diff --git a/requests/__init__.py b/requests/__init__.py
index d1e75274..d44b2667 100644
--- a/requests/__init__.py
+++ b/requests/__init__.py
@@ -1,35 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
-import inspect
-
 import packages
 from core import *
 
 from core import __version__
-
-timeout = None
-
-class settings:
-    
-    def __init__(self, **settings):
-        self._cache_settings(**settings)
-        self._alter_settings(**settings)
-        
-    def __enter__(self):
-        pass
-        
-    def __exit__(self, type, value, traceback):
-        self._restore_settings()
-        
-    def _cache_settings(self, **settings):
-        self.cache = {}
-        for setting in settings:
-            self.cache[setting] = globals()[setting]
-        
-    def _alter_settings(self, **settings):
-        for setting, value in settings.items():
-            globals()[setting] = value
-        
-    def _restore_settings(self):
-        for setting, value in self.cache.items():
-            globals()[setting] = value
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/requests/api.py b/requests/api.py
index 61da42ce..c98ff3aa 100644
--- a/requests/api.py
+++ b/requests/api.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ This module impliments the Requests API.
 """
 
 import requests
+import settings
 from .models import Request, Response, AuthManager, AuthObject, auth_manager
 
 
@@ -38,9 +39,8 @@ def request(method, url, **kwargs):
     r = Request(method=method, url=url, data=data, headers=kwargs.pop('headers', {}),
                 cookiejar=kwargs.pop('cookies', None), files=kwargs.pop('files', None),
                 auth=kwargs.pop('auth', auth_manager.get_auth(url)),
-                timeout=kwargs.pop('timeout', requests.timeout),
-                allow_redirects=kwargs.pop('allow_redirects', requests.timeout)
-                )
+                timeout=kwargs.pop('timeout', settings.timeout))
+    
     r.send()
 
     return r.response
diff --git a/requests/core.py b/requests/core.py
index fb239f2f..073d231b 100644
--- a/requests/core.py
+++ b/requests/core.py
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@ __copyright__ = 'Copyright 2011 Kenneth Reitz'
 from models import HTTPError, auth_manager
 from api import *
 from exceptions import *
-from settings import *
\ No newline at end of file
+from settings import Settings as settings
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/requests/settings.py b/requests/settings.py
index 00e27d62..1dc90079 100644
--- a/requests/settings.py
+++ b/requests/settings.py
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ This module provides the Requests settings feature set.
 
 """
 
+# Time (in seconds) to allow the request to connect to
+# the remote host before timing it out.
+timeout = None
 
 class Settings(object):
 
@@ -33,7 +36,3 @@ class Settings(object):
     def _restore_settings(self):
         for setting, value in self.cache.items():
             globals()[setting] = value
-
-
-settings = Settings
-timeout = None
\ No newline at end of file