text:
Q: Writing a list of objects to realm I just start thinking about implementing Realm and have some newbie doubts.
For example I receive a list of objects which I transform into realm objects. How can I write the whole list directly to Realm, without writing each object separately?
A typical workaround comes into my mind, which would be defining a bigger object which contains this list as a property and writing that bigger object to the DB. But is it possible to write directly the obtained list of objects to DB without something that encapsulates them?
And also when preparing this list of Realm objects, I basically have a list of dictionaries. What's the best approach into transforming all of them directly into a list of Realm objects?

A: Just to confirm. When you mention your list of objects at the top and then mention that you have a list of dictionaries, are they the same thing?
If they are, and your data is coming down as a set of dictionaries, as long as the key names match the properties in your Realm Object models, then you can simply loop through each dictionary and pass each one to Realm to create it as a new entry in the database:
let realm = try! Realm()
try! realm.write {
    for dictionary in dictionaries {
        realm.create(MyObject.self, value: dictionary, update: false)
    }
}

More information on that API can be found on Realm Swift's documentation page.
If your objects don't map directly to the properties in your Realm file, then you're going to need to manually reformat the structure of your list of objects until either could be inserted as a dictionary, or you can manually create your own Realm Object instances off them.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Largest business organization takes over COC
The Cinema Saved Me: Cougar Review Editor's Top Films of 2019
Canyons News Staff
By Emily Berryhill
The smell of anticipation filled the air as people in business attire walked into the University Center for the annual Future Business Leaders of America conference. The sounds of students practicing their upcoming speeches rang throughout the building and in the midst of chaos, Diego Castaneda, vice president of FBLA, was giving a pep talk to the members of the club.
"Being the vice president for FBLA, my current duties are to recruit members, as well as talking to them and trying to get them prepped, and also try to get them more involved because as of now it's difficult to try to get more students involved," says Castaneda.
Involvement is highly essential in FBLA, as its main goal is to help develop students in various aspects that involve business such as leadership skills and general knowledge.
"I felt that I can influence others in the business field because I know a lot of people go for that field," Castaneda said. "And with that I can influence other people see business in a different light and point of view since it's very hostile and very competitive. It's also an easy way to connect with the people around you."
FBLA is one of the largest student business organizations, helping over 200,000 members, but Castaneda wants to lead a legacy and feels that it is vital to uphold that said legacy, especially this being his last year at College of the Canyons.
"I always had a leadership characteristic within me. I don't like taking orders, I like giving them. That way, I can be the main motivation for everyone to keep going," said Castaneda.
The club each year brings almost 30-40 students, half of which are returning members. "I work with others, because I know my dreams will eventually come true. Being in this club helps with that, which is why I come back year after year," said Ashna Azrar, a returning FBLA member.
With every event that happens, members are expected to have a competitive edge in order to compete in the different categories.
"Although every event is meant to 'enhance leadership and communication skills', it's still very competitive and with all the opportunities to participate in different categories, like a business case analysis or public speaking events, you want to win and go out on top," said Azrar.
Participants have the opportunity to present different ideas in a similar style to Shark Tank and receive experience and needed preparation necessary for the real world.
In the conference that occurred late November, there were many students from schools all over California, like UC San Diego, UC Riverside, Cerritos College, Diablo Valley College and La Positas College, allowing students to meet new people from all around.
"With all the events, you meet tons of new people, establish a network for your future, get involved with the national organization, and looks amazing on college apps," said Daniel Budi, President of FBLA.
Budi is one of the many officers within the club and did it alongside Castaneda in order to grow professionally.
Both of their positions allow them to have freedom when having their weekly meetings, as well encourage full participation.
"To be part of a like-minded community that's all doing the same things you want to do, now that's an incredible thing," Budi said.
Every semester, FBLA encourages everyone to join, even those who are not business majors.
"Anyone can take skills from FBLA and apply them to their everyday lives, that's why no matter the major, anyone is welcome to join," said Budi.
Seafood City signs new lease on Bouquet Canyon Road
A supermarket chain called Seafood City, which is Filipino owned, recently signed…
Allen Cuevas
Single Mothers Outreach a safe haven in the SCV
Within the city of Santa Clarita, there are many nonprofit organizations, big…
Cheryl Akpenyi
Professor Showdown returns from hiatus to discuss the viability of American democracy
By Jeremy D. Thompson and Daniel Rios Professors from the College of…
POPS Artisanal Creamery: Scoop! There it is!
POPS Artisanal Creamery was established in 2015 in San Fernando and Van…
Holly Lowzik

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home / BI Governance / Organisations to be valued on their information portfolios within five years
Organisations to be valued on their information portfolios within five years
Posted on February 15, 2017 by Debra Hamilton in BI Governance
Photo: iStockphoto
By 2021, the prevalence of equity analysts valuing organisations' information portfolios in valuing businesses themselves will spark formal internal information valuation and auditing practices, according to Gartner.
In a report containing a series of predictions about the rising importance of data and analytics, Gartner analysts said that although information arguably meets the formal criteria of a business asset, present-day accounting practices disallow organisations from capitalising it. That is, the value of an organisation's information generally cannot be found anywhere on the balance sheet.
"Even as we are in the midst of the information age, information simply is not valued by those in the valuation business," said Douglas Laney, vice president and distinguished analyst, Gartner.
"However, we believe that, over the next several years, those in the business of valuing corporate investments, including equity analysts, will be compelled to consider a company's wealth of information in properly valuing the company itself."
A Gartner study showed how companies demonstrating "information-savvy" behaviour – such as hiring a chief data officer (CDO), forming data science teams and engaging in enterprise information governance – command market-to-book ratios well above the market average.
"Anyone properly valuing a business in today's increasingly digital world must make note of its data and analytics capabilities, including the volume, variety and quality of its information assets," Laney said.
Initially, Gartner believes equity analysts and institutional investors will consider only a company's technical data and analytics capabilities and how its business model provides a platform for capturing and leveraging information, not the actual value of its information assets.
Gartner says boards and CEOs should not delay in hiring or appointing chief data officers to begin optimising the collection, generation, management and monetisation of information assets before a critical mass of equity analysts starts asking related questions of them.
Gartner also predicts that by 2019, 250,000 patent applications will be filed that include claims for algorithms – representing a tenfold increase from five years ago.
Algorithm patents can be granted in the US, the EU and many other countries. Not all algorithms can be patented, but many can, even if the rules of application are not always straightforward.
According to a worldwide search on Aulive (named a Gartner Cool Vendor in 2016), nearly 17,000 patents applied for in 2015 mentioned "algorithm" in the title or description, versus 570 in 2000. Including those mentioning "algorithm" anywhere in the document, there were more than 100,000 applications last year versus 28,000 five years ago.
At this pace, and considering the rising interest in protecting algorithmic IP, by 2020 there could be nearly half a million patent applications mentioning "algorithm," and more than 25,000 patent applications for algorithms themselves.
Of the top 40 organisations patenting the most algorithms the past five years, 33 are Chinese businesses and universities. The only western company in the top 10 is IBM at No 10.
"Despite their growing importance, too many great algorithms in enterprise are still left in the
shadows. Many business leaders don't care too much so long as they 'work,'" said Mr. Laney. "But algorithms can make a great deal of difference. The list of important algorithms is endless. To name just a few: Google's PageRank algorithm, mp3, blockchain and backpropagation in deep learning."
The analyst firm recommends that data and analytics leaders work with business leaders and experts to adopt and develop methodologies for valuating algorithms and assessing which ones should be patented.
Gartner analysts will discuss these data and analytics leadership trends at the Gartner Data & Analytics Summit 2017, taking place February 20-21 in Sydney, March 6-9 in Grapevine, Texas, March 20-22 in London, May 23-24 in Tokyo, June 6-7 in Mumbai, and June 20-21 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Beware of the 'data vacuum'
Power to the people: Creating trust in data with collaborative governance
Tableau releases 10.2 version for scalable advanced analytics
Self-service analytics tops list of 10 analytics trends for 2017
©2016 Flapjack Media Pty Ltd
t: 02 8011 3968 e: info@flapjack.com.au
Optional footer notes.


