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KACEY JOHANSING – Many Seasons
Kacey Johansing Official Site
Buy here
I'm not a fan when it comes to the music of Rickie Lee Jones or that other more recent Jones, Norah. Sure, they're great at what they do but their style is just not my bag. Why then am I attracted to the music of Kacey Johansing, who has been compared in a vocal sense with these artists and others and on the surface shares many of their qualities. Quite simply, Johansing, for me, manages to circumvent the sleekness and showiness that characterises those artists and offers something that seems more earthy, more real. You just get the feeling that if Johansing was being discussed by the big men of music for a possible record deal, they wouldn't really know what to do with her. "Sure, great voice but what's with the lyrics? And what about how she jumps all over the place with genre and style. She's got no formula, where's the formula, How do we sell that?". The fact that Johansing has managed to take a scattergun approach in this context but still has produced a very cohesive record is not only testimony to her undoubted talent but also her ample music intelligence and awareness. She has a unique understanding of what works but at the same time is not afraid to take risks – no safe formulas here.
The 25 year old American singer songwriter has been somewhat of a journeywoman having grown up in Colorado, moved to Boston and now is firmly planted in San Franscisco, a fact which peppers the album and informs much of its trajectory. She has surrounded herself with an army of erstwhile collaborative talent,
French singer-songwriter Vera Gogh, fellow San Franciscans Sleepy Todd and Matt Adams (The Blank Tapes) lend a hand but what strikes most is the proficiency of the assembled studio musicians who bring a discipline to the imaginative song structures.
Combining elements of traditional folk, jazz and blues with contemporary indie pop, Johansing employs melody to great effect as witnessed on the title track where the hypnotic piano mixes with the strings to great effect creating a atmosphere bordering on the wondrous, yet strangely unnerving. Sitting alongside this is a subtle, hardly heard guitar contribution that serves to unsettle and its this attention to detail and effect that elevates Many Seasons above the mire of sameness that can afflict the music of similar artists. 'Angel Island' has been a staple on this sites music chart over the last couple of months with its laid back style and understated chiming guitar hook.
Johansing's impressive vocal talent comes to the fore on the beautifully spartan 'Leave Your Sweater' and the two step, whistler, 'Oh Brother' happily ambles along until prized open and briefly transformed by a key signature change. This ability to subtlely change direction albeit for a brief pause and thus totally transform a song is difficult to pull off but Johansing manages it here and to greater effect on 'Same Old Same Old'. Even where she veers away from her pop influences and moves into the jazz and blues realm, 'Photgraphs and Letters' and the aforementioned 'Same Old Same Old' she doesn't lose me. I must say, on first listen that almost happened but staying the course was easy in the end.
On the surface, lyrically Many Seasons seems innocent enough, playing at times like a ode to San Francisco and other geographical points but the dark noir styled 'Spider Song' is indicative of Johansing's depth as she creates an metaphorical moonlit image in which she croons in cathartic celebration as she watches, in delight an ex-lover sink.
The most noticeable thing about Many Seasons is the unnoticeable. It's almost as if what Johansing doesn't do is as important as what she does. The use of her exquisite voice is a case in point. Where other artists undo good work by overworking their manifestly talented pipes, Johansing gives of those just what's required, never overwhelming the beautifully crafted arrangements. Her voice is just one part, albeit an important one, of the whole and the fact that she is obviously acutely aware of this makes her music the better for it. Three years in the making, Many Seasons is a outstanding debut album to savour on so many levels, a collection of songs that show off, not only Johansing's practical and writing abilities but also expose her ability to nail the intangibles that sets great music apart from the good.
James Stocker – August 28, 2010.


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UPSC Articles
1000-yrs Old Monpa Handmade Paper Industry brought alive in AP
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Policies and Interventions
In news
- The 1000-year old heritage art – the Monpa Handmade Paper of Arunachal Pradesh – which was driven to the extinction has been revived with the committed efforts of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).
Key takeaways
- The art of making Monpa handmade paper originated over 1000 years ago.
- This handmade paper was a major source of livelihood for the locals.
- However, the handmade paper industry almost disappeared in the last 100 years.
- Recently, KVIC commissioned a Monpa handmade paper making unit in Tawang which aims at reviving the art and engaging the local youths with this art professionally and earn.
- The Monpa handmade paper, will be made from the bark of a local tree called Shugu Sheng, which has medicinal values too. Hence availability of raw material will not be a problem.
Do you know?
- The fine-textured handmade paper, which is called Mon Shugu in the local dialect, is integral to the vibrant culture of the local tribes in Tawang.
- The paper has great historic and religious significance as it is the paper used for writing Buddhist scriptures and hymns in monasteries.
- Apart from handmade paper, Tawang is known for two other local crafts – handmade pottery and handmade furniture – that are also getting extinct with passage of time.
- It was announced that within six months, plans will be rolled out for revival of these two local arts
Important value additions
The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC)
- It is a statutory body formed in April 1957 (as per an RTI) by the Government of India, under the Act of Parliament, 'Khadi and Village Industries Commission Act of 1956'.
- It is an apex organisation under the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
- Vision – To plan, promote, facilitate, organise and assist in the establishment and development of khadi and village industries in the rural areas in coordination with other agencies engaged in rural development wherever necessary.
- In April 1957, it took over the work of former All India Khadi and Village Industries Board.
- Head office: Mumbai
- Six zonal offices: Delhi, Bhopal, Bangalore, Kolkata, Mumbai and Guwahati.
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subset: commoncrawl


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High Point CrossFit – CrossFit
Metcon (No Measure)
10 mins of Goat Work:
Pick a skill or two to work on. Coaches will help guide if needed.
Examples: Ring Dips, Rope Climbs, Handstands, Double Unders, etc.
HPCF 15.3 (AMRAP – Rounds and Reps)
12 min AMRAP
12 Thrusters (75/55)
12 Bar Facing Burpees
–Add weight after each round, 20lbs for Men, 10lbs for Women.


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The 2020 Coronavirus / COVID 19 pandemic has affected many small businesses. But what if you're a medical practice or a company like Kara Dodds and Associates that provides pediatric therapy to hundreds of children – some of which have special needs and you have just been told by the state of California to […]Read More
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Chase Design Ranked on Clutch Top 1000 Global Companies in 2019
Our work is constantly aimed at fulfilling client projects with the idea of integrating and intersecting business strategy and creative execution. Our line of successful projects and satisfied clients has had visible results. In fact, in a recent press release, Chase Design was ranked 751st on Clutch's list of their Top 1000 Global Companies in […]Read More
San Diego Logo Spotlight: Tacos Perla
In this edition of our San Diego Logo Spotlight Series, we head to the trendy neighborhood of North Park to explore the story behind the Tacos Perla logo design. Chase Design is no stranger to fantastic logo design and we saw it as soon as we entered this fun little restaurant. Tacos Perla is a […]Read More
San Diego Logo Spotlight: The Lodge at Torrey Pines
As a follow up on our series of San Diego logo spotlights, we dive into the iconic hotel situated on the world renowned two time choice, U.S. Open golf course that we call our own. If you missed our initial post on Mike Hess logo design and brand identity here is a quick update. We […]Read More
San Diego Logo Spotlight: Mike Hess Brewery
Let's face it, San Diego is indeed mostly fun and sun and the reason that we love it so much is due to the unique areas, exciting things to do, the contrast of communities and the ever increasing innovation occurring in the area. Not just technological or economic innovation, but artist and cultural as well. […]Read More


