12th edition of TUM!
Please visit: http://www.technourologymeeting.com/

domain: medical


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Cervical Mucus: A Hidden Hero in the Fight Against Bacteria
Cervical mucus is an often-overlooked aspect of the female reproductive system, but recent research has shed light on its incredible antibacterial properties. Yes, you read that right, cervical mucus has antibacterial activity! This fascinating discovery has opened up new avenues for understanding the intrinsic defense mechanisms of the female body and has the potential to revolutionize the field of gynecology. In this article, we will explore the world of cervical mucus and delve into the scientific evidence behind its antibacterial activity.
Understanding the Role of Cervical Mucus
Cervical mucus, produced by the cervix, plays a vital role in the female reproductive process. Its primary function is to facilitate sperm transport, providing a conducive environment for them to reach the egg for fertilization. However, scientists have now discovered that cervical mucus goes beyond its role in reproduction and also acts as a natural defense mechanism against bacteria.
The Antibacterial Properties of Cervical Mucus
Researchers have found that cervical mucus contains various antimicrobial substances that work together to protect the reproductive system from invading bacteria. These substances include enzymes, antibodies, and antimicrobial peptides, all of which play a crucial role in combating bacterial infections.
Enzymes in Cervical Mucus
Several enzymes present in cervical mucus contribute to its antibacterial properties. Lysozyme, for example, is an enzyme that breaks down the cell walls of certain bacteria, leading to their death. Another enzyme, lactoferrin, binds to iron, an essential nutrient for bacterial growth, and prevents bacteria from accessing it. This deprives bacteria of the necessary resources to survive and reproduce.
Antibodies in Cervical Mucus
Immunoglobulins, commonly known as antibodies, are also found in substantial quantities in cervical mucus. These antibodies recognize and bind to specific bacteria, neutralizing their harmful effects. They act as the body’s first line of defense against bacterial invasion, preventing infections from taking hold.
Antimicrobial Peptides in Cervical Mucus
Antimicrobial peptides are small proteins that have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. They can disrupt bacterial membranes, rendering them unable to survive. One such peptide found in cervical mucus is defensin. Defensins are highly effective at combating a wide range of bacteria, including sexually transmitted infections like Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.
The Interaction between Cervical Mucus and Bacteria
How does cervical mucus actually interact with bacteria? Understanding this process is crucial for appreciating the significance of its antibacterial properties. When bacteria come into contact with cervical mucus, they are trapped within its matrix. The mucus acts as a physical barrier, preventing bacteria from reaching the upper reproductive tract where they can cause infections.
Furthermore, the antibacterial components of cervical mucus actively target and kill bacteria, neutralizing their harmful effects. This two-pronged defense mechanism ensures that the reproductive system remains protected from bacterial invasion.
Implications for Gynecology and Women’s Health
The discovery of the antibacterial properties of cervical mucus has significant implications for gynecology and women’s health. It paves the way for developing novel diagnostic methods for bacterial infections. By analyzing the composition and behavior of cervical mucus, healthcare professionals can gain valuable insights into a woman’s reproductive health and identify potential infections.
Additionally, this research opens up opportunities for the development of new treatment strategies. Harnessing the antibacterial properties of cervical mucus could lead to the development of innovative antimicrobial therapies that specifically target bacterial infections in the reproductive system. This could potentially reduce the reliance on traditional antibiotics and mitigate the issue of antibiotic resistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary function of cervical mucus?
Cervical mucus primarily serves to facilitate sperm transport and create a favorable environment for fertilization.
How does cervical mucus protect against bacteria?
Cervical mucus contains enzymes, antibodies, and antimicrobial peptides that actively target and neutralize bacteria, preventing infections from occurring.
Can the antibacterial properties of cervical mucus be harnessed for medical applications?
Yes, the antibacterial properties of cervical mucus have the potential to be utilized in the development of novel diagnostic methods and treatment strategies for bacterial infections in the reproductive system.
The discovery of the antibacterial activity of cervical mucus is a groundbreaking development in the field of gynecology. It highlights the intricate defense mechanisms of the female reproductive system and opens up new avenues for research and innovation. Harnessing the power of cervical mucus may revolutionize the way we diagnose and treat bacterial infections in the future, ultimately improving women’s reproductive health. So let us celebrate this hidden hero in the fight against bacteria and continue to explore the wonders of the human body.