When long-range shooting seems to be taking over, a small red dot hovers around the shooting industry. This red dot is creeping up and finding its way on guns of all types. Red-dot sights boost accuracy and efficiency, but are they here to stay?
In short, red-dot sights found their place in our everyday lives. It doesn't matter if it's equipped on your turkey, EDC or home-defense firearm, red dots make our lives easier. If you want to enter the red-dot game, here are a few optics to purchase.
Many red dots feature motion activated sensors that turn the optic on when we need it most. The Sig Sauer Romeo5 is no different. The battery life on the Romeo5 boasts 5000 hours, which is ridiculous, but one of the coolest benefits of the Romeo5 is the diminutive, yet durable design. BUY HERE.
We argue whether military, competition shooters or LEO began the red dot movement with carry firearms, but red dots on EDC guns are becoming standard. The Vortex Razor is a mere 1.4 ounces, which doesn't tax the weight of the gun, making it a no-brainer for EDG gun. BUY HERE.
Perhaps one of my favorite red-dot sights of all time, the EOTech EXPS2, has a shortened base, so it doesn't take up much room on the rifle. Plus, the side controls make it easy to adjust on the fly. BUY HERE.
Quick note: Having a shorter base also makes room for a magnifier like the EOTech G33 Magnifier.
Red dots aren't going anywhere; far from it. It won't be long until they're standard issue in police departments around the country, and the EDC community accepts the same fate. Companies are already taking notice as well. The best example is the recent launch of the Springfield Armory XD(M) OSP. The gun comes standard with three adapter plates for a wide variety of today's most popular red dots. You can also purchase one equipped with a Vortex Venom, plus the three adaptor plates.


Smartphones this days comes with lot of amazing features and endless capabilities, but the new LG K7i smartphone comes with one unique and awesome feature that doesn't come standard in any other smartphone and that's the ability to get rid of mosquitoes.
The mid-range smartphone which is released exclusively for the Indian market features a 5-inch display and a resolution of 720 x 1280 (HD). The device is powered by a quad-core CPU with a clock speed of 1.4GHz and a 2GB RAM. It also has a 16GB of internal storage which can be expanded via the MicroSD card slot with up to 256gb sd card.
The LG K7i comes with an 8MP rear-facing camera and a 5MP front-facing shooter which handles selfies and video chats. It is packed with a moderate 2500mAh removable lithium ion battery. It supports dual SIM dual standby, NFC and has a 3.5mm headphone jack.
The selling point of this smartphone is the technology called "Mosquito Away" borrowed from LG Air Conditioners and Televisions, the LG K7i mosquito repellent is based on ultrasound waves that insects can't stand. It is odorless and surprisingly silent.
The device is available in India in brown only with a starting price of 990 Rs which is approximately $121.38 USD at current exchange rates.


William Montgomery Clemens (1860-1931) was a genealogist, newspaper man, and author. His uncle was Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain). He began his 50 year writing career at the age of 19 for the Pittsburgh Leader. Clemens wrote over 100 books and hundreds of essays and articles. A regular column titled "Notes on American Ancestry and Revolutionary Records" appeared as the "Genealogical Department" in The State (Columbia, S.C.).
Virginia Wills Before 1799 is "a complete abstract register of all names mentioned in over six hundred recorded wills, arranged alphabetically from Adams to Wright." They were copied from the Court House records in Amherst, Bedford, Campbell, Loudoun, Prince William, and Rockbridge counties, Virginia. The abstracts list the name, date filed, spouse, and those named in the will and their relationship to the deceased.
Winthrop purchased the book from National Bibliophile in 1934 for $4.00.
Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections, Winthrop University, "Virginia Wills Before 1799 - Accession 715 #53". Finding Aid 868.


In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Add frozen hash brown potatoes in even layer; press down lightly. Cook potatoes 7 minutes without moving. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; turn. Cook 6 to 8 minutes longer or until browned on both sides and hot throughout. Transfer to medium bowl; cover with foil to keep warm. Wipe out skillet.
In large bowl, beat eggs, green chiles, salt and pepper until well blended. In same skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until browned. Stir in egg mixture; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until scrambled.
To assemble burritos, spoon line of hash browns down center of each tortilla. Top with cheese and egg mixture.
Roll up each tortilla tightly to secure filling. Serve immediately, or freeze as directed below.
To freeze, wrap each burrito in foil. Label 1-gallon resealable freezer plastic bag. Transfer burritos in single layer to bag; remove as much air as possible, and freeze up to 1 month. To heat: Remove 1 burrito from foil, and wrap in lightly dampened paper towel. Place on microwavable plate; microwave uncovered on High 2 minutes 30 seconds to 4 minutes 30 seconds, turning once, until heated through (at least 165°F).
Though the burrito is thought to have been first made in Mexico, the breakfast burrito is an American invention, first regionally popular in states like Texas, California and New Mexico, but now well known across the United States thanks to fast food and restaurant menus. A breakfast burrito is traditionally filled with ingredients typical of an American breakfast like eggs, hash browns and sausage or bacon to start, and it all gets wrapped in a flour tortilla. Thanks to this easy recipe, you can make a batch of breakfast burritos on Sunday and stash them in your freezer for a quick grab-and-go breakfast all week long. Want to eat burritos for dinner, too? We have plenty of burrito recipes for you to choose from. Make sure you give enchiladas, another popular Mexican dish, a try, too!