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Pingback: Backdoor At The End Of The ICMP Tunnel
In this post, we analyze a piece of malware that we encountered during a recent breach investigation. What caught our attention was how the malware achieved persistence, how it used ICMP tunneling for its backdoor communications, and how it operated with different modes to increase its chances of a successful attack. Malware using ICMP is not new but is relatively uncommon. Because of this, and the presence of certain strings, we decided to name this malware 'Pingback'. Below we demonstrate how Pingback's protocols work and also provide sample code on how we interacted with the malware.
We begin by looking at how Pingback achieves persistence through DLL hijacking.
Persistence through DLL Hijacking
DLL (Dynamic Link Library) hijacking is a technique that involves using a legitimate application to preload a malicious DLL file. Attackers commonly abuse the Windows DLL Search Order and take advantage of this to load a malicious DLL file instead of the legitimate one.
The file we investigated was a DLL file called oci.dll. We knew that the file was suspicious during our initial triaging, but we could not figure how it was loaded into the system because the DLL was not loaded through traditional rundll32.exe.
Figure 1: oci.dll file information
We found out later that it got loaded through a legitimate service called msdtc (a.k.a Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator). This service, as the name suggests, coordinates transactions that span multiple machines, such as databases, message queues, and file systems.
It turns out the msdtc service indirectly loads oci.dll through MSDTCTM.DLL that loads an ODBC library to support Oracle databases called MTXOCI.DLL. This library searches for and tries to load three Oracle ODBC DLLs which include oci.dll, SqlLib80.dll, and xa80.dll.
Figure 2: Malicious oci.dll is indirectly loaded by msdtc service
Figure 3: MTxOCI.DLL loads three plugin DLLs that support the Oracle ODBC interface
By default, the three Oracle DLLs do not exist in the Windows system directory. So, in theory, an attacker with system privileges can drop a malicious DLL and save it using one of the DLL filenames that MTxOCI loads. We have experimented with dropping all three DLL filenames but only oci.dll was successfully loaded by the service.
Figure 4: oci.dll runs in the background loaded by msdtc.exe
msdtc by default does not run during start-up. To remain persistent, the msdtc service needs to be configured to start automatically, so the attacker would need system privileges to reconfigure the msdtc startup type. It can be done manually using SC command, via malicious scripts, or through a malware installer.
Our theory is that a separate executable installed this malware. In fact, after a bit of hunting, we found a sample in VirusTotal with similar IOCs that installs oci.dll into the Windows System directory and then sets msdtc service to start automatically.
Figure 5: A loader configuring msdtc service to start automatically
We also observed during our analysis that in a VMware environment, the VM Tools service also loads MTXOCI and eventually loads the malicious OCI.DLL.
Figure 6: In Process Explorer, we found that OCI.DLL is also loaded by VMTools service in a VMware Environment
So that is the DLL loading part. But before turning our attention to Pingback itself and its operation, let us first lay out what is ICMP and how ICMP tunneling works.
ICMP Foundation
The Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) is a network layer protocol mainly used by network devices for diagnostic and control purposes. It is used in utilities such as ping to determine reachability and roundtrip time, traceroute, and path MTU discovery to avoid packet fragmentation and enhance performance. It can also be misused by malicious actors to scan and map a target's network environment. This is one of the reasons why there are some debates over whether ICMP should be disabled or not. In most cases, users do not pay attention to ICMP packets either as they do not manifest open ports on the machine.
The malware, Pingback, at the center of our investigation, oci.dll, uses the ICMP protocol for its main communication. This has the effect of being hidden from the user as ports cannot be listed by netstat. Below we detail how Pingback uses the ICMP protocol to pass data back and forth between the infected host and the attacker's host. A technique called ICMP tunneling.
To explain ICMP tunneling, let us first understand an ICMP packet:
Figure 7: A diagram of an ICMP packet. ICMP data size varies, we assume that the IP maximum transmission unit is 1500 bytes. The packet size limit for an ICMP Data is maximum allowed size of an IPv4 network packet, minus the 20 byte IP header and 8 byte ICMP header.
An ICMP packet is built on top of the IP layer and has an 8 byte ICMP header. The packet size limit for ICMP data is a maximum allowed size of an IPv4 network packet, minus the 20 byte IP header and 8 byte ICMP header. Or approximately 64K. The ICMP data is determined by the message type. The message types are defined here: https://www.iana.org/assignments/icmp-parameters/icmp-parameters.xhtml
An ICMP tunnel mainly uses these two types:
|Echo Reply
|ping reply
In the diagram below, A echo packet header defines the ICMP type, code, checksum, identifier and sequence number. And lastly, the ICMP data section is where an attacker can piggyback an arbitrary data to be sent to a remote host. The remote host replies in the same manner, by piggyback an answer into another ICMP packet and sending it back.
Figure 8: ICMP packet. The size of the ICMP data sent by the attacker is always 788 bytes
Figure 9: Packet capture of the attacker's ICMP packet
ICMP Tunneling
Now that we have laid out the foundation and how an attacker can piggyback data on the ICMP packets, we are ready to explain exactly how exactly this malware works.
Pingback specifically uses the echo (ping) request or type 8 ICMP message. It starts a sniffer for every IP address on the host, spawning a thread to sniff packets on each individual IP address. To distinguish between its own packets and other packets, the sniffer ignores anything else that's not an ICMP echo packet and does not contain the ICMP sequence number 1234, 1235 or 1236. It also ignores packets not destined for the specified IP address.
It then interprets the data in the following format:
Figure 10: Malware's ICMP data is represented by this C structure. See appendix below for detailed information of the cmd and cmd_line fields.
The sequence is used as a message type for each ICMP data. It currently supports 3 message types:
- 1234 – the packet contains a command or data
- 1235 and 1236 – used for pure ICMP packet communication only. 1235 being the data has been received at the other end, and 1236 as new data has been received by the malware.
Pingback supports several commands including:
- shell – execute a shell
- download – 3 different modes of download are provided:
- Mode 1: Infected host connects back to the attacker's host (works well if incoming TCP connections are blocked by firewall)
- Mode 2: Infected host opens a socket on a specified port and waits for the attacker to connect.
- Mode 3: Purely ICMP-based, but this is very slow and the current implementation is not very reliable in terms of flow control.
- upload – also supports 3 different modes, similar to the Download command.
- exec – execute a command on the infected host.
This is interesting, you can see Pingback uses a combination of ICMP for initiating any of the commands and TCP for better performance and reliability. A pure ICMP mode is also provided but is not very reliable.
Protocol example
To download a file in mode 1, the attacker performs:
- Create a socket and listen on a port
- Send the following ICMP packet:
- ICMP echo request with sequence 1234
- Payload contains: "download", name of file to download and, IP address and port of the newly created socket, this is where the malware will stream the file to
- Wait for connections and receive data. There is an additional protocol here which includes is reasonably simple (send and receive) and wait for "END\x00" string.
We have provided a source to demonstrate all three modes and most of the commands supported by Pingback.
Source available here:
We have also prepared a video to demonstrate how our client interacts with the malware running in an isolated infected system.
Final Words
ICMP tunneling is not new, but this particular sample piqued our interest as a real-world example of malware using this technique to evade detection. ICMP is useful for diagnostics and performance of IP connections in the real world. It is very useful to have them enabled but must be balanced by real-world threats. While we are not suggesting that ICMP should be disabled, we do suggest putting in place monitoring to help detect such covert communications over ICMP.
For network administrators and technical audience, a rule can be implemented to check if a packet is an ICMP echo (type 8), the data size is 788 bytes or greater and check for ICMP sequence number: 1234, 1235 or 1236. Backdoor command strings such as "download", "upload", "exec", "exep", "rexec", "shell" that found in an ICMP data packet can also be flagged. Trustwave Managed IDS devices can also detect this malicious traffic.
Finally, this malware did not get into the network through ICMP but rather utilizes ICMP for its covert bot communications. The initial entry vector is still being investigated.
cmd – bot commands and may be any of the following:
- exep (execute process) – execute a binary/command on the remote host
- download (download mode 1) - attacker's initial connection is done via ICMP and appears as a ping packet. The ICMP echo packet contains data that specifies the attacker's host and port to where the malware connects back. The ICMP data also contains a file path that the attacker requests. Using the host and port information, the malware creates a new socket, then transmits the requested file back to the attacker.
- upload (upload mode 1) – attacker's initial connection is done via ICMP. The malware receives the initial connection then connects back to attacker's host and port specified in the ICMP Echo packet. It then receives the file from the attacker to be saved in the infected system's local disk
- download2 – (download mode 2), initial ICMP packet is sent by the attacker. The ICMP echo packet contains the requested filename and path in the infected system. It also contains a port number where the malware will bind and listen to. The malware then waits for the attacker to connect, afterward, it begins transmitting the requested file.
- upload2 – (upload mode 2), initial ICMP packet is sent by the attacker. The ICMP echo packet contains the filename of the file to be received. It also contains a port number where the malware will bind and listen to. The malware then creates the file in the remote host and waits for the attacker to connect. Once connection is established, the attacker begins transmitting the file content to the remote host
- download3 – (download mode 3), a file is sent to the attacker purely through ICMP data. Although this mode is more covert as it appears as ping packets only, this is slower than using TCP directly as only 1 packet can be transmitted at a time. The malware has to wait for acknowledgment from the attacker's end.
- upload3 – (upload mode 3), same as download mode 3 – although the attacker uploads the file purely through ICMP. Also slower and unreliable but more covert than other modes.
- shell – request malware to connect back to the attacker with a shell. Initial request is done via ICMP packet containing information including attacker's host IP and port to where the malware makes a TCP connection.
cmd_line - In exep command, this variable holds the command to be executed on the remote host. While in download and upload command, this variable contains the remote file name.


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K-ICM is the only Vietnamese artist to get into the list of Top Artists Of 2020 categorized under YouTube views on Kworn.net.
Kworn.net is known as a website which collects and analyzes music data from around the world. According to its report, K-ICM has landed himself as one of the Top Artists of 2020, notably the only Vietnamese artist to do so.
Top Artists of 2020 is a ranking of the top 200 YouTube videos that have garnered the most views around the world in 2020. Particularly, K-ICM stands at 196th in the list, with a record of 574,620,902 views.
To get into the ranking among other international names is indeed a proud achievement that is making a buzz online among K-ICM fans.