Toshiba XG5 1TB OEM M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD
As mentioned, the Toshiba XG5 is a single sided design. All of the drive's components are located on this side of the PCB. There is a manufacturer's label that covers the drives controller and flash packages.
Removing the manufacturer's label exposes the drive's second-generation Toshiba TC58 NVMe controller and gives us a clear view of the drive's two Toshiba TLC flash packages.
This side of the drives PCB is devoid of components – thus making the XG5 a single-sided design.
A close-in view of the drive's second-generation Toshiba TC58 NVMe controller manufactured by TSMC. We speculate the controller is an 8-channel design with between three and five CPU cores.
A close-in view of the drive's two Toshiba 512GB 64-layer TLC flash packages. We speculate that there are eight 512Gbit die in each flash package.
A close-in view of the drive's edge connector and Nanya 1024MB DDR DRAM cache package.
PRICING: You can find the product discussed for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link below to see real-time pricing for the best deal:
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text:
- President Trump has invited Marjorie Taylor Greene, a congressional candidate who has promoted the QAnon conspiracy hoax, to come to the White House.
- "I'm honored and thrilled to be invited to attend President Trump's acceptance speech Thursday evening at the White House," Greene said Tuesday.
- News of the invite comes the same day that a bipartisan congressional resolution was introduced condemning QAnon.
- "QAnon and the conspiracy theories it promotes are a danger and a threat that has no place in our country's politics," Rep. Denver Riggleman, a Republican from Virginia, said Tuesday.
- Also on Tuesday, another Republican speaker, Mary Ann Mendoza, shared a Twitter thread from a QAnon conspiracy theorist alleging a Jewish plot to control the world, The Daily Beast reported.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
President Donald Trump has invited a supporter of the QAnon conspiracy theory to attend his speech for the Republican National Convention, a move that comes the same day that a bipartisan congressional resolution was introduced condemning the deranged hoax.
"I'm honored and thrilled to be invited to attend President Trump's acceptance speech Thursday evening at the White House," Marjorie Taylor Greene, a congressional candidate in Georgia, tweeted on Tuesday.
A source told the Associated Press that the invite is legitimate.
Greene has expressed support for QAnon, a set of conspiracy theories that hinges on claims from an anonymous online account that purports to have inside dirt on the workings of government (and the "deep state" it claims is thwarting Trump's agenda).
"Q is a patriot, we know that for sure," she said in a 2017 video, as NPR reported. Referring to Trump, Greene said: "There's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take this global cabal of Satan-worshipping pedophiles out, and I think we have the president to do it."
Despite repeatedly posting inaccurate claims — in 2017, it asserted that Hillary Clinton's arrest was imminent — QAnon has attracted ever more support. Its chief assertion these days is that President Donald Trump is covertly fighting an elite pedophile ring, despite said president's past friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and public support for Ghislaine Maxwell, who faces multiple charges related to Epstein's sexual abuse of young people.
In July, the Combatting Terrorism Center at West Point described the conspiracy theory as a threat to national security, noting that "QAnon has contributed to the radicalization of several people to notable criminal acts or acts of violence," as PolitiFact reported.
The danger posed by self-righteous extremists has led some Republicans to go against the president and condemn the hoax and the movement behind it.
"QAnon and the conspiracy theories it promotes are a danger and a threat that has no place in our country's politics," Rep. Denver Riggleman, a Republican from Virginia, said Tuesday. Riggleman has introduced a bipartisan resolution condemning QAnon and asking the Federal Bureau of Investigation to keep an eye on "extremists motivated by fringe political conspiracy theories," according to a press release.
"I condemn this movement and urge all Americans to join me in taking this step to exclude them and other extreme conspiracy theories from the national discourse," Riggleman said.
Organizers of the Republican National Convention, however, appear to agree with the president: Hours before she was set to address the RNC, one speaker, Mary Ann Mendoza, urged her Twitter followers to check out the anti-Semitic ravings of a QAnon conspiracy theorist who asserted that Jews are seeking to destabilize and control the world, The Daily Beast reported.
Mendoza was later pulled from the RNC's Tuesday night lineup, CNN reported.
Neither the Trump campaign nor the Republican Party immediately returned requests for comment.
Have a news tip? Email this reporter: firstname.lastname@example.org