text:
11 January 2021 by Joanna Curtis
Selahattin Demirtaş delivering a speech in 2016. Photograph: Ozan Köse/AFP/Getty Images. Source: The Guardian
On 22 December 2020, the European Court of Human Rights ("ECtHR") published a Grand Chamber decision against Turkey, requiring the immediate release of the pro-Kurdish opposition leader Selahattin Demirtaş from pre-trial detention (Selahattin Demirtaş v Turkey, Application no. 14305/17). The ECtHR said that Mr Demirtaş' detention went against "the very core of the concept of a democratic society" and was in breach of Articles 5, 10, 18 and Article 3 of Protocol 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the "Convention").
The decision is particularly significant given Mr Demirtaş' high profile status and the numerous cases against Turkey that the ECtHR is now hearing, following the attempted coup in July 2016 and the government's subsequent crackdown on civil society. Shortly after publication of the judgment, the ECtHR website was subject to a cyber-attack and rendered temporarily inaccessible. A group of pro-Turkish hackers claimed responsibility for the attack via a Twitter post.
In May 2016 the Turkish Grand National Assembly passed an amendment to the Constitution to lift parliamentary immunity in all instances where prior requests had been made to lift it. The explanatory memorandum to the amendment indicated that it was directed at "certain members of parliament" who had "made speeches voicing moral support for terrorism" and who were "abusing their [parliamentary] immunity".
Mr Demirtaş was one of the members of parliament affected. He was originally taken into pre-trial detention in November 2016 on allegations of membership of an armed organisation (an offence under Article 314 of the Turkish Criminal Code) and of public incitement to commit an offence (prohibited under Article 214 of the Criminal Code). At the time, Mr Demirtaş was the co-chair of the left-wing, pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party ("HDP"). The allegations against him were connected with street demonstrations in October 2014. The demonstrations had protested the lack of government action following Islamic State's attack on the Kurdish town of Kobani, located over the border in Syria. The demonstrations had turned violent. The Turkish prosecutor based its allegations against Mr Demirtaş on certain tweets issued from the HDP Twitter account in October 2014, as well as public speeches by Mr Demirtaş which called for people to attend the demonstrations.
The ECtHR Grand Chamber decision
Protesters during a demonstration in Ankara in October 2014 against attacks launched by Islamic State insurgents targeting the Syrian city of Kobane. Photograph: Adem Altan/AFP/Getty. Source: The Guardian
The ECtHR decision on 22 December 2020 was issued by a panel of 17 judges of the Grand Chamber, following referral from the lower Chamber. The Grand Chamber decided that Mr Demirtaş' detention was in breach of the following articles of the "Convention":
Article 10 (freedom of expression): lack of foreseeability
Governments may only interfere with an individual's right to freedom of expression if the interference is (a) prescribed by law, (b) in pursuit of a legitimate aim, and (c) necessary in a democratic society. One element of the requirement to be 'prescribed by law' is for the interference to be sufficiently foreseeable. This means that people should be able to foresee to a reasonable degree the consequences which their actions may entail.
The ECtHR noted that Turkish courts had in other cases imposed liability for membership of an armed organisation on the basis of a very broad range of acts, and often on very weak evidence. It said that, in deciding to detain Mr Demirtaş', the Turkish courts had failed to consider whether his parliamentary immunity had in fact been effectively lifted. The ECtHR also said the Turkish courts had failed to take into account their own case law regarding what evidence is required to demonstrate "membership of an armed organisation". For these reasons, the ECtHR held that the Article 314 of the Turkish Criminal Code does not afford adequate protection against arbitrary interference by the national authorities. The interference with Mr Demirtaş' freedom of expression was not sufficiently foreseeable so as to be adequately 'prescribed by law'.
Article 5 (liberty and security of person): no reasonable suspicion for detention
The ECtHR found that neither the HDP's tweets, nor Mr Demirtaş' speeches, could be construed either as a call to violence or as a direct cause of the violence which took place. It held that there was no clear link between the statements Mr Demirtaş made and the offences for which he was detained: therefore he had been detained without reasonable suspicion in breach of Article 5.
Article 3 of Protocol 1 (right to free elections)
The ECtHR held that the effect of Mr Demirtaş' detention was to prevent him from exercising his right to be elected and to sit in the National Assembly.
Article 18 (rights not to be restricted for an ulterior purpose)
The ECtHR found that Mr Demirtaş' detention, which continued during two referendum campaigns and a presidential election, pursued the ulterior purpose of stifling pluralism and limiting freedom of political debate.
The Grand Chamber's decision is significant not only because of Mr Demirtaş' prominence as an opposition leader. According to Amnesty International, since the attempted coup 2016, Turkey has detained more than 10,000 people, including members of opposition parties. The EtCHR has already made findings against Turkey in a number of cases, including for breaches of Article 5 of the Convention for the pre-trial detention, without reasonable suspicion, of journalists (Mehmet Hasan Altan v. Turkey (application no. 13237/17); Şahin Alpay v. Turkey (application no. 16538/17)), judges (Alparslan Altan v. Turkey (application no. 12778/17); Baş v. Turkey (application no. 66448/17)) and a businessman involved in various human rights NGOs (Kavala v. Turkey (application no. 28749/18)).
The Demirtaş' judgment will add to the growing body of precedents on which future applicants may seek to rely. As Ahval News notes, the judgment is of particular legal significance for its finding that Article 314 of the Criminal Code does not provide sufficient foreseeability for the purposes of Convention Articles 10 and 5. In recent years, Turkey has increasingly relied on Article 314 as the basis for detaining opposition activists and those it perceives as adverse to the government's interests.
The extent to which Turkey will comply with the ECtHR's ruling remains to be seen.
Amnesty International article 'Turkey's crackdown on human rights'
ECtHR Turkey country profile


text:
Q: How exactly do electrostatic forces and van der Waals forces interact? The van der Waals force is a well-understood physical phenomena, as are electrostatics.  When particles get down to a nanoscale size and separation, van der Waals forces can be very strong and become a dominant force for causing particles to adhere to each other to surfaces or each other.
When particles are charged though, we instead solve for the electrostatic potential field and use that to determine the force on them.  But in this case, are van der Waals forces still present?  After all, van der Waals forces themselves are electrostatic phenomena - caused by induced dipole-dipole reactions between the two objects.
I know that in the case of DLVO theory that the electrostatic and van der Waals effects are simply added together linearly.  However can this always be done?
Let's say that we have two small charged particles near each other, something like 50nm in diameter and separated by 1nm (close enough that van der Waals force is significant even if there is no net charge on either particle).  You can solve for the electrostatic force on each particle by solving for the electrostatic potential field $\nabla^2\phi=\frac{\rho}{\varepsilon_0}$ with appropriate boundary conditions.  It's of course complicated for anything but the most simple of geometries, but we can always use a finite element or other numerical method to get a numerical solution.
The real question though is, will there still be a separate van der Waals force between these two spheres, or does solving for the electrostatic potential  account for that as well? The van der Waals force between these two particles can be simplified when the separation distance $h$ is much smaller than the particle radii $R_!$ and $R_2$:
$$F_{vdw}=\frac{A R_1 R_2}{6(R_1+R_2)h^2}$$
Where $A$ is the Hamaker constant.
So can I just add the $F_{vdw}$ to the electrostatic force $F_{es}$, or is there a more subtle relationship between the two?


Gonzalez, Terrie June 20, 2012.
This newspaper is part of the collection entitled: Texas Digital Newspaper Program and one other and was provided by Singletary Memorial Library to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 101 times , with 5 in the last month . More information about this issue can be viewed below.
Sept. 13, 2017, 5:56 p.m.
Gonzalez, Terrie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 163, No. 17, Ed. 1 Wednesday, June 20, 2012, newspaper, June 20, 2012; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth614738/: accessed April 24, 2019), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.


text:
Городской округ Солнечного́рск — муниципальное образование на северо-западе Московской области России.

В рамках административно-территориального устройства ему соответствует город областного подчинения Солнечногорск с административной территорией.

Административный центр — город Солнечногорск.

География
Граничит с городскими округами Московской области: Клин (на западе и северо-западе), Истра (на юго-западе, западе и юге), Химки (на юго-востоке) и Дмитровским (на востоке и северо-востоке). Также на юго-востоке проходит граница с Зеленоградом города Москвы.

История

В ходе реализации Федерального закона «Об общих принципах организации местного самоуправления в Российской Федерации» (№ 131-ФЗ от 6 октября 2003 года) в Московской области были созданы муниципальные образования. После упразднения Солнечногорского муниципального района к 9 января 2019 года все его поселения были объединены в новое единое муниципальное образование городской округ Солнечногорск.

Законом Московской области от 27 марта 2019 года вместо Солнечногорского района как административно-территориальной единицы области к 9 апреля 2019 года образован город областного подчинения Солнечногорск с административной территорией.

Законом от 19 сентября 2022 года из состава городского округа Солнечногорск в состав городского округа Химки к 1 января 2023 года были переданы 36 сельских населённых пунктов (которые ранее составляли сельские поселения Кутузовское и Лунёвское, кроме д. Покров).

Постановлением губернатора Московской области от 12 декабря 2022 года 36 населённых пунктов присоединённых территорий от города Солнечногорска были переподчинены городу Химки.

Население

Населённые пункты

В городском округе 163 населённых пункта, в том числе 5 городских населённых пунктов (среди которых 1 город, 3 рабочих посёлка, 1 дачный посёлок) и 158 сельских населённых пунктов (среди которых 15 посёлков, 4 села и 139 деревень).

 Комментарии

Общая карта
Легенда карты:

Органы местного самоуправления
Структуру органов местного самоуправления городского округа составляют:
Совет депутатов городского округа,
глава городского округа,
администрация городского округа,
 Контрольно-счетная палата городского округа.