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During the recent DNV planning workshops and community-organized "bench sessions", both residents and the developer repeatedly stated their strong preference for a "shared space" pedestrian-dominated street running through the middle of the Village Centre, from Fullerton Avenue to Curling Road. The design of such a street was felt to be critical to developing a true 'village' feel, with vehicles held to low speed and generous amounts of landscaping, creating a street that effectively functions as an extension of the public plaza set at the heart of the Village Centre.
The emerging design for the "woonerf street" incorporates many elements to achieve exactly this effect. As it turns out, the design elements for such a street are not only more pleasant, while still affording vehicle use, they are much safer as well. Below is an excerpt from an article on the value of independent judgment, "Anarchist Calisthenics" in the December issue of Harper's magazine.
"What would happen if there were no electronic order at the intersection, and motorists and pedestrians had to exercise their independent judgement? Since 1999, this question has been put to the test with stunning results, leading to a wave of "red-light removal" plans across Europe and the Untited States. Both the reasoning behind this small policy initiative and it results are, I believe, relevant to other, more far-reaching efforts to craft institutions that enlarge the scope for independent judgement.
Hans Monderman, the traffic engineer who suggested the counterintuitive removal in 2003 of a red light in Drachten, the Netherlands, went on to promote the concept of "shared space", which quickly took hold in Europe. He began with the observation that, when an electrical failure incapacitated traffic lights, the result was improved flow rather than congestion. As an experiment, he replaced the busiest traffic-light intersection in Drachten, handling 22,000 cars a day, with a traffic circle, an extended bicycle path, and a pedestrian area. In the two years following the removal of the traffic light, the number of accidents plummeted to only two, compared to thirty-six crashes in the four years prior to the redesign. Traffic moves more briskly through the rotary, since all drivers know they must be alert and use their common sense, while backups and the road rage associated with them have virtually disappeared. Monderman likened it to skaters on a crowded ice rink, who manage successfully to tailor their movements to those of the other skaters. He also believed that an excess of signage led drivers to take their eyes off the road and actually contributed to making the junctions less safe.
Red-light removal can, I believe, be seen as a modest training exercise in responsible driving and civic courtesy. Monderman was not against traffic lights in principle, he simply did not find any in Drachten that were truly useful in terms of safety, improving traffic flow, and lessening pollution. The traffic circle seems dangerous - and that is the point. He argued that when drivers are made more wary, they behave more carefully, and the statistics on "post-traffic light" accidents bear him out. Having no imperative coordination imposed by traffic lights requires alertness - an alertness abetted by the law, which in the case of an accident where blame is hard to determine, presumptively blames the "strongest" (ie; the driver rather than the bicyclist, the bicyclist rather than the pedestrian).
The shared-space concept of traffic management relies on the intelligence, good sense, and attentive observation of drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians. At the same time, it may actually expand , in its small way, the capacity of drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians to negotiate traffic without being teated like automata by thickets of signs (Germany alone has a repertoire of 648 distinct traffic symbols, which accumulate as one approaches a town) and signals. The more numerous th eprescriptions, the more drivers have been impelled to seek the maximum advantage within the rules: speeding up between signals, beating the light, avoiding all unprescribed courtesies. Drivers had learned to ru nthe maze to their maximum advantage. The effect of Mondermans's paradigm shift in traffic management was euphoria. One small town in the Netherlands, put up a sign boasting that it was FREE OF TRAFFIC SIGNS (Verkeersbordvrij), and a conference discussing the new philosophy proclaimed: "Unsafe is safe."


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The Watchlog Wireless is designed to wirelessly display and log up to 100 channels of data from sensor transmitters. The software allows you to create a visual display and assign each reading in real time. It is also possible to display it on other PCs, tablets, iPads, smartphones, etc. using the Web server function.
The Watchlog Wireless can also detect alarms when entering or leaving preset measurement range and automatically log in on demand within configured range.
The visual display and audible warnings can indicate not only loss of communication but also normal monitoring within the set value range.
Using the graph function, you can create custom views for individual figures that are easy to understand (Import various graphics/images and customize labels).
The Watchlog is also available as a customized version (for a small charge) which allows users to create their own unique software package for distribution. It is provided with your choice of corporate branding, including company logo, color scheme and contact information.


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All figures quoted are pre-tax and subject to Indian jurisd iction.
- Pexitics Assessments will be based on an agreement between the Partner Client and the Hold Co. and shall be negotiated on an annual or case-to-case basis as maybe determined in writing in advance and payments shall be made for the same for the entire tenure of association to the Partner Client against earnings from the contract.
- All pricing to be confirmed from the Partner Client in writing by the Hold Co. before assigning/acceptance of any contract from clients. This is to ensure no loss or under-pricing.
- Any additional modifications in the product, if required by the end client will be addressed separately and charged on a mutually agreed price per hour/day/project.
Technical Specifications:
- INDIA Decision Management will guarantee a 98.99% uptime of the services (excluding natural calamities). This will not include scheduled maintenance and updation of our services and features. All maintenance and updation will be done with prior intimation to all concerned via email.
- To ensure data safety and avoid any disruption due to natural calamities, the services and products shall host the data in strategic geo-location cloud servers. We are hosted on Microsoft Azure with encryption for safety and data security.
- Tech support on email and on phone shall be available between 9am to 6pm IST from Monday to Friday.
- Any further tickets or support shall be addressed within 48 working hours.
Consulting and Training Services:
- Benchmarking Services: Negotiable
- Training Services: Negotiable
- Consulting Services: Negotiable
Pexitest (Pexitest.com) is our assessment website which enables all our Assessments and Surveys are online with real time results and dashboard support. All assessments are available in English with the option to convert into any other language. The following features are free on the Pexitest system - It is cloud based, mobile friendly, dashboard driven decision system featuring Machine Learning algorithms. We will be enabling AI in our subsequent releases.
INDIA Decision Management is a GST compliant organisation and input credits will be provided for all services and invoices in accordance with Government of India rules & regulations. INDIA Decision Management is a GST compliant organisation and input credits will be provided for all services and invoices in accordance with Government of India rules & regulations.
Pexitics, Pexitest or any of our services do not earn any revenues from selling of transacting individual details or data. Pexitics does retain the right to use the data for improving its algorithms and benchmarking. Your data is safe as we do not see it as an ethical practice to sell individual data to telecom or internet marketing companies for commercial gains.
Reach out to us at;
Ms. Subhashini Sharma Tripathi: email@example.com +91 734 966 2321
Mr.Reuben Ray: email@example.com +91 734 966 2322
Pricing Chart (all rates in INR and are exclusive of Taxes) for Year 2020-21


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We Are Made of Stardust by Mimi Strong
Publication date: June 28th 2013
Genre: NA Contemporary Romance
Peaches Monroe, age 22, is the sassy, plus-sized manager of a bookstore in the small town of Beaverdale, Washington.
One Saturday afternoon, she's balancing precariously on a chair, in a bridesmaid dress, when a handsome dark-haired man comes running into the bookstore. He knocks Peaches over, she lands in his muscular arms. They lock gazes, and ...
She recognizes him.
As the sexy vampire heartthrob she watches on TV every week.
Peaches and Dalton Deangelo are completely wrong for each other. He's only in town temporarily, working on an indie movie. She should stay away. He should stay away, too.
But they're drawn to each other. Dalton claims it's because they're made from the same stardust.
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/we-are-made-of-stardust-peaches-monroe-1-mimi-strong/1115812080
Mimi Strong writes chick-lit, erotic romance, sex comedy, and new adult contemporary romance. Most of her characters have a strong sense of humor.
Here's what she has to say:
I've always had a lot of sides. Sometimes I'm vulnerable, and sometimes I go after what I want without a single doubt.
My favorite person is my husband. If I can crack him up and see his eyes crinkle at the corners, my day is made. In fact, I love making everyone around me laugh.
I've always enjoyed empowering stories about kick-butt women who don't hold back and the awesome men who are smart enough to love them. Now that I'm writing these stories, I couldn't be happier. I hope you enjoy them too!