Hosting all heads of the Southeast Asian Nations to commemorate 25th year of India-ASEAN partnership on the Republic Day is a historic event. The journey that started as a ‘Look East Policy’ in 1992 has certainly made strides in many fields. Now with the ‘Act East’ it is time to provide substance to the relationship with civilisational values as the basis
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing the 14th India-ASEAN summit in Laos rightly remarked that, “Our engagement with ASEAN is not just about a solid base of shared civilizational heritage. It is also driven by our common strategic priorities of securing our societies and bringing peace, stability and prosperity to the region. ASEAN is central to India”s “Act East” Policy”. The commemoration of 25 years’ celebration of this unique relationship between a regional group and a sovereign State provides an opportunity to assess the journey of a quarter century and charter the course for future years.
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) that was created in 1967 amidst the hostile environment of the Cold-War emerged as the most successful regional cooperation arrangement in the developing world. Then, a common external threat perception from China and multidimensional functional approach were the driving forces behind the emergence of ASEAN as the most viable organisation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Though, the anti-Colonialism movements had provided natural platform for this entire region to come together, the divergence in ideological outlook and security relationships imposed by the Cold War inhibited the ASEAN and India relations for four decades since India’s Independence. Though India supported all the moves adopted by ASEAN for ensuring peace and stability in the region, actual interaction was limited. The end of the Cold War paved the way for clearing misperceptions by both sides. The “Look East” policy initiated by India and realisation by the ASEAN countries provided a new impetus to bilateral relations.
A New Beginning
At the Fourth ASEAN Summit, in 1992, the ASEAN heads agreed to grant India the status of a Sectoral Dialogue Partner, which provided a new beginning to India-ASEAN relations. The formalisation of this partnership symbolised the recognition to their political and economic potential, enabling both the sides to seek new areas of cooperation. Accordingly, the ASEAN – India Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee (AIJSCC) was set up in March 1993. It identified four areas for cooperation, viz. trade, investment, tourism and science and technology.
The second defining moment in this relationship came three years later. At the Fifth Summit in Bangkok, the ASEAN leaders decided to award India the status of a full Dialogue Partner. This allowed India to participate in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)- and the Post Ministerial Conference between ASEAN foreign ministers and dialogue partners. India’s participation helped to enhance the profile of ARF and the common security concerns discussed contributed positively to India-ASEAN ties. The positions adopted by India and ASEAN on various regional and international issues, especially terrorism, economic globalisation and technological cooperation helped a long way.
The Ninth Meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) was held at Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on July 31 2002, where the ASEAN countries made a historic decision to enter into a Summit level dialogue with India which marked an important milestone in India-ASEAN relations. India shares common concerns with South East Asia. In 2012, India gained the strategic partnership status with the regional grouping.
In these 25 years of sustained interaction, India and ASEAN have established a functional mechanism to coordinate and facilitate the working at the professional and technical levels. The working group set up to focus on development, cooperation, science and technology, trade and investment and the business council has become operational. Another area of cooperation between India and ASEAN is the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation (MGC) framework, which comprises five members of ASEAN, namely Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. After getting into Summit-level dialogue since 2002, the areas of human resource development, transport, infrastructure and exchange of information for stopping the financing of terrorist networks also gained significance in this relationship. To facilitate the process, India has set up a separate Mission to ASEAN and the EAS in Jakarta in April 2015 with a dedicated Ambassador. Meanwhile, at the bilateral level also, India has successfully engaged with all the ASEAN members and explored new opportunities in the areas of oil exploration and space technology. Vietnam is a glaring example of this.
Despite all these efforts, both on connectivity and commerce fronts, the progress is not up to the potential. The trilateral highway project is still lingering on for almost 18 years. Many port development projects have been pending. Though the trade has increased 25 times in 25 years, in 2016-2017, ASEAN-India trade stood at $71 billion, which was just 10.85 percent of India’s external trade. Although the number of tourists from India to ASEAN countries has increased, they account for only 3 per cent of tourist arrivals to the ASEAN region. The number of tourists from ASEAN countries to India is even abysmal.
Trade negotiations are at a delicate stage over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). New Delhi has certain reservations with regards to RCEP while ASEAN nations would like India to sign on. Mutual cooperation to promote people to people contact through academic exchanges and cultural programmes is needed. However, India-ASEAN relations in the last decade or so have witnessed a realisation on both sides that mutual interaction is beneficial for the peace and prosperity of the region.
India’s civilisational links with the South East Asian region can be traced back to thousand years. It has influenced the region more than any other country, had the oldest maritime trade relations with it. Therefore, maritime linkages and civilisational ethos hold the key to provide the substance provide substance not just to the ‘Act East’ but even to the emerging narrative of ‘Indo-Pacific’.