Главой городского округа 1 декабря 2022 года стал Константин Александрович Михальков (который с 24 октября исполнял обязанности главы городского округа).

Председателем Совета депутатов городского округа  17 апреля 2019 года избрана Марина Александровна Веремеенко.

Территориальные управления
В рамках администрации городского округа выделяются территориальные управления:
 Андреевка
 Кривцовское
 Пешковское
 Поварово
 Ржавки-Менделеево
 Смирновское
 Соколовское

С 2019 до конца 2022 года в городском округе функционировали также территориальные управления Лунёвское и Кутузовское, подведомственные территории которых (кроме д. Покров) к январю 2023 года были переподчинены администрации городского округа Химки.

Транспорт
По территории округа проходят важные транспортные магистрали России — Главный ход Октябрьской железной дороги и автомагистраль   Москва — Санкт-Петербург, а также «Малое московское кольцо»  и Большое кольцо Московской железной дороги (БК МЖД).

 Железнодорожные станции и платформы
Московский регион Октябрьской железной дороги:
 Станция Подсолнечная
 Станция Поварово I
 Платформа Малино
 Платформа Алабушево
 Платформа Радищево
 Платформа Поваровка
 Платформа Берёзки
 Платформа Сенеж
 Платформа Головково

Большое кольцо Московской железной дороги:
 Платформа 128 км
 Станция Поварово II
 Платформа 142 км
 Станция Поварово III
 Платформа Депо
 Платформа Жилино

Достопримечательности

 Озеро Сенеж в Солнечногорске и его окрестностях;
 Истринское водохранилище, реки: Истра, Сестра, Клязьма (все три берут начало в Солнечногорском районе);
 Историко-литературный и природный музей-заповедник Александра Блока «Шахматово»;
 Усадьба Середниково — место, связанное с жизнью поэта Михаила Лермонтова;
 Чёрная Грязь — место бывшей почтовой станции на Петербургском тракте;
 Льялово — деревня, у которой была раскопана неолитическая стоянка, давшая название Льяловской культуре; сохранилась православная церковь конца 18 века; не сохранилась усадьба Морозовка