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Experimenter presents four solo positions by Ayesha Sultana, Julien Segard, Krishna Reddy, and Rathin Barman at the Ballygunge Place space. The architecture of Experimenter – Ballygunge Place lends possibilities of viewing disparate exhibitions together.
Krishna Reddy | In Search of Simultaneity
Simultaneity may not be an absolute relation between events; what is simultaneous in one frame of reference will not necessarily be simultaneous in another. Unlike in physics which is restricted by laws governed by mathematics where the attainment of absolute simultaneity can only be a theoretical proposition, Reddy's practice unbound by the unyielding parameters of science, truly perfected a simultaneous balance between technique, philosophy and vision.
Krishna Reddy's seven-decade long practice has been in several ways a quest in simultaneity not only in pursuit of form, medium and technique but also in expanding philosophy and in ways of seeing. The solo project at Experimenter presents Reddy's exceptionally multidimensional and layered artistic oeuvre as a way of life that incorporated a daily immersion in drawing, printmaking and sculpture, which remained true to exploring simultaneous relationships between multiple disciplines being at play at the same time.
Julien Segard | Dark Was The Night
All the colours of darkness and paradox in its myriad manifestations is central in Julien Segard's monumental work, Dark Was the Night, engulfing the entire room of the space it is exhibited in. In the layered folds of the work, lies the betrayal of darkness disguised as light, where what is apparent is equally akin to what is not. The work, installed in folds like a curtain, questions the paradoxical nature of lightness and weight, inside and outside, private and public, where the dimly lit enclosed room acts as a veil for isolation but also allows for permeation and contemplation. Materially too, it confronts paradoxes with a dense foundation in charcoal, juxtaposed with the brilliant delicateness of gold paint. The explosion, seemingly resembled in Dark Was the Night, is as much about the weight and violence of the combustion it depicts as it is about the lightness of release and freedom.
Ayesha Sultana | Pulse
Although space and form is central to Ayesha Sultana's practice, the works in the project by Sultana anchor themselves in pulse. In medicine, a pulse represents the tactile measurement of the cardiac cycle which is inherently repetitive in nature; yet outside the constricting definitions of medicine, a pulse occupies space, time and form, and the only property that carries forward from its primeval definition is repetition.
Repetition is fundamental to Sultana, whether in mark-making, folding or expanding and becomes an embodied experience. A range of mediums and materials also co-exist in the presentation. Gouache drawings that decipher sonic readings; sculptures in brass and wood that represent three-dimensional form that falling liquids may have; a reverse canvas painting, pleated and turned over to conceal than reveal, Sultana explores the understanding of material and process and how they manifest in the expression of form.
Rathin Barman | Dimensional Distortion
Rathin Barman's practice places architecture as a nodal axis and uses other disciplines in conjunction to expand from that plane yet keeping a continuous increasing or decreasing distance from the centrality of architecture that manifests as a form of expression. Simultaneity and dimensional distortion, therefore lies at the crux of Barman's approach to the built environment.
Through a series of sculptures that employ materials such as concrete, metal, reinforced concrete board and brass, Barman carves a space between the physical, narrative and aspirational in his project. An imposing concrete wall sculpture inlaid with brass forms a drawing of a home culled from interviewing families that have occupied old homes for decades, sometimes reconstructed from visits to these sites over years and at times expanded from recollecting structures that once existed. Interspersed are three-dimensional reinforced concrete board works that are made from narrative aspirations of people who strive to move into other modular forms of housing and leave behind a past grandeur of a large structure of co-habitation. For Barman, architecture is anthropology, history, poetry and psychology operating at the same time.
Barman's project functions like an open loop almost akin to a spiral – conceptually, visually and materially viewed like a curve which emanates from a single point of entry into the curve, yet by simultaneously adopting other disciplines, it moves farther away as it revolves around that initial point of entry. At the same time, the relative spirality of his approach to the built environment allows Barman the possibility to collapse his work back to that starting central point of architecture.
Four Positions: Experimenter – Ballygunge Place
Experimenter presents four solo positions by Ayesha Sultana, Julien Segard, Krishna Reddy, and Rathin Barman at the Ballygunge Place space. The architecture of Experimenter – Ballygunge Place lends possibilities of viewing disparate exhibitions together.


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Become a member today!
HUBZone Workforce Program
HUBZone Internship Program
HUBZone Program Changes to
COVID-19 Flexibilities
In response to COVID-19, the HUBZone program issued flexibilities to HUBZone businesses effective March 13, 2020. Some flexibilities expired on September 30, 2020, and others were extended through March 31, 2021, as detailed below.
The following flexibilities expired September 30, 2020:
The following flexibilities are being extended through March 31, 2021:
For additional information, please see the HUBZone COVID-19 Flexibilities Fact Sheet.
Mandatory Annual Recertification
The HUBZone regulations now require all certified HUBZone firms to recertify annually that they remain in compliance with the program's requirements as of the anniversary date of their initial certification. This new annual recertification requirement took effect December 26, 2019 as part of a comprehensive revision of the rules governing the HUBZone program. 84 FR 65222 (Nov. 26, 2019).
When do firms need to recertify?
A firm's recertification attestation must be submitted in HCTS within 30 days of the anniversary date of the firm's original HUBZone certification. The date of a firm's original HUBZone certification is the date specified in the concern's certification letter and reflected on the firm's profile in SBA's Dynamic Small Business Search (DSBS) database. A recertification notification email will be sent 30 days prior to the anniversary date. To remain certified, you must complete the recertification requirements within the period starting 30 calendar days prior to and ending 30 calendar days after the anniversary date, attesting to your eligibility as of the anniversary of your certification date.
What will firms be required to submit to complete the annual recertification?
To complete the annual recertification, an authorized officer of the firm must log in to GLS/HCTS and review, verify, and certify, under penalty for perjury, that the firm meets all HUBZone eligibility requirements as of the anniversary date of its initial certification.
What can firms do to prepare?
What happens if a firm fails to complete the required annual recertification within the required timeframe?
SBA will propose the firm for decertification.
What should a firm do if it has not received a notification for annual recertification 30 days prior to the anniversary of the firm's initial certification?
Please note that the automated SBA notification system will not send a notification more than 30 calendar days prior to the anniversary of the firm's HUBZone certification. Check your spam filter to ensure you are receiving SBA messages. Be sure that the email listed in DSBS is current and up to date—because that is where the system will send the notification and reminders. If you have done all of that and still have not received a recertification notification email, please contact the HUBZone Help Desk by sending an email to: email@example.com.
Program Examinations
The HUBZone regulations now require all certified HUBZone firms to undergo a program examination at least every three years.
What is a program examination?
A program examination is an investigation by SBA officials to verify the accuracy of any certification made or information provided as part of the HUBZone application or recertification process.
When are program examinations conducted?
A program examination of each certified HUBZone small business concern will be conducted at least once every three years to ensure continued program eligibility. Firms with federal contracts may be reviewed every year. SBA will conduct a program examination as part of the recertification process at least three years after the concern's initial HUBZone certification or three years after the date of the concern's last program examination, whichever date is later.
What is reviewed during a program examination?
SBA will determine the location and scope of the examination and may review any information related to the concern's HUBZone eligibility including, but not limited to, documentation related to the ownership of the concern and compliance with the 35% HUBZone residency and principal office requirements.
How will a firm be notified that it is subject to a program examination?
If a firm is due for a program examination, it will receive an email notice within approximately 30 calendar days of completing the mandatory annual recertification. The email will include specific instructions for responding.
What are the options for responding to the program examination notice?
A firm may proceed in one of three ways:
What are the possible outcomes of a program examination?
How can a firm prepare for the program examination?
A firm should have all documents gathered and ready to submit proving it met the eligibility requirements as of the current anniversary of its initial certification.
Redesignated Areas Update
On March 20, 2020, President Trump began approving major disaster declarations for individual states and territories impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. These individual declarations, like all major disasters declared by the President under 42 U.S.C. 5170, will be applied to the HUBZone Program for the purpose of identifying Qualified Disaster Areas (QDAs). A list of all major disaster declarations can be found here: https://www.fema.gov/disasters/disaster-declarations.
To be considered for QDA status, an area affected by a major disaster must be in a nonmetropolitan county or census tract that became a Redesignated Area within the five years leading up to the disaster declaration. 15 U.S.C. 657a(b)(3)(E).
SBA is currently in the process of identifying all QDAs resulting from major disaster declarations that were approved in 2020 to apply to the HUBZone map.
Most current Redesignated Areas that became redesignated after March/April 2015 will become QDAs under this authority. The only Redesignated Areas that will not become QDAs are those that were redesignated between December 2014 and March/April 2015.
QDAs may only maintain this status until the HUBZone Map is updated in accordance with the results of the 2020 census. 15 U.S.C. 657a(b)(3)(E)(ii). Therefore, all communities designated as QDAs under the March/April 2020 declarations will lose this designation along with their Redesignated Area status on January 1, 2022, when the updated HUBZone Map takes effect. Those areas will cease to be treated as HUBZones at that time, unless the areas meet the definition of a Qualified Census Tract or Qualified Nonmetropolitan County.
What does this mean for firms located in a Redesignated Area that will also be designated as a QDA?
Certified HUBZone firms located in areas that are currently Redesignated Areas and also become designated as QDAs may take advantage of the new provision in the HUBZone regulations that allows firms to purchase a building or enter into a long-term lease in a designated HUBZone and maintain their HUBZone status for up to 10 years depending upon the circumstances. 13 C.F.R. § 126.200(c)(1). This provision is not available to firms located in a Redesignated Area that is not also a QDA.
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Phone: 240-442-1787
E-Mail: email@example.com
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© 2018 HUBZone Contractors National Council
HUBZone Contractors National Council is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization.
While the HUBZone Contractors National Council strives to make the information on this website as timely and accurate as possible, the Council makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the contents of this site, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions in the contents of this site. No warranty of any kind, implied, expressed, or statutory, including but not limited to the warranties of non-infringement of third party rights, title, merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose or freedom from computer virus, is given with respect to the contents of this website or its links to other Internet resources.
Reference in this site to any specific commercial product, process, or service, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the HUBZone Contractors National Council.