text:
Over the years, R&B singer Chris Brown has added a new definition of “Inked up” as the singer shamelessly adds to his body art. The singer is tatted from his head to his legs…..literally.
Despite Chris Brown already having a head tattoo of the famous Greek statue, “Venus de Milo,” on his head, the “No Guidance” singer has made room for one more piece.
The tattoo stretches from the singer’s neck to the top of his head. It appears to be of a dog with sharp teeth and a bulging eye. The singer posted a picture of the new addition to his Instagram with the caption, “Tap in. DAMN THATS TUFF. GO CRAZY #tuffcrowd #OHB 4L.”
The barking Doberman is reportedly inspired by an LA-based streetwear brand, “Tuff Crowd,” done by tattoo artist, Ganga, who had previously done the singer’s jordan sneaker tattoo.
What do you think Brown will get tatted next?


For simplicity's sake, let's just say there are two kinds of fuel injectors: peak and hold and saturated. The difference between the two has to do with resistance. Peak and hold (aka low impedance) injector coils exhibit less electrical resistance than saturated (aka high impedance) injector coils. Typically, peak and hold Honda injectors will exhibit between 2 to 3 ohms resistance while saturated ones will measure somewhere around 12 ohms. This is all pretty useless and boring information until you do something like an engine transplant or go out and swap your stock fuel injectors for a high-flow set.
Injectors are really just valves controlled by the ECU by timed electrical signals called pulse widths. Honda fuel injectors rely on constant power for their pulse widths-the ecU supplies the ground-therefore, the injectors open and close based upon ground signals dictated by the computer. When ground is applied, they close and when it's not, they open. Some Honda ECUs are not designed to work with low impedance injectors. An injector or ECU swap or engine transplant can be all it takes to fry an otherwise perfectly good ECU-and that's exactly what can happen given the right circumstances.
The problem has to do with heat, which can be correlated to resistance in this case. For those Honda ECUs not designed for low impedance injectors, their injector drivers can heat up and fail because of the added current. Even the injectors themselves can heat up. With peak and hold drivers, the 12V is still delivered to the injector but current rises. Testing has revealed nearly double the temperature when using low impedance injectors on the wrong application. It's important to note that resistance decreases current and that current creates heat. If current can't be reduced then the chances of the drivers heating up and failing is increased. Of course, some of this depends on driving habits as well. High engine speeds and injector duty cycles can also create added heat, like when driving up a hill or at the track.


Discussion Starter · #1 ·
I went down to my local shop and asked what parts they had for XD's. there reply: XD's just came out we dont have anything, but if you want some glock parts we got a plenty. well that doesnt do me any good. I went to Ajames site to find what i was looking for and the part i need the most is out of stock. i need the firing pin retaining roll pin or something. the one that stops the firing pin from going to far forward. well untill i get this part my gun is just sitting in its case because i dont want to carry it in this condition. ill explain. since i dont have that retaining pin, when the gun is not cocked and ready to rock the firing pin is sticking out like an 1/8 of an inch and im afraid that if i put a mag in the gun and let the slide go it'll fire the round before its fully seated and without me pulling the trigger. ok well if anyone around tucson or phoenix can help me out i would greatly appreciate it. or if anyone knows another website where i can get these parts. oh an i also need a grip safety spring but james has those in stock. thanks alot, Mike.