Примечания

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Call for proposals: Research chairs on forced displacement in the Middle East and East Africa
Launch date: April 6, 2021
Deadline for submission: August 3, 2021 (17:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time)
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is pleased to announce a call for proposals to establish research chairs working on issues of forced displacement in two regions, the Middle East and East Arica.
FUNDING SCOPE AND DURATION
FOCUS AND APPROACH
CROSS-CUTTING CONSIDERATIONS
ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND EXPECTATIONS
USE, DISCLOSURE, AND RETENTION OF INFORMATION
ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
Close to 80 million people worldwide have been forcibly displaced as a result of persecution, conflict, violence, human rights violations, economic hardship, climate change, and prolonged instances of political instability. Eighty percent of the world's forcibly displaced are hosted in countries in the Global South, with 30% living in sub-Saharan Africa and 35% in the Middle East and North Africa. Women and children bear the brunt of forced displacement.
While the vast majority of forcibly displaced people live in the Global South, almost all of the research that influences policy and practice originates from researchers based in the Global North. Because of this disparity, national and local knowledge about forced displacement is underused.
To help address this gap, IDRC is launching this call for proposals to localize and institutionalize research on forced displacement in the Global South by establishing research chairs on forced displacement at universities in the Middle East and East Africa. The aim is to:
empower local institutions to define research agendas
lead on practical, gender-transformative solutions that promote the social, economic, political, and health rights of forcibly displaced persons and host communities
amplify the voices and perspectives of forcibly displaced persons and host communities in local, national, regional, and global arenas.
The newly established research chairs will:
mentor and supervise early-career scholars
work with relevant stakeholders to conduct outreach with communities, refugee-led initiatives, and civil society
advocate with policy stakeholders at the local, national, regional, and global levels.
More specifically, research chairs are intended to:
commit to excellence in research and teaching on forced displacement, including mentoring and supervising early-career scholars
be demand-driven and responsive and reflect specific thematic and sectoral, as well as sub-national, national, and regional priorities and capacities
complement IDRC strategic priorities
ensure an inter-disciplinary, multi-sectoral and gender transformative approach to studying forced displacement
ensure a strong linkage with community research, policy influence, and programming initiatives, including refugee-led responses
ensure that the research conducted has a strong connection to policy processes — from the local level to national, regional, and global debates
collaborate with research chairs in other regions, including those supported by IDRC, to reinforce the collective impact of localized knowledge production on forced displacement
A Canadian Crown corporation, IDRC funds research in developing countries to create lasting change on a large scale. IDRC supports local organizations in the Global South to generate evidence relevant in their contexts. We provide financial resources, advice, and training to researchers in developing countries to help them find solutions to local problems, and encourage knowledge sharing with policymakers, researchers, and communities.
IDRC funds research that supports forcibly displaced populations as well as the communities and governments that host them. Our work aims to protect the rights of forcibly displaced persons, promote their access to livelihoods, improve health systems and outcomes, increase social cohesion, and counter misinformation. We aim to strengthen host country capacity to identify and implement inclusive and sustainable solutions to these challenges.
IDRC plans to support the establishment of up to four research chairs, for a period of four to five years. Two chairs will be established at universities in the Middle East and two chairs at universities in East Africa. Grants of up to CA$600,000 will be issued per university. The project duration will be an estimated 60 months, including all research activities and final reporting.
Funding will cover the salary of the research chair, research expenses, and an operational budget. To strengthen the impact of the research chairs, IDRC expects cash and in-kind contributions from the selected universities, amounting to between 20 and 30% of the grant and covering the three components of the budget, over the duration of the funding. Applicants are encouraged to provide evidence of, or plans to attract, additional research funding and human capital from other national and international funders and donors to supplement the IDRC funding .
IDRC's obligations herein are subject to sufficient funds being made available to IDRC by the Parliament of Canada or under a donor partnership agreement with a particular external funder.
It is expected that the thematic focus of the research chairs will reflect specific thematic and sectoral areas identified on the basis of local, national, and regional priorities and capacities. These areas and priorities are expected to be multi-disciplinary and inter-sectoral, focusing on such themes as health, education, inclusive governance, and the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in contexts of forced displacement, and as presented in IDRC's Strategy 2030. Proposals that address interconnections between these themes are encouraged.
Critically important across these intersecting themes are commitments to
supporting robust gender analysis and gender transformative approaches
supporting inter-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approaches
promoting localized agenda-setting and the amplification of local perspectives, including refugee voices, in local, national, regional, and global fora
linking humanitarian and development approaches in contexts of displacement
In identifying the thematic entry point(s) for the research chair, proposals should also present concrete ways to implement such approaches within the host university and throughout the research chair's work. Proposals should present initial ideas about how research chairs will develop and strengthen a community of practice by linking research to host and forcibly displaced communities, and about how to connect the chair's work to policy processes at the local, national, and global levels.
More specifically, it is envisaged that the research chairs will:
support timely, innovative research in contexts of forced displacement that scales up learning from best practices to local, national, regional, and global levels and provides evidenced-based policy recommendations
identify and target from the outset potential research users and ensure that recommendations and outputs are designed to be accessible and relevant to these groups
promote policy dialogues and inform public debates that help shape discourses on forced displacement at local, national, regional, and global levels based on local knowledge and practice, and that help define future research agendas
use their platforms and partner with others to amplify local voices, including those of forcibly displaced communities, in the design and implementation of sustainable and gender-transformative solutions
identify and implement sustainability strategies for the continuation of the research chairs beyond initial funding
mentor and supervise early-career scholars and scholars in forced displacement studies
engage with an emerging network of research chairs established in the other regions by collaborating and exchanging shared learning agendas
IDRC will partner with the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network (LERRN) at Carleton University to support coordination, regular exchanges, and mutual learning among research chairs. Establishing connections between the chairs aims to bring greater visibility to the knowledge produced, while fostering linkages and mutual learning between universities working on issues of forced displacement and amplifying the perspectives of the research chairs in policy discussions at the global level.
IDRC requires that research involving human subjects be carried out in accordance with the highest ethical standards possible. When relevant, grantees will need to obtain approval from an official institutional or national research ethics body. This process needs to be specified in the proposal. Where obtaining national ethics approval is not possible, the application needs to propose mechanisms for setting up an ethics review committee for the planned research activities and conform with IDRC ethics and security protocols.
Applications must describe how the cross-cutting considerations presented below will be integrated into the design and implementation of the proposed research chair. While it may not be possible to address all considerations in the same depth, they will be considered in the selection process.
Inclusion and equality: IDRC strives for equality in all aspects of its work. We support the generation of knowledge — including by individuals from diverse genders, communities, histories, legal status, and experiences — that tackles the systems that perpetuate inequalities on the basis of identity.
Inequalities exist across multiple and intersecting categories of identity, including, but not limited to: gender, sexuality, age, class, race, caste, ethnicity, citizenship status, religion, and ability. Taking an intersectional approach to equality recognizes these differences and understands diversity as central to advancing equality. Given that gender inequality is a significant barrier across all dimensions of diversity, IDRC invests specific efforts in ensuring its work promotes gender equality. For additional background, please see IDRC's Equality Statement.
In line with IDRC's Equality Statement, proposals should demonstrate how they will promote diversity and inclusion and adopt an intersectional approach, with respect to
the selection of the research chair
the research design
Capacity building: Research chair proposals should combine research with capacity building of early-career researchers, including researchers from forcibly displaced communities, civil-society organizations, and the community. Proposals should also include efforts to reinforce links between these groups.
Southern leadership: IDRC's mandate is to promote inclusive development in the Global South. Research chair positions should be filled by researchers from the Global South.
Multisectoral collaboration: The applicant is required to show identified themes and areas of work that reflect the inter-connectedness of experiences of displaced populations and a level of collaboration among sectors and disciplines that will enable the applicant to understand and address these experiences.
Applicants will need to detail the following:
the thematic area of focus and research priorities, and how this links to institutional, local, national, and regional research and policy priorities
the process of designing the research chair position and information about the hosting department within the host university
initial ideas about activities to be carried out, including research, mentoring, outreach to communities, amplifying local perspectives, promoting policy dialogues, and connecting to local, national, regional, and global policy processes
the process for selection and appointing the research chair — including the required profile for a research chair, any promising candidates that have been identified, and evidence that an adequate pool of qualified candidates can be identified — to be conducted in close coordination with IDRC
strategies for ensuring sustainability of the research chair beyond the granting period
IDRC
Following the launch of the call for proposals, IDRC will organize an information session to address any queries by potential applicants. This will take place on April 13, 2021. Please register here: (LINK).
Following selection of the universities that will host the research chairs (see selection process below), IDRC will work with the selected universities to support the preparation of the full, finalized proposal, including budget development.
IDRC will coordinate with the selected university and advertise the positions for research chairs within its own networks.
IDRC will receive and approve a workplan from the research chair, as well as regular technical reports describing the progress of the work and plans for the next period.
The selected university will be required to revise their proposal and budget to take into account the comments of the IDRC Selection Committee and to respond to an IDRC budget review.
Following the finalization of the budget and proposal, and leading up to the appointment of the chair, the university will launch a selection process for the research chair position in close coordination with IDRC.
The university will also facilitate the work of the research chair to ensure inter-disciplinary and cross-department work is promoted.
It will support the research chair in efforts to ensure sustainability of the position beyond the IDRC funding. It will prepare regular financial reports to IDRC.
The appointed research chair
Three months after their appointment, the chair will be responsible for submitting a workplan to IDRC for approval, including proposed activities in the three areas of focus: research, community outreach and policy outreach. The chair will lead on these three axes of focus.
The chair will regularly coordinate with other IDRC-funded research chairs to strengthen coordination and mutual learning, and to engage in possible joint activities, with support from LERRN at Carleton University.
The chair will regularly provide technical progress reports to IDRC and engage with IDRC in regional and global fora.
The chair will design a process to ensure the long-term sustainability of the position of chair beyond the IDRC funding.
The primary considerations in selecting projects will be the scientific merit of the research proposal and its potential for development impact, including capacity building. However, the selection of projects may also be influenced by operational considerations — e.g., Canadian law; knowledge of research settings; ability to monitor research activities; or conditions that may make it difficult, costly, dangerous, or onerous for IDRC to carry out its objectives or exercise proper stewardship of its resources.
IDRC funds research in many countries in the Global South, but the Centre is bound by Canadian law, which may restrict or prohibit funding for research and organizations in specific countries and/or regions. For example, if the law limits banking transactions by Canadian financial institutions in a particular country, IDRC will not undertake any form of programming in the country.
This Call is targeted to universities in low- and middle-income countries in the Middle East and East Africa with a strong track record in research as well as community and policy outreach.
For the purposes of this call, eligible countries in East Africa are Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, and South Sudan. Eligible countries in the Middle East are Lebanon, Jordan, West Bank and Gaza, Iraq, and Egypt. Please consult our Frequently Asked Questions document for full eligibility criteria.
Applicant organizations are considered to be those that have:
legal corporate registration in an eligible country — IDRC enters into agreements with legal entities only
demonstrated institutional capacity to host a research chair on forced displacement
demonstrated institutional expertise and commitment to advancing knowledge on forced displacement
commitment to gender equality, inclusion, and equity
Only proposals that meet the eligibility criteria above will be considered.
Percentage of score
Quality of proposed research program and thematic entry point(s)
Overall clarity of the proposal, the objectives, and key research questions; justification for the choice of the thematic entry point(s), including alignment with IDRC strategic priorities; and justification for the choice of the hosting department within the university, as well as plans for managing and mitigating research ethics and other risks.
Quality of the planned university call
The process by which the university proposes to launch the call to appoint a research chair, starting with the internal process by which the call was designed, the planned process for selecting the chair, selection criteria, and planned profile for the research chair.
Quality of the institutional environment
The institutional environment, including demonstrated expertise in research, teaching, and engagement on forced displacement; institutional commitment to the research chair; institutional links between different academic departments; and fit with the institution's strategic research plan. The institutional environment includes plans to secure cash or in-kind contributions from the host institution.
Commitment to mentoring early-career scholars
How the research chair is proposed to support, mentor, and supervise early-career scholars and students in the study of forced displacement. The university should demonstrate the existence of graduate program(s) relevant to the study of forced displacement from which students will be recruited.
Commitment to gender equality, equity, diversity, inclusion, and multi-disciplinarity
This includes a presentation of details, including selection criteria, on how commitment to gender diversity and inclusion will be integrated into the selection process. It also refers to the commitment to include a gender and inclusion perspective into the proposed thematic focus for the research chair.
Commitment to community and civil society outreach
Initial thoughts on how the research chair will play the role of promoting a strong connection between the university, community, and civil-society research and initiatives on forced displacement issues, and how these three different spheres will interact to create a sustainable community of practice facilitated by the research chair. This also includes identifying ways to amplify the voices of the forcibly displaced in various policy fora.
Commitment to engaging in policy processes and leadership
Initial thoughts on how the research chair aims to impact policy processes at the local, national, regional, and global levels, including through regular and ongoing engagement with policy stakeholders.
Sustainability of the proposed research chair
This includes the university's vision for sustainability of the research chair beyond the IDRC funding.
The proposals will be reviewed by a committee that includes IDRC staff as well as external reviewers.
Submission and selection process
Launch call: April 6, 2021
Information session: April 13, 2021
Deadline for submission: August 3, 2021
Successful universities informed: September 10, 2021
Full, finalized proposals received: October 1, 2021
Tentative timeline for selection of research chair by universities
The following is a tentative timeline for the selection of the research chair. Adjustments to the timeline can be proposed to correspond to the specific academic schedule of the university and the availability of the selected research chair.
Selection process for research chair: October 2021 – February 2022
Announce selection of the research chair: March 2022
Research chairs to be installed in their position between March and September 2022, as relevant to the university's academic timeline
Finalization of grant for successful candidates
Candidates will be invited to submit a full Application for an IDRC Research Grant and budget, which must meet the technical and administrative requirements of IDRC. Please note that the technical selection of a proposal does not guarantee that it will be funded by IDRC. For further information on administrative requirements, please see: How to apply for an IDRC research grant.
Prior to finalizing a grant agreement, IDRC reserves the right to request any revisions to the submitted proposal and budget. A revised proposal and budget with the necessary revisions must be returned in a timely manner to IDRC.
Any selected proponents shall be required to sign IDRC's standard grant agreement, as amended by IDRC from time to time. Please refer to IDRC's General Terms and Conditions in a Grant Agreement. The grant agreement will provide a schedule for submitting interim and final technical and financial reports.
IDRC reserves the right to cancel the process at any time without prior notice and/or at its discretion to grant all or none of the awards under this process.
Special Considerations: country procedures
In some cases, IDRC has scientific and technical cooperation agreements with the governments of the countries where we support projects. Where such agreements exist, IDRC may require additional or alternative approval processes to be followed to comply with such agreements. Otherwise, grantees must follow the prevailing approval procedure as required by the government authority. This procedure is often administered by a coordinating or nodal agency of the government and varies by jurisdiction.
An IDRC grant administration representative will advise the selected applicant if any country procedures need to be followed. A grant agreement will only be issued if country clearance(s) is/are obtained beforehand. In cases where the recipient will manage sub-grantees, the country requirements that apply to sub-grantees are also documented in the grant agreement. It becomes the responsibility of the IDRC grantee to ensure that sub-grantees meet these requirements.
Proposals must be submitted no later than 17:00 PM EST on August 3, 2021.
Only one submission per institution will be accepted.
Applications can be submitted in either English or French.
Please note: This application requires significant investment of time and the field of proponents is expected to be quite competitive. Organizations are encouraged to take these elements into consideration when deciding to prepare and apply.
Applications received before the deadline and deemed by IDRC to be compliant with the requirements set out in this call for proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the process outlined herein.
Applications should be submitted via IDRC's grant application system: https://idrc-crdi.smapply.io/prog/middle_east_and_east_africa_research_chairs/. Applications submitted via email will not be accepted without prior approval by IDRC.
As part of the online submission in the first stage, applicants will be required to complete an application form, as well as upload the following documents:
Signed cover letter by the president of the university
Additional documentation for application
How to apply for an IDRC research grant
Any enquiries related to the call and application process should be sent by e-mail to gj@idrc.ca. To receive a response before the deadline date, enquiries must be received five business days in advance of the deadline date.
Enquiries that affect all applicants and that we receive on or before the above-mentioned deadline, will be added to the Frequently Asked Questions with IDRC's responses. We will not reveal the source of the enquiries.
In submitting an application, the applicant must avoid any real, apparent, or potential conflict of interest and will declare to IDRC any such conflict of interest. If any real, apparent, or potential conflict of interest cannot be resolved to IDRC's satisfaction, IDRC has the right to immediately reject the applicant from consideration.
By way of submitting a proposal under this open call for grants, the applicant consents to the disclosure of the proposal documents to reviewers involved in the selection process, both within IDRC and externally. If selected for funding, the applicants further consent to the disclosure of their name, the name of the lead researcher, and the title of the proposed project in any announcement of selected proposals.
All personal information collected by IDRC about grant, scholarship, and fellowship applicants is used to review applications, to administer and monitor awards, and to promote and support international development research in Canada and in the regions where IDRC operates. Consistent with these purposes, applicants should expect that information collected by IDRC may come to be used and disclosed in IDRC supported activities.
As a Canadian Crown corporation, IDRC is subject to Canada's Access to Information Act. Consequently, any submissions in response to this call for research proposals will be held by IDRC in a manner consistent with the Access to Information Act, including IDRC's obligations to disclose documents requested by members of the public.
Applicants must be committed to publishing research findings in the public domain in accordance with IDRC's Open Access Policy.
IDRC reserves the right to reject proposals based on relevant policy or legal considerations.
After an institutional assessment of an applicant's organization is performed, IDRC reserves the right to require the applicant's organization to partner with another institution as a condition of receiving the grant.
Inicio de la página