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New filmed-in-Manitoba sequels!
Two Manitoba-shot Universal projects are available to watch! Welcome to Sudden Death, the sequel to the 1995 film, was released on Netflix September 29, 2020 and is also available for digital download and on DVD. Tales from the Hood 3 came out October 6, 2020 on DVD and digital download.


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Early Childhood Education
Graduate Certificate
Early childhood education is a broad term that encompasses any type of educational program that serves children in their preschool years from birth to age 8. It includes a range of activities designed to aid in the cognitive, physical, language, and social development of children before they enter elementary school.
The IU Online Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Development is open to students from numerous professional or academic backgrounds who desire to gain a documented concentration in teaching in early childhood environments. The curriculum is designed to examine the components essential to effective early childhood programs, and to explore practical, research-based strategies for creating environments where all children and families can thrive and grow.
Your IU Online Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Development prepares you for such careers as:
- Childcare staff
- Childcare teacher
- Family childcare provider
- Preschool teacher
- Head start and early head start staff
- Program director
- Special educator
- Early intervention specialist
- Child development associate
Certificate Requirements
To earn the Graduate Certificate in Early Childhood Education, you must complete a minimum of 21 credit hours.
Requirements are broken down as follows:
- Early childhood education core courses (18 credit hours)
- Internship in elementary/early childhood education (3-6 credit hours)
NOTE: This program does not lead to an initial teacher license. This program only adds early childhood to an existing teaching license.


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You've booked your vacation, awesome! Plane tickets, passport, wallet, check! Bathing suit, sunblock, sunglasses, check! Workout clothes…check???
Most people think of vacation as a way to escape their day to day stressors. Traffic, bills, meetings, and all of the harsh realities that make us adults. That's great! Take advantage of having no responsibilities while on vacation, that's what it's for! Go see the world, relax on the beach, have a cocktail!
I also know, most people fall completely off the exercise wagon while on vacation. I used to be that way too. Of course, the last thing you want to think about is packing more clothes and worrying about where the nearest gym is.
I had this conversation recently with my partner while on vacation. We woke up an hour earlier than we needed to just to fit in a workout! We both agreed that we needed exercise to enjoy our vacation to the fullest. Here are 3 reasons why you should continue to exercise while on vacation.
Why do you exercise? For many people, the reason is because it helps them stay healthy and it helps them FEEL GOOD. For others, it could be to look good naked, be able to play with their children, or to prevent predisposed genetic medical conditions like diabetes or hypertension.
Whatever your reasons, chances are you are also benefiting from the many hormones that help improve your mood. According to the American Psychological Association, the positive effects of exercise on improved mood is well documented. "The link between exercise and mood is pretty strong," says Michael Otto, PhD, a professor of psychology at Boston University. "Usually within five minutes after moderate exercise you get a mood-enhancement effect."
Let's talk about the main mood enhancing benefit of exercise, endorphins. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins throughout your body. Endorphins have a "morphine like" response; easing stress, pain, and having a euphoric effect. Why wouldn't you want this on vacation?! At bare minimum, you'll be in a happier mood for those you are traveling with and be able to enjoy your vacation more.
It's clear that when you exercise, you burn more calories. When you burn more calories, you become hungrier. Duh!
My point is this, we all LOVE to eat when we are on vacation! Especially when you are in an exotic area or a destination that is known for their amazing food. You want to enjoy that as much as possible! Guilt free! Utilize exercise while on vacation to facilitate a healthier appetite!
Tons of research backs up the positive effects of sex drive when exercising regularly. Why stop while on vacation? ESPECIALLY those who are traveling with a romantic partner!
You are on vacation, away from all the stress and day to day grind. What better way to reconnect with your lover than sexual intimacy? Exercise will help tremendously with sex drive and more intense orgasms. Don't miss this opportunity by slacking on your exercise!
Finally, think of exercise as part of your daily routine that you know will keep you healthy. View it just like brushing your teeth, taking a shower, and putting on deodorant.
I often hear, "No way am I working out, I'm on vacation!" Would you stop brushing your teeth just because you're on vacation? No! Why? One, it's gross. Two, it's not healthy for you! So why stop giving your body what it needs while on vacation? Now get out there and book a vacation, and remember to pack your gym bag!
If you want a customized coaching based on YOUR individual needs, I'd love to work with you! To learn more, click HERE!
Let me know what you thought of this article by leaving a comment below!


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According to a poll of global experts, India is the most dangerous country for women due to high risk of sexual violence. Afghanistan and Syria rank second and third followed by Somalia and Saudi Arabia.
The survey was conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation that had about 550 experts on women's issues.In the 2011 survey, India was ranked after Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Pakistan.India moved to the top spot as nothing was done to tackle the danger that women faced. India was also most dangerous in terms of human trafficking, sex slavery, domestic servitude, female infanticide etc. The Ministry of Women and Child Development declined to comment on the results of the survey.


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Advantages Of Playing Online Casino Slots
Online casino slots are trendy games that are played online. The online games are well known because of their virtual slot games. There are numerous advantages that a player who chooses to play slot games. Playing casino slots offers a lot of convenience to the player. The merging of conventional slot concept and internet makes it easier for people who love the game to enjoy it. You can play the game in the comfort of your home without having to leave your computer and move to a casino. You need the internet connection and the computer to play the game. It saves a lot of money and time that you could have used traveling to a casino club.
There are a variety of slots offered to the one playing the game. There are many websites that operate online which allows you to take part in the game of slots. You are likely to find a spectrum of Free Spins in every portal which offers different features and prize money. This gives the individual a wide range of choices that they can choose from. You will have many choices which will help you choose the best-suited option for your preference.
Most of the online casino slots are easy to play since they have the same rules as a conventional slot game. There are instructions on how one should play the game which serves as a reference to anyone who may find it difficult to play the game. The casino slots offer interfaces which are user-friendly and can be operated by any novice. These Mobile Casino games are always available because they are found online. This gives the gamble an opportunity to play at any given time that they may have and according to their preference. The player can put their wager at any time that they may want to play the game as long as they have the internet connection.
The online casino slots offer competitive jackpots. Some of the online sites offer jackpots in millions. Different companies offer different jackpots. You need to choose a company that you know offers a large amount of money for their jackpots to ensure that in case you win you get to pocket some good amount of money. Most of the casino sites offer free bonuses to their players. Once the player makes a deposit, they are entitled to receive a certain percentage of the money they have deposited. They give bonuses that are in the form of free spins, signing bonus among others. Learn more about casinos at http://www.encyclopedia.com/sports-and-everyday-life/games/games-and-hobbies/gambling.


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The criminals were hide malware in publicly available software that claims to be a cheat for Activision Call of Duty: Warzoneresearchers at the game maker warned last week.
Cheaters are programs that alter game events or player interactions so that users gain an unfair advantage over their opponents. Software typically works by accessing computer memory during gameplay and changing health, ammo, score, lives, inventories, or other information. Cheats are almost always forbidden by game makers.
Wednesday, Activision said that a popular cheat site was broadcasting a fake cheat for Call of Duty: Warzone that contained a dropper, a term for a type of backdoor that installs specific malware chosen by the person who created it. Named Warzone Cheat Engine, the cheat was available on the site in April 2020 and again last month.
People promoting cheating have asked users to run the program as administrator and turn off the antivirus. While these settings are often necessary for a cheat to work, they also make the task easier. malware to survive reboots and not be detected because users will not receive a warning of the infection or the software checks for increased privileges.
"While this method is rather simplistic, it is ultimately a social engineering technique that takes advantage of the willingness of its target (players who want to cheat) to voluntarily lower their security protections and 'ignore warnings about running potentially malicious software,' Activision researchers wrote in a deep analyze. They provided a long list of Warzone Cheat Engine variants that installed a host of malware including a cryptojacker, which uses the resources of an infected gaming computer to surreptitiously extract cryptocurrency.
Activision's analysis indicates that several malware forums have regularly announced a kit that personalizes the fake cheat. The kit makes it easy to create versions of Warzone Cheat Engine that deliver malicious payloads chosen by the criminal who uses it.
The vendors of the kit advertised it as an "efficient" way to spread malware and "a good bait for your first malware project." The sellers have also posted YouTube videos that promote the kit and how to use it.
Activision's report arrived on the same day as Cisco's Talos security team disclosed a new malware campaign targeting players who use cheats. The malicious tricks used a previously unknown encryption tool that prevented anti-virus programs from detecting the payload. Talos did not identify the targeted game titles.
This story originally appeared on Ars Technica.
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Oh, samosas. So cheap, so delicious. So, portable, so reliable. So ubiquitous in Montreal, for some reason.
Walking down Sainte Catherine Street, you're there in heated cubes by depanneur doors, glowing like golden beacons in the long winter night. High school memories carry your scents, as clubs hawked you as some kind of Civic Organizing for Dummies®, raising funds for "humanitarian" trips to South America. The lofty halls of Montreal's universities ring with your name as associations sell you as lures for student-politicking.
Brokers and construction workers grab you on breaks. Your crumbs line the carpets of countless commuting cars. You are the great culinary equalizer of this city. You have saturated the market. You are the iPhone of triangular pastries. The Corolla of potato-filled pockets. The corner dep of deep-fried food.
Maybe it's because you're so handy. Maybe it's because you're so reasonably priced, in a city with six universities, twelve colleges, and tens of thousands of indebted students attending each of them. Can we ever know, or does it even matter? You're here, and we're happy.
We Montrealers may disagree on where to find the best version of you, the most authentic version of you, the most spicy or crunchy or equilateral version of you. But we only fight because we love you.
Anyway, here are some of the most reliable places where you can be found and eaten. Here are some places to fight about you.Read More


