Tips to Save on Logistics Cost

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When we talk about logistics, there are two aspects to it. There is inbound logistics and outbound logistics. Inbound logistics involves everything from purchase of raw materials to production of finish goods, while outbound logistics involves delivery and distribution of finished goods to customers and clients.

There are four main parts of logistics and they are purchase or procurement, transportation, transshipment and storage of goods. Here are some tips to save on logistics costs in each of these areas.

Procurement:
When it comes to buying raw materials, a business should always look for suppliers who can offer more favorable terms of purchase. If necessary, the raw materials can also be imported. However, care should be taken not to change the supplier too often. Instead the person in-charge of procurement should have good negotiation skills.

In addition, it always helps to know the exact cost of procuring an item. This means knowing the freight cost, duty, brokerage and cost of carrying the inventory. It is only after having all these costs, can a business compare the prices of two vendors and then select the best available option.

Sometimes working with suppliers who can delivery just in time can help reduce the company’s inventory and in the bargain it can reduce costs associated with storage.

A business should also think of using a cheaper substitute if available instead of always opting for high cost raw material.

Transportation:
It is financial prudence to always select the mode of transportation based on the quantity and quality of goods that are supplied. Whether you use air, water, rail or road, each one has its own advantages and disadvantages and you should be aware of them. Choosing the right mode of transportation can help reduce costs and damage to goods. In addition, it can also reduce the in-transit inventory of goods. This is especially true when goods are being transported by road. If the route selected is the shortest, it will save a lot of time.

Another way to reduce transportation costs is by freight consolidation where smaller quantities of goods are brought together to make bigger quantities and only then they are transported.

Transshipment:
Sometimes when a company needs goods or raw materials urgently, it ends up asking the vendor to send the entire shipment by express service. This can be extremely expensive for the company. However, this unnecessary expense can be avoided by doing a little bit of calculation and planning as it will give the quantity required urgently. Then only what is required should be sent using express service while the remaining can be sent by normal service. In the bargain, the business can lower its costs tremendously.

Inventory:
A business can reduce it capital cost by ensuring that there is a balance between demand and supply. It is important to have a good inventory management system so that surplus inventory is not built up.

It makes sense to order in bulk because many suppliers give reasonable discounts on such orders. This way you can also set aside stock for emergencies like fire, theft, accident or natural calamity.

Have lesser storage places based on the demand. This way a business pools its risks and reduces the total cost of carrying inventory.

Getting Ready For the New 2 Stroke Dirt Bikes

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Two stroke motorbikes have advantages to the four stroke bikes and the V-6 motorbikes. 2 stroke engines have a much stronger rate of acceleration as well as having a lot less parts that could malfunction. Power bands in these bikes also make trail riding fun. Two stroke motor bikes area a great deal more easily to jump in any motocross race. The two stroke bikes are a lot more light weight; they are easier to do maneuver with such as ‘popping wheelies’. These 2 stroke bikes have great engines that are a lot easier to start than those of the four strokes’.

When stunts involve difficult and potentially dangerous acts, these motorcycles are a lot easier to handle. The engines of the 2 strokes start a lot more easily than the other dirt bikes’. These bikes were popular throughout the world until the middle 1980’s for stunt competitions, motorcycle activities, motor bike rides on the beach, racing and excursions into the back country. The new stroke dirt bikes could be seen on all of the major continents of the world. Every young person dreamed of having a 2 stroke motor bike.

The two stroke dirt bikes are known as such because of the unique way their engines work. When the engine’s piston moves downward, the fuel mixture is compressed under the piston. It is then blown into the cylinder. Once the mixture is blown in, the exhaust gasses are blown out. This mixture of fuel blows into the cylinder through ports (passages) in the walls of the cylinder.

A 2 stroke motorcycle has become rarer and almost obsolete after 1985 due to the public’s concerns of pollution. Unlike engines of 4 stroke and V6 engines, the engines of these motorcycles burned fuel AND oil at one time together. This type of combustion could pollute in one hour akin to two 18-wheeler trucks’ traveling 1,000 miles. The public became fearful.

These are powerful dirt bikes with speed and power potential. They aren’t expensive to manufacture and they are light weight for their size. The engine features a capacity for high RPM (revolutions per minute). The two stroke motorcycles were popular as sport bikes until around 1984.

The cost of maintaining or fixing these motorbikes is becoming increasingly more expensive as the parts and components are harder to find. Fewer motorcycle mechanics are becoming specialized in the methods of fixing these motorcycles. Do it yourself manuals specializing in the 2 stroke engine of the motorbikes are becoming a thing of the past.

These lightweight and easy-to-maneuver bikes may, however, gain resurgence. Technology of the past few years has made engine parts compatible with these dirt bikes. The newer engines for the more lightweight motorbikes are constructed of aluminum alloy. Combustion in the new dirt bike engines burns fuel and oil separately.

Damage to the environment is cited as a major factor in the dirt bikes’ decline. Huge advances in technology could resurrect the 250cc 2 stroke motorcycles. Methods and means already are in existence to manufacture two stroke bike engines that are even MORE environmentally friendly as those of a four stroke motorbike. Perhaps one day soon the 2 stroke dirt bikes will once again be a motorbike force to be reckoned with! This dirt bike has it all for need for speed riders. Its also a huge benefit to have such high performance with little malfunctioning.