text:
https://littleblakebook.blogs.com > Glamaha
1. Where the heck are they again?
All right. Everybody settled in? Pencils sharpened? Very well. China and Adrian live in Omaha, Nebraska, which is a state bang in the middle of the USA. About a 5 hour flight to either New York or LA. About one hour to Chicago.
2. St. Warren of Omaha
Our principal religious figure here is Warren Buffet, the third-richest man in the world, and resident of our fair city. He plays bridge, he's pals with Bill Gates, he likes Cherry Coke, he lives in a house that looks like it belongs to a prosperous orthodontist.
You may have heard of him. We're happy for that. He's good for the brand.
3. St. Thomas of Lincoln (and Washington)
Another major religious figure here in Nebraska is Tom Osborne-- seen here in a simple devotional painting-- one of our three (hey, that's more than Delaware) members of the House of Representatives. And what exactly qualifies him to sit in the world's greatest deliberative body in order to speak for the good people of our state?
Why, he was the coach of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers for several years. Many people very seriously lament that he had to step down to a less important job. This is largely accurate.
4. The good life....
Nebraska is the birthplace of Arbor Day. I'll bet you didn't know that.
Better yet, I bet you didn't know that we're in a feud with Iowa over who REALLY is the birthplace of Arbor Day.
You people on the coasts are so caught in up your petty little squabbles that you miss out on this kind of juicy material.
5. Omaha au soir
Omaha has 5 Fortune 500 companies headquartered here (Berkshire Hathaway, ConAgra, Peter Kiewit, Mutual of Omaha, and Union Pacific). We have a population in the metro area of about 700,000, and we're growing like crazy. (The Blakes' arrival was clearly the tipping point.)
6. St Pat of the Heartland
Another significant religious figure is beloved local TV anchor Pat Persaud. Every town has one of these-- the local TV personality who can really punch those signoff lines like: "Have a happy.....AND SAFE (long pause, hold eye contact) holiday weekend." Oh, the empathy. Not insincere in any way.
Also very fond of referring to our local broadcast area as "The Heartland." Considering we're the 77th largest broadcast market (just behind Rochester, NY and Paducah, KY), this may be a little generous. Isn't "The Heartland" pretty much anywhere they don't sell Prada but they do sell John Deere? Don't get grabby, Pat.
(By the way-- Watch out Paducah-- here we come!)
7. Actual Nebraska Barn
Autumnal scene of Vala's Pumpkin Patch. If we have our way, they'll be tearing this down and putting in a new Costco very soon.
Laura O'B Bday!!
Fun, fun. fun...
Minivan Brigade
As I awaited Lily from her Pre-School Halloween party out in the parking lot, (Pierce and I had overstayed our welcome as he began to pilfer the candycorns that had been brought as a treat for Lily's class) I noticed the preponderance of Minivans outside the school. I don't know why this caught my eye. I suppose I revel in Suburbia (sometimes). It's all just so... Nebraska, and I mean that in the nicest sense (I think).


announced would have been considerate.
mention whatever of either of these--not once!!!
questions.   The last posting on the ASIST blog was Nov. 15, 2009.
Evidently, that is not functioning as a site for discussion either.
whatever way best suited him.
membership might have produced some great ideas and insights.