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card option
A hologram is nothing more than a three-dimensional image created as a result of overlapping several layers of images.
It should be remembered that during the creation of the hologram, not only the amplitude modulation, but also changes in the phase of the light wave are noted.
The hologram can contain various effects, such as:
- motion animation
- gradient
- microtext
- flip-flop effect
- 2D/3D effect
The hologram has two functions:
- As an element protecting a plastic card against falsify. The originality of a plastic card is confirmed by an attached hologram, which is much more difficult and expensive to counterfeit than printing the plastic card itself.
- And also as a decorative element, increasing the prestige of the card, for example a club card, a VIP card.
Holograms can appear as self-adhesive stickers or on metallized films, applied to the protected object using the hot-stamping technology. Below we present the key differences between both forms of holograms.
1. The method of applying the hologram
The hologram in the form of a sticker can be applied by machine in our printing house or manually by the customer. If you prefer to stick holograms on your cards, we will provide them on the sheets.
The second type of hologram is applied only by machine by pressing a matrix of holographic foil to the surface of the card. The work also requires a suitable temperature for the hologram to permanently be sealed into the laminate.
2. Hologram pattern
In both cases, there are standard hologram designs so that the price of the sticker or hot stamping foil is relatively low. Of course, it is possible to order an individual hologram, but it involves high costs, which is completely unprofitable in the case of small orders.
For example, a sealed hologram with an individual pattern requires a minimum order of 10 000 m2, with the price per square meter being a few euros. Additionally, there is a long waiting time for the production of such a film.
It is similar with individual holograms in the form of a sticker. In this case, the minimum order is 20 000 pieces. The hologram's production time is also increased by an additional 5-6 weeks due to the time, we need for making the matrix.
So what's next? A hologram on a standard background or on request?
We already know from our experience that holograms with a standard background are a very good solution, especially when you need from 200 to several thousand pieces.
The sticker can be additionally printed with the company's logo, numbering, for example in silver or black color. This makes the hologram unique.
For hot stamped holograms, a matrix with an individual logo can be prepared. However, you have yo know that this logo will not be printed, but "cut" from the background of the holographic foil.
Below is a plastic card with a hologram and printed logo.
And here is a card with a hologram sealed in the card.
Remember that we always advise you in choosing a hologram. You can count on our full technical support, no matter if you order 200 or 200 000 cards with a hologram.
Contact us and find out more. We will answer all your questions.


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Music That Moves: FFX Ending Theme "Suteki da ne"
The most beautiful love stories are often also the most calamitous. While the dichotomy between happiness and sorrow appear at odds, the struggle to secure affection of mutually reinforces the passion between two beings. Perhaps no conflict has torn more lovers apart than that of duty, honor, and responsibility. As two soulmates contemplate all available means of resolution, espousal becomes the sacrifice of obligation. Such is the story of Final Fantasy X (FFX) and its ending theme "Suteki da ne."
Music that Moves is a series that examines the significance of melody and harmony in many of our favorite video games. We explore how themes and lyrics accentuate a game's story arcs and add emotional depth to narratives.
Ignorant Bliss
A summoner's pilgrimage is one whose predestined completion is self-sacrifice for the salvation of Spira. As the story of FFX unfolds, Yuna's relationship with Titus begins as a form of escapism. While the rest of the party understands the grim reality of each step, Titus is unaware of the consequences of Yuna's journey. He is entirely oblivious to the emotional toll that the voyage hasupon Yuna, but Titus is also the only person who can talk to her without bias or dread. Yuna welcomes such an outlet as it provides much needed relief in the face of imminent death.
Passion vs Purpose
As the group edges closer to their final destination, Titus soon discovers the repercussions of the final summoning. Distraught, he vows to find a solution to not only defeat Sin but also save Yuna's life. No longer holding a secret inside, Yuna explodes with emotion as the weight of her purpose becomes overbearing. With tears streaming down her face, she prays for different circumstances. But ultimately, both recognize that Yuna's goal is more important than secret passion. As the full extent of Yuna's quandary comes into focus, the lovers share a tear-soaked embrace.
Sacrificial Love
As the journey reaches the finale in Zanarkand, Titus learns what must be done. Yuna cannot escape sacrifice; however, he can shift the object of that sacrifice.
Instead of sacrificing Yuna, the party decides to kill the engineer of Sin: Yu Yevon. Prior to delivering the final blow, Titus confesses that he will disappear. Unsure of the way forward, Yuna enters the battle with Yu Yevon and returns victorious. While the party celebrates the end of the conflict, Titus' being slowly begins to disappear. He knew. He always knew. His existence was tied to Yu Yevon and the never-ending dreamworld of Zanarkand. Yuna's life has been spared, but at the expense of her beloved. As Yuna gazes upon her fading love, realization creeps into her mind. She races toward Titus for one last embrace but stumbles as she passes through his translucent body. The dream is no more. The sacrifice has been made. Titus became the embodiment of true love: a sacrificial exchange.
Isn't it wonderful, if we could walk together? I'd want to go to your city, your home, and your arms. That chest. Hold my body. Fading in the evening is it a dream?Suteki da ne lyrics
As we ponder the beautiful conclusion of FFX and the ending theme "Suteki da ne", tragic love is equal parts beauty and catastrophe. For the height of love is not found in the duration or number of gaieties. The climax of emotion stemming from the dichotomy of struggle is what makes the union between two souls invaluable.
But we want to know what you think. Did you play Final Fantasy X on PlayStation 2? Or did you play the updated FFX HD Remaster on other platforms? Let us know in the comments below or the social media links on the right. Also, be sure to check out our other news items on Pokemon, Modern Warfare, Capcom, Blizzard and more.
Want to dive deeper into your favorite games? Be sure to check out our editorial columns, such as On This Day in Gaming, Off the Record and Music that Moves articles. Also, subscribe to our social media links below or click on one of the links in our soundcloud. Trust us: You will not want to miss a thing!
Finally, we are starting to stream every night and are looking to add to our community. Also, be one of the first 100 followers on Twitch and Mixer for a chance to win a free GamingROI tee-shirt. All you have to do is click the links above and select "follow". We will announce the winners at the end of each month. Until next time, enjoy!


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Expedition cruise operator Hurtigruten has partnered with Norwegian startup company Brim Explorer to introduce battery-powered catamarans, custom built for polar water exploration. Set to debut in spring 2020, the 24m (78ft) vessels will operate sustainable and silent ocean excursions from the port of Longyearbyen on the Arctic island of Svalbard under the Hurtigruten Svalbard brand. According to the company, the units will feature large battery packs and will be able to recharge at virtually any port and operate on batteries for up to 10 hours with a cruising speed of 10kts (11.5mph / 18.5km/h). A green footprint is the future of the travel industry, in the polar regions and elsewhere, said Agnes Árnadóttir, Brim Explorer co-founder and CEO. With a great idea and dedicated partners like Hurtigruten we have set out to build a vessel unlike any the world has seen. Brim Explorers first watercraft, similar to its sister that will operate exclusively under Hurtigruten Svalbard, is currently under construction in Norway and is scheduled to debut in August 2019. By combining green technology, clean Nordic design and a focus on sustainable travel, we have created the first sightseeing vessel in the world that is able to operate a full day on electric power. We look forward to using our knowledge to help move the travel industry in a greener direction, together with Hurtigruten, Árnadóttir added. In another industry milestone, Hurtigruten is currently in the process of rebuilding existing ships to run on a combination of large battery packs, LNG and biogas.
Hurtigruten to build all-electric explorer catamarans
By Dean Slavnich2 Mins Read
Previous ArticleBattery provider announced for worlds first all-electric harbor rubbish collection boat


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And then this happened. And this. And all these. So now the garaged parking space recently listed at the Tremont on the Common for $79,500 doesn't seem all that shocking. Nor does the fact that you'd have to pay a $120 association fee every month to boot. What about that War on Cars again?
· People Really Do Buy Those Six-Figure Boston Parking Spaces [Curbed Boston]
· The Priciest Parking Spaces in Modern Boston History [Curbed Boston]
· Bloodless Coup in Boston! Car Overthrown as City's King! [Curbed Boston]
Filed under:


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The Cheapest Flight to Bakersfield
Planning a trip to Bakersfield? We are not surprised that you want to visit United States!
To find the cheapest airfare we endorse you to use Beoo.com, the best travel site! By using our website you can be sure that you will find the best flight. Beoo.com verifies most of the popular booking sites and enables you to check all the prices in real-time. You have to check all the options to get the best deal.
So book your flight with Beoo.com to Bakersfield. United States awaits you!