How to Fix Xbox 360 E74 Without Destroying Your Xbox – The Solution is Simpler Than You Realize

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Some Xbox 360s are destined to get the red ring of death, while other consoles get the Xbox 360 E74 error. This article is going to tell you a little bit about that error and how to fix Xbox 360 E74.

Believe it or not, these two common problems are actually quite similar. In fact, the E74 error is the same “general hardware failure” trouble code as the three flashing red lights that have become a symbol for the 360’s hardware issues. So what causes these problems?

As a rule of thumb the main cause behind the E74 issue is overheating. Too much heat can be bad for anything, particularly computer hardware. Because of a design flaw the Xbox 360 does not have adequate cooling and when this heat builds up in the system, internal parts actually begin to bend and warp.

There are some things you can do to combat the red ring of death and the E74, like making sure your console gets good ventilation. Something you can try also, is to make sure to never put your console directly on the carpet, make sure it’s in a wide open space, and even invest in a cooling unit to regulate cool air throughout your system.

But if you are already struggling with one of these general hardware failures, your console is pretty much unplayable at this point. Continue reading for how to fix Xbox 360 E74.

If your console is still under the Microsoft manufacturer warranty you can send your Xbox to Microsoft and how to repair for no charge. This seems like a good way to repair your Xbox, but a lot of people have damaged systems that are no longer under warranty.

There are some alternative methods that you can use if your console’s warranty is expired for how to fix Xbox 360 E74:

1. There are many third party computer technicians that will gladly repair your Xbox for a minimal fee. These repairs are usually safe and permanent and should run you anywhere from $60-$70. The only problem with this repair technique is that there might not be a repair technician near you, so you would have to ship your Xbox 360 and pay extra shipping costs. Not only that but you’ll be without a precious console for a few weeks.

2. If your warranty is expired and you just insist on sending it to the manufacturer, Microsoft will repair your Xbox 360 for a fee. They usually charge $110. Also, be expected to pay shipping for the service. However, unlike using a repair technician, Microsoft usually does not actually “repair” your Xbox 360. Instead, they send you refurbished model back.

3. One final option, that is becoming more and more popular, is the do-it-yourself home repair. This is essentially the same repair that repair technicians will use, however you’ll be using household tools and doing it yourself for about half the price.

The Routes of the Legacy of Al-Andalus

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For almost eight centuries, the Iberian Peninsula lived one of its most privileged moments, not only with regard to Spain, but also to Europe as a whole: the age of Moslem Spain, which the Arabs called al-Andalus.

The mixture of races, religions and cultures gave rise to a brilliant civilisation, where both the Arts and Science flourished. Silks, objects of art produced in ivory, bronze and marble, ceramic tiling, the creation of a subtle architectural style and luminous sensual poetry all made al-Andalus the cultural focal point of Europe; a bridge between East and West, the cradle of a splendid and refined civilisation.

The Foundation the legacy of al-Andalus aims to preserve the historical, artistic and architectural heritage of al-Andalus. But also, its wish is to promote the most outstanding values of that civilisation: the people’s feeling for life, how they lived together in tolerance and harmony, their music, gastronomy, everyday life. The mark left by al-Andalus is reflected in the concept of art, in the character and in the attitude toward life of the present-day inhabitants, heirs to this legacy.

Today we can all delve into this living inheritance, thanks to projects such as the Routes of the legacy of al-Andalus, which will take us through beautiful spots, providing us with an overall vision of the culture, as well as with the chance to truly experience it. For the following routes car hire is essential. You will find many reputable car rental companies at all mayor airports like Malaga, Seville, Granada or Almeria.

Route of the Caliphate

This Route runs through lands of Cordoba, Jaen and Granada, along the N-432 and N-331 main road and covering approximately 180 km. It links two large geological depressions; that of the river Guadalquivir and that of Granada, traversing passes in the Sub-Betic mountain ranges opened by basins and river valleys. Both depressions are closed in by the Sierra Morena and Sierra Nevada massifs. This journey follows one of Andalusia’s main communications routes.

The Route is a true adventure for the spirit: from Cordoba to Granada, also crossing ancient borderlands of Jaen. It shows the two extremes of the region, revealing the magnificent cultural, religious, political and social heritage left by the Moslems on the Iberian Peninsula. Cordoba, considered the binding brilliance that made all the other western cities pale by comparison. Granada on the contrary is the refined terminal mannerism of a civilisation under threat. And, between the two, a succession of walled towns and castles perched atop strategic vantage-points. Places that were witness to the occasionally agitated military exchanges and then formed the camps and bases from which to besiege Granada.

This journey is not just a lesson in history. It is also an aesthetic delight, a joy for the senses. Refined palates will discover products and tastes with echoes of the past. Those same echoes also seem to be palpable in any of the celebrations and traditions of the towns and villages along the Route. An itinerary by car which will undoubtedly make us that little bit wiser, thanks to all that we will experience along either of its two branches: northern and southern. History, celebrations and crafts, gastronomy, all taking place in a landscape with a vegetation, agriculture and climate that are unique to these provinces of the Region of Andalucia.