Homefront: The Revolution, a reboot of the original Homefront game (which itself is only five years old), has a rough history, thanks in large part to now-defunct THQ's bankruptcy, and was purchased partway through development by Crytek. Financial issues at Crytek created more problems, causing it to sell the IP to a parent company of Deep Silver (of Ride to Hell: Retribution fame), and somehow someone managed to put together a technically complete game. Given the circumstances, mediocrity is more than anyone dared hope, so Cubed3 enters the alternate universe to fight the revolution.
Homefront: The Revolution is late for the party, and arrived underdressed. It is bad in a systemic way, with hard freezes that lock the game for two seconds each time that it auto-saves, and when it's not frustrating with technical shortcomings, it's asking players to retread ground that has been covered hundreds of times. It's hard to piece together what the grand vision for the game might have been, but the developmental disarray reflects into the product, resulting in a game with all the luxury of a jailhouse blanket.
Aside from the awkwardly stilted CGs and bizarre mannerisms of NPCs (seemingly due to a manager suggesting, "Make them look realistic," while someone heard it as, "Make them move constantly"), atmosphere is the one thing that is really strong here. The setting will cause more than a few eye-rolling groans, mostly because "North Korea" is obviously supposed to be China, but Deep Silver didn't want to ruffle anyone's feathers. The plot deals with the conquest of the United States by the relatively small nation on that Asian peninsula, and no amount of wilfully suspending disbelief can overcome that laughable concept. Substitute "China" instead of "North Korea," and it becomes a lot easier to enjoy.
One criticism levelled against Final Fantasy is that it translates into a series of mostly-meaningless quests that pretend to be a string of breadcrumbs leading to a larger plot, but this criticism is far more appropriate for the travesty on offer here. It's Batman: Arkham City with guns and a first-person view, except its story is stretched far past the point of incredulity (yes, compared to a billionaire wearing tights to fight evil), and it isn't fun.
This isn't to say that the entire experience is bad, though. The action is competent, as far as shooters go, and there are moments when Homefront: The Revolution is rather playable. There are even a few where it becomes enjoyable, but it never stops being obvious that this product was only finished and released so that the previous work didn't go to waste. Repetitive gameplay is interrupted by occasionally good dialogue segments that aim at the lofty goal of pondering the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter, but it's not worth digging through the droll quests and uninspired combat systems to get to.
Deep Silver didn't need any more bad games under its belt, but if there is nothing else that can be said, it can be stated definitively that this is not as bad as Ride to Hell: Retribution. Some would call this a victory, and it's a noble effort to not throw away work that was already underway, yet that's part of the core problem. Homefront: The Revolution wasn't finished and released because gamers needed something great to play; it was completed and sold because some manager out there refused to let the work go to waste.


Joseph has been a resident of Boys and Girls Country since 2011. For three years prior, he'd been roaming the streets of Houston because he thought it was better to be homeless than to live in an unstable home with a parent struggling with addiction.
Joseph was 16 when he arrived at BGC, and he was severely malnourished from his time on the streets. It did not take long for the gaunt, listless young man to begin seeing improvements in his health, succeeding at school, and taking a leadership role in his cottage.
Recently, Joseph moved beyond being a student at Boys and Girls Country to becoming a donor! He made a decision to donate his 2007 Ford Fusion to BGC. He had the car since 2015 and said that it served him very well.
"I was fortunate enough to afford it thanks to the help of my mentors. Boys and Girls Country has done a lot for me the past eight years. It feels good to give back what I have," shared Joseph.
Joseph is set to graduate from the University of Houston in May 2019 with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics. His college experience was hard, but it gave him a chance to pursue something for which he has passion. He is grateful for a chance to attend college and to develop friendships that will last for the rest of his life. "I would not be here today if BGC did not help me become a better person," he added.
Our campus is getting excited to celebrate Joseph's milestone in overcoming his adversities and making his dream come true. It is inspiring for all the children on campus to see our young adults achieving their goals. Joseph's mentors and teaching parents are thrilled for him to take the next step into adulthood.
"Joseph has done a great job in college, and we cannot wait to see him shine. He knows that we will always be here for him. We are still his family," commented Cassie Parkin, college and career mentor at BGC.


Provider of engineering services. The company offers infrastructure maintenance and construction services including water reticulation networks, open space management, roads and buildings.
This information is reserved for PitchBook Platform users. To explore Excell Corporation's full profile, request access.