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Who is your favorite Muppet? Elmo has received a lot of hype in the past two decades, for some unknown reason. Bert and Ernie get in the news occasionally for what they do or do not do in their twin beds. Kermit is probably the iconic Muppet. But I've always had a soft spot for Big Bird.
So what about you? Who is your favorite Muppet? It can be from Sesame Street or the Muppet Show. Or both!


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Retweet Pick can help you arrange social media giveaways for promoting your sports team or club.
Retweet Pick can help you arrange social media giveaways for promoting your sports team or club.
Promotion is key to every sport in the world no matter whether you are the head of a cricket team, or you're a manager of a football club. If your part of a sports team or club, you will always want to reach it to a wider audience! And sometimes it can be difficult or even overwhelming. This why we've decided to share with you some great examples of promotions created by different sports clubs and teams. Get ready, because you're about to unfold a whole lot of new ideas!
Competition is the major essence of all types of sports. Each player, club, team or national representation focuses on being better. Every time goal is to add more to their skills set and find new ways to reach their sporting targets. But competence is also a great part of marketing. Good marketing ideas and unique ways of promoting sports clubs can bring many new opportunities… more attention, fans, engagement, sponsors, and support. These factors are very important for sports teams. We know that coming up with new and original ideas can get very hard and time-consuming. But it doesn't have to be that way! Today we recommend that you put your social media accounts to use! You're about to learn about some great social media giveaways for sports teams and clubs!
Twitter Giveaways are very well known with sports. Twitter gives broader representation to the Teams, clubs, and events, such as matches, championships, tournaments and different kinds of leagues and therefore Sports viewers turn to Twitter because of instant updates. Here you can increase sports enthusiasts engagement more on twitter by organizing a Twitter Giveaway.


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The best bagels? In a city where a good bagel can be had on just about every block? Yup. We're throwing down the proverbial gauntlet and declaring that the places listed below serve the very best bagels in New York City.
Bagel Pub
287 Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215
(718) 499-4402
Bagel Pub specializes in "old-fashioned, hand-rolled, kettle-cooked bagels" made on site at its Park Slope location. These bagels tend to be bigger than some others on this list. They've got a nice sweetness, with a supple chew. You can get your bagel smeared with over 20 different flavors of cream cheese, stuffed with bacon, cheese, and egg, or draped in lox. Whatever you order, don't forget to chuckle at the riddle that adorns the space: Why did the bagel go the pub? To get toasted!
Black Seed
170 Elizabeth Street
New York, NY 10012
(212) 730-1950
United by a love of the carb, two friends—one from New York and one from Montreal, both already successful restaurateurs—got together to create the platonic ideal of the bagel. Each and every bagel gets baked in a wood-fired oven, heightening the bagel's delicious heft and increasing its crispiness. Then each bagel is cooled in a marble shoot. Sound complicated? Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But the end result is OMG good. So so so good. Three locations and counting!
Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company
286 Eighth Avenue
New York, NY 10001
(212) 924-2824
Here's what you need to know about Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee Company: not a one of the restaurant's four locations is in Brooklyn (they're in Chelsea and Queens). Every single bagel is made fresh daily, hand rolled and water boiled on site. The flour is unbleached and unbromated (read: healthier). And the spelt bagel is out-of-this-world delicious. As are the egg, the pumpernickel, the everything, the whole wheat, the multigrain, the salt, whole wheat everything, and the garlic. And, yes, we really have tried all those flavors, and more.
Dyker Park Bagels
713 86th Street
Brooklyn, NY 10028
(718) 836-6336
Because any (and every) bagel store can give you a sesame or a marble, Dyker Park Bagels offer some terrific specialty bagels. Among the unique options are blueberry and French toast. Bonus:the Brooklyn location is open 24 hours a day! Another bonus: tons of flavors of cream cheese, including olive pimento and bacon cheddar. The hungry hordes (and the internet) also swear by the restaurant's Chicken Ridiculous sandwich (fried chicken, bacon, lettuce, oil and vinegar, tomato, salt and pepper, and fresh mozzarella).
831 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10022
(212) 980-1010
An oldie, but a goodie. A very, very, very good goodie. The line's almost always out the door at this restaurant in Midtown, a veritable bagel-making institution. The owners come from a family of bakers back in Austria, so carby goodness is, you might say, baked into their DNA. At any rate, the bagels are dense and toothsome. If you opt for cream cheese, prepare to be amazed by the inch-or-so-thick slab that appears between the bagel's halves. Our favorite combos include jalapeno cream cheese on whole wheat and Oreo cream cheese on plain.


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OpenStreetMap: How to add lots of buildings fast with JOSM and building_tools
This tutorial aims to help newish users to OpenStreetMap draw buildings rapidly. Whether you are doing this in your home town or with HOTOSM, everyone can benefit from building data, and you can benefit from this method.
You should have JOSM downloaded and installed. I assume you know how to download areas (the green download button on the toolbar), and how to select imagery (the "Imagery" option on the menu). Here are some good, short beginner videos.
Obtaining the plug-in
The first step is to enable the building_tools plugin this can be done by going to
Preferences > Plug-Ins
Then search for
Enable it and click
Setting it up
The trick to this method is to be able to mass select the buildings, join overlapping shapes and categorise them properly, in order to do this easily we need buildings created by the plug-in to default to unique tagging.
Go to
Data > Set buildings size
Then click
You now need to change the value, I go with the following
Draw the first building
Click the building icon on the right-hand sidebar (or the shortcut 'B') to select the tool.
Start by click one corner of the building and draw a line the width of the building...
Now extent this out to cover the whole building...
Then click to finalise the drawing.
Angle locking
When buildings are built facing the same angle (on most block-based city layout) you can lock the orientation by selecting (double clicking) the first building you drew.
Now when you draw another building it will skip the 1D line drawing phase, You just draw the rectangle in the same orientation as the selected building.
More then just a single rectangle
Sometimes buildings are more then just a simple rectangle, Thankfully we can deal with this just fine. Start drawing more rectangles...
Select all, join, and edit tags
The last step is to select all prepare them for upload.
Go to
Edit > Search
For the search string type
building=fixme, this should select all.
The next step is to merge all overlapping shapes. Under
Tools select
Join overlapping Areas (or press Shift+J).
Now we should edit the tags, for this example I chose
building=house, But you should choose different tags for different buildings.
A note about mapping different building types
In OSM we like the value of the building tag to represent what the building is/used for. The OSM wiki can help you with this.
If you are about to move onto a different building type you should Select all, join, and edit tags so that you aren't setting the wrong tags on masses of buildings.
A note about tricky geometry
Many areas around the world do not follow the inner city "block" design.
You could decide to use regular line drawing tool for these buildings, However you can still use the building plug-in.
You just don't use angle locking (don't have any building selected), and then draw a new angled shape for each building. The JOSM beginner videos has a video on doing just this.
A note about connected buildings
Please note that the
Join overlapping Areas is sometimes overkill in that buildings that are connected (but not overlapping) will be joined.
You are better off avoiding the
Join overlapping Areas for these buildings. Manually change the tags on the select few buildings, That way you don't join them in the automatic process at the end.


text: Circuit Judge Laurel M. Lee dismissed the pending petition for dissolution 2 women who were legally married in Massachusetts in 2010. Judge Lee ruled that she could not grant a divorce for an unrecognized marriage in this state citing Florida's 2008 constitutional amendment and Florida statute (§ 741.212), which provides explicitly that Florida does not recognize, for any purpose, even same-sex marriages that have been recognized in another jurisdiction. The Court is without jurisdiction to dismiss that which does not exist. Both sides argue that dissolution is not in violation of the marriage ban and will appeal to the Second District Court of Appeal.


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It's What Sets Dave Rumfelt Apart
Selling your home is more than a yard sign and a listing on MLS.
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When your former home has a SOLD sign in the yard,
or you finally take possession of that perfect dream home,
Dave wants a 5 STAR REVIEW from YOU — his new satisfied customer.
DAVE will do what it takes to earn each one of those 5 STARS.
This is why — when it comes to real estate service — people say,
Proudly Serving the Counties of
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Specializing in the Cities of
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Planning To Buy Or Sell A Home
In Any Of These Areas?
Contact Dave For A Free
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Current Mortgage Rates


text:
Belfast is to get a new 250-acre woodland which is to be developed close to Cavehill Country Park in the north of the city.
The Woodland Trust has spent £600,000 acquiring the site.
The bulk of the money has come from an environment fund with top-up cash from Stormont's Environment Department.
Two thirds of the land is suitable for native woodland, the rest is species rich grassland which supports a wide range of important plants. The charity plans to open the site to the public once planting and other works have taken place.
"To be able to create woodlands on this scale means more for nature, more for climate change and more for people," said Ian McCurley, the Woodland Trust's director in Northern Ireland.
"We need to rapidly increase tree cover to help reach net zero carbon emissions and tackle the declines in wildlife. We want to conserve the land in the Belfast Hills and restore it to a beautiful habitat for people and nature."
Northern Ireland has the lowest level of tree cover in Europe at 8% although there is a target to get that to 12% by 2050.
The Environment Department has plans to plant 18 million trees across Northern Ireland by 2030. Almost 700,000 of them have already been planted. The Woodland Trust estimates that those 18m trees will add about 1% to Northern Ireland's tree density.


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Hardscape and Masonry Services
Bring the indoors outside. Create an outdoor Kitchen and living room oasis!
Do you desire a more beautiful outdoor space for your home?
MSF Landscapes provides hardscape and masonry design and installation services to create an elegant, beautiful outdoor living area of your dreams. Bring the indoors outside this summer with an outdoor fireplace or outdoor kitchen. Our team is experienced in all phases of landscape construction. We specialize in both interior and exterior tile work.
Hardscape Patios & Walkways
Patios and walkways and fire places MSF Landscapes is a certified hardscape patio installer. We build durable patios and walkways for your home that provide beauty, comfort and value.
We work with all masonry materials. Some ideas to choose from include:
- Paver patios
- Concrete Patios
- Brick Patios
- Bluestone Patios
- Flagstone Patios
- Cobblestone Patios
- Permeable Patio Pavers
Pool Patios
Concrete or stone patios are a great choice for a patio surrounding an inground pool. These spaces require safe materials and are great for entertaining, and with the variety of materials today, your new patio will complement your home's existing architectural style.
Hardscape Outdoor Kitchens
Everyone wants to spend as much time outdoors as possible. Our designers and technical experts will tailor a custom design for your home that your family will enjoy for years to come.
Cooking outdoors encourages healthy eating and your family will become more self sustainable. With these uncertain times what you feed your family is one of your top priorities. By adding another method of healthy cooking that is also enjoyable will give you additional peace of mind and create happy family memories.
Outdoor kitchens typically include:
- Grills, smokers, and outdoor ovens (wood or gas)
- Outdoor kitchen cabinets
- Appliances such as refrigerators, sinks or a wet bar
- Heat lamps
- Outdoor wiring for TV's and sound systems
- Gas hookups for outdoor heaters
Pizza Ovens
We are proud to install "Forno"and "Raffinato" Tech-Bloc products.
These appliances are contemporary made-in-Italy Pizza Ovens provide a solid weld construction that is durable, convenient, and efficient.
We incorporate these features into a well designed beautiful outdoor sanctuary.
Water Features & Ponds
MSF Landscapes can design and install a water feature that best suits your outdoor landscape. We have experience with new home construction projects as well as backyard renovations.
Outdoor Fire Pits
Enjoy the outdoors with a fire pit. We can design and build an outdoor fire pit to complement your home and lifestyle. Masonry materials generally include one of the following types of hardscape materials: Stone, Brick, Block masonry.
Outdoor Fireplaces
Our work can bring people together and can transform a simple backyard into a cozy outdoor living space.
We work with many Homeowners eager to entertain guests under the open sky.
Let our in-house design and installation team create your dream outdoor environment !
Retaining Walls
MSF Landscapes specializes in landscape retaining walls in homes in and around Boston, Massachusetts. Our team of professionals can construct any type of retaining wall you need.
We are masonry experts and work with many types of materials. Contact us for retaining walls and outdoor masonry projects such as stone walls, brick walls, rock walls and interlocking walls.
Stone Veneer
We provide complete stone veneer services for the residential and commercial client.
We have access to any type of stone color and shape you desire.
We veneer entire buildings, face concrete walls, entry's, outdoor kitchens and more!
Let us create something unique for you!!
We can create concrete walkways, driveways, patios, walls and much more! Stamped concrete is our specialty.
Creating and maintaining sustainable landscapes employing proper
work methods and modern green equipment.
ProvIding Custom masonry | creative landscaping | outdoor lighting | patios | walkways
retaining walls | outdoor kitchens | Fire Pits | stone VENEERS | IrriGation
Open Hours
Daily 7am - 5pm


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The Select High Speed HDMI Cable with Ethernet is the perfect solution for connecting multimedia source devices in home theatre, desktop or commercial audio video applications requiring high speed HDMI features. The CL2 rated cable jacket is designed to meet the requirements for in-wall installations. The Ethernet capabilities of the cable allow a user to connect multiple Ethernet enabled HDMI devices through a single Ethernet connection. Note: Both the source device and display must support a HDMI feature in order to pass that feature through this cable Connector 1: (1) HDMI Male Connector 2: (1) HDMI Male.
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You don't have to be a corporate powerhouse to accept credit cards at your business. Osgood Bank has partnered with a leading local provider of merchant processing services and electronic transactions, Electronic Merchant Systems. Together we can offer a vast array of customized services and innovative products for non-cash payment processing, including all major credit and debit cards.
Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, EMS currently operates in over 100 U.S. cities providing trouble-free deployment of custom solutions that will increase your profitability. Their solutions are tailored to businesses in all stages of growth, giving you an important advantage in a rapidly changing marketplace.
To ensure maximum return on your investment, EMS will educate you on the best techniques and methods to accept non-cash forms of payment. To protect your bottom line, they also provide suspicious transaction assistance and charge-back assistance at no cost.
Machines can be purchased or rented and the cost is based on the type of machine you choose. We will be glad to discuss your options to help find a machine that fits your needs and your budget.
Rates are based on several factors. This is a nice benefit because you know that your contract will be customized to your specific business and its needs.
Absolutely! EMS has a dedicated team and staff that you can contact directly with any questions you may have. Our business banking experts here at Osgood Bank are on your side to help as well.


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The era of technological advancement has brought the cl […]
The era of technological advancement has brought the clothing industry to an end with the evolution of new designs and patterns in knitting technology. The introduction of new graphic design software has empowered engineers and designers to develop more technical and non-designed fabrics based on traditional woven construction. Apart from knitting software, the evolving trend of increased energy efficiency machines and reduced waste has also transformed the design of garment knitting. Currently, seamless knitting technology has accounted for almost 90% of the overall knitting market. Subsequently, a large number of manufacturers are moving towards seamless technology to benefit from both the speed of production and the environmental benefits. Recently, Santoni, a leading knitting manufacturer, presented its latest seamless circular knitting machine at the International Textile Machinery Exhibition (ITMA) 2019. In the same way, other players are also moving towards seamless manufacturing in order to reduce their production costs and increase their production speed.
Browse Full Report at Knitting Machines Market Size, Analysis, Trend And Forecast To 2027
By machine type, weft knitting machines are expected to grow at a rapid rate during the forecast period. The segment growth is mainly due to the prolonged evolution of circular knitting technology over the last few years. Many garment manufacturers have upgraded their circular knitting technology to improve their production by offering higher productivity and faster production speeds compared to other knitting machines. Circular knitting, however, has limited patterning capabilities, for which flat-bed knitting is preferred.
Geographically, the global market for knitting machines is being studied in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the rest of the world. North America and Europe are mature markets and mean moderate growth over the forecast period. The main reason behind North America and Europe's growth is their exponential growth in the technical textiles sector. These days, flat-cut technical textiles are growing at an alarming rate. The USA is the most attractive country to provide attractive production opportunities for knitted fabrics prominently on the east and west coasts. Moreover, Europe is one of the world's largest exporters of knitted fabrics. Collectively, the regions have highly developed automotive, healthcare, industrial and residential sectors, which are responsible for the high demand for knitting machines and textiles in the region.
The global knitting machines are a highly mature market with many players competing strongly with each other. The ongoing development of knitting software and analysis tools has increased competition to a greater extent. Nowadays, players are also seeking programming as an important tool for their long tradition in the knitting industry. Recently, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced the development of an AI-based knitting software that will help to create custom clothing using the image of the desired product.