Lowrance has introduced some new and expanded units in the Hook 2 and Elite Ti range. Their High Definition System (HDS) Carbon Lowrance fish finder/echo sounder range provides a huge selection of LCD and colour fish finders, Lowrance GPS Mapping units and Radars that are second to none.
Got a question, call 02 9546-1324, Mon to Sat, 8am to 5pm.
Price is for Head Unit only so you can upgrade your sounder whilst reusing your existing transducer setup.
HDS-9 Carbon combines an ultra-clear SolarMAX HD display with a new dual core high-performance processor, leading-edge fishfinder technology dual channel CHIRP and dual network sounder using the latest advances in integrated wireless service tools. More agility, speed and brute power all in one easy-to-use multi-touch display. The Lowrance HDS-9 Carbon features a new 9-inch ultra-clear SolarMAX™ HD multi-touch display using high-bright LED backlighting and advanced anti-reflective coatings to create wider viewing angles in any lighting condition. Only in HDS Carbon will you find superior color accuracy and a boosted high-resolution viewing panels specifically designed to truly maximize today's leading sonar. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
This package includes the HDS 9 carbon head unit as well as the transom mount total Scan transducer. An all-in-one transducer, TotalScan matches proven Broadband and CHIRP sonar with StructureScan HD and DownScan Imaging technology, making it possible to target fish and search for fish-holding structure with the same transducer. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
Price includes 3D Structure Scan transom mount Transducer.
This package includes the HDS 9 carbon head unit as well as the transom mount 3D Structure Scan transducer. Lowrance Structure Scan 3D allows anglers to see fish, structure and bottom contour in a stunning three-dimensional view. Structure Scan 3D imaging scans underwater terrain and fish-holding structure to create a high-resolution, 180-degree, three-dimensional view beneath your boat. With this unique imaging view, anglers gain a better understanding of where fish and structure are located in relation to their boat. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
HDS-12 Carbon combines an ultra-clear SolarMAX HD display with a new dual core high-performance processor, leading-edge fishfinder technology dual channel CHIRP and dual network sounder using the latest advances in integrated wireless service tools. More agility, speed and brute power all in one easy-to-use multi-touch display. The Lowrance HDS-12 Carbon features a new 12-inch ultra-clear SolarMAX™ HD multi-touch display using high-bright LED backlighting and advanced anti-reflective coatings to create wider viewing angles in any lighting condition. Only in HDS Carbon will you find superior color accuracy and a boosted high-resolution viewing panels specifically designed to truly maximize today's leading sonar. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
This package includes the HDS 12 carbon head unit as well as the transom mount total Scan transducer. An all-in-one transducer, TotalScan matches proven Broadband and CHIRP sonar with StructureScan HD and DownScan Imaging technology, making it possible to target fish and search for fish-holding structure with the same transducer. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
This package includes the HDS 12 carbon head unit as well as the transom mount 3D Structure Scan transducer. Lowrance Structure Scan 3D allows anglers to see fish, structure and bottom contour in a stunning three-dimensional view. Structure Scan 3D imaging scans underwater terrain and fish-holding structure to create a high-resolution, 180-degree, three-dimensional view beneath your boat. With this unique imaging view, anglers gain a better understanding of where fish and structure are located in relation to their boat. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
The HDS 16 Carbon has all the features of the HDS 12 Carbon however it comes with and industry leading 16 inch (1920 by 1080) high definition screen with 2 times the resolution of any other display in its category. Enhanced Surface Clarity lets you see more fish targets near the surface and the heat map chart overlay helps you track trends in water temperature changes to quickly target key fishing areas. The quick access control bar provides one-touch access to system controls for Outboard Pilot, Trolling motor, Power-Pole and Audio. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
This package includes the HDS 16 carbon head unit as well as the transom mount total Scan transducer. An all-in-one transducer, TotalScan matches proven Broadband and CHIRP sonar with StructureScan HD and DownScan Imaging technology, making it possible to target fish and search for fish-holding structure with the same transducer. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
This package includes the HDS 16 carbon head unit as well as the transom mount 3D Structure Scan transducer. Lowrance Structure Scan 3D allows anglers to see fish, structure and bottom contour in a stunning three-dimensional view. Structure Scan 3D imaging scans underwater terrain and fish-holding structure to create a high-resolution, 180-degree, three-dimensional view beneath your boat. With this unique imaging view, anglers gain a better understanding of where fish and structure are located in relation to their boat. Established in 1946 and with 3 locations, Hunts Marine is Australia's largest trailerboat dealer. We have decades of experience installing and using all our electronic products and are only a phone call away if you ever have any questions.
Our price includes the autopilot computer, hydraulic pump, heading and GPS sensor, hydraulic fitting kit and auto/standby button.
The Lowrance Autopilot for outboards with hydraulic steering is available for HDS Gen2 and Gen3 units and is designed for all single outboard boats up to 30ft in length. It provides automatic steering for hydraulic-steer outboard motors. It's an extra pair of hands when you need it, the Outboard Pilot, features Lowrance SmartSteer control from your HDS Gen2 or Gen3 and will steer to a heading, waypoint or route. It comes with everything you need to connect with your existing hydraulic system - including t-connectors, hoses and oil. Steer your outboard motor to a heading, waypoint, route or cursor, with control from your HDS Gen2 or HDS Gen3 display. It has one touch route creation from saved trails and you can repeat your path with automatic turn patterns. Its an easy setup with no complex terminal wiring.
StructureScan 3D offers anglers a new dimension in Sonar technology, allowing you to see Fish, structure and bottom contour in a stunning, true-to-life three-dimensional view on Lowrance HDS Gen3 units. Operating on 3 different frequency ranges, StructureScan 3D imaging scans underwater terrain and fish-holding structure to create a high-Resolution, real-time three-dimensional view of what's beneath your Boat up to 80m+ deep and as far as 150m+ Port and Starboard. This will help anglers to gain a better understanding of where fish and structure are located in relation to their boat. The 3D views are displayed on your Lowrance when used in combination with the SideScan 3D Skimmer Transducer and StructureScan 3D module box (both supplied in this price). You'll also have the ability to line up two structure panels side by side for simultaneous viewing – even compare the 2D StructureScan HD view with the 3D view at the same time!
83/200 kHz transom mount transducer to suit all Lowrance HDS units. Select this model if you are going to do predominately shallow water work up to 120m as it will give you a wider scan area and a clearer image.
50/200 kHz transom mount transducer to suit all Lowrance HDS units. Select this model if you are going to do predominately deep sea work as it will give you a depth reading of 200m plus depending on water conditions.
The lowrance 1KW transom mount transducer runs on a 50/200 kHz frequency and is perfect for the offshore game fisherman. Suitable for all Lowrance HDS Gen 2 and Gen 3 units it will give a max depth of 500m plus depending on water conditions. It is 50 times more sensative at 50kHz and 13 times more sensative at 200kHz than a standard transducer. and its streamlined shape can give readings up to 35MPH. Its supplied with a 10M cable and a stainless transom bracket to accomodate transom angles from 3 to 21 degrees.
All Lowrance HDS TOUCH units have the processor for the structure scan unit already built in so all you need to purchase is the transom mount scanning unit. All other specification and features are identical to the structure scan unit above.
A mighty new 16-channel NMEA 2000u00ae GPS+WAAS antenna scores high in superior sensitivity for signal acquisition, with incredible position accuracy. When connected with HDS models, it delivers a true satellite update rate of 5 times per second for the most accurate speed-over-ground readings. The Point 1 GPS Antenna also features a new compact size thatu2019s easier to flush-mount from the top. Rugged for all marine environments and fully waterproof, an optional spat cone is available for pole mounting.
Lowrance 4G Broadband Marine Radar is the third generation of its radome revolutionary technology. Lowrance 4G radar brings 50% more range than the second generation 3D radar and is compatible with all Lowrance HDS Plotters and combo units. Utilizing solid-state technology, this breakthrough technology provides superior target detection and separation, ease of operation, and a new level of navigational safety to a wide range of boats.
Our price includes a pair of 6" white speakers.
Connect your Lowrance Sonic Hub with 6″ waterproof speakers to any of the Lowrance HDS units and you have the ultimate marine audio entertainment system. Not only do you have a full AM/FM stereo unit but the blue tooth allows you to stream music including Pandora (where available) from a smartphone or tablet. Connected either directly to a single Lowrance HDS display or to multiple displays via a NMEA 2000 network, the Sonic Hub allows the boater to control their onboard music from any of the Lowrance display head units in the vessel. Our price includes a pair of 6″ white speakers.
Navionics Gold (2 dimensional) NSW. Add the NSW Gold chart to see 2 dimensional detailed maps of all waterways around the state. Other states available on request. Please just specify on your order what you would like as pricing is all the same.
Navionics Gold (2 dimensional) Australia Wide. Add the Australia wide Gold chart to see 2 dimensional detailed maps of all waterways around the country.
Navionics Platinum Plus (3 dimensional) NSW only. Add the Platinum Plus chart to see 3 dimensional detailed maps of all waterways up and down the coast of NSW. Other state charts available if you are loacted in different parts of the country. Please make a note on your order or phone the accessories department on (02) 9546-1324.
Navionics Platinum Plus (3 dimensional) East Coast. Add the Platinum Plus chart to see 3 dimensional detailed maps of all waterways up and down the East coast of Australia. Lowrance Fishfinder series also offer different charts available if you are located in different parts of the country. Please make a note on your order or phone the accessories department on (02) 9546-1324.


I have been using Stitch Graphic Interchange's embroidery digitizing services for many years. They always meet my deadlines. The quality of work is outstanding and of course not to forget the price. I highly recommend them to everyone.
If you are searching for a new embroidery digitizing company online, you can get hundreds of them. Stitch Graphic Interchange is unlike most digitizers, they genuinely have your best interest in mind with the best price out there. They understand that if you are not happy in the end, you will not return for future business. They will go that extra mile for you. They are the best.
It has been a sincere pleasure working with you all these years. You are always prompt and extremely accurate in vector conversion. I appreciate your attention to detail. I don't know how you do it, but you always provide exactly what I was hoping for. My screen printing just goes superb. Thank you for the continued support.
You have made my business even more enjoyable with your specialty in digitizing embroidery. There are not enough great words to express how excited and pleased I was with my first embroidery design. After realizing the effort and time you put on my project I can state that your care and determination for 100% customer satisfaction is spot on. There is no doubt in my mind that I will continue to build a partnership with your company.
What a quality for just 1.5 $. Through my years in the embroidery business I have used a number of embroidery digitizing firms but your company is by far the best. The embroidery designs you have digitized for me have always sewn out smoothly and beautifully. I never had a problem asking for edits if any. You make my work easy and enjoyable. Not to mention because of your services, you make me look very good to the customer.
Wow! Best price, great quality, sewed out flawlessly and the finished product looked great! My customer and I were thrilled with it! Thank you for a great job and I look forward to working with you again.
Words can't express the awesome embroidery digitizing job you do for us. I told you from the start I would not use another digitizing company and you certainly have my word.
The Bahamas logo you digitized for me turned out awesome. When the customer came to pick up the Jackets, he was so grateful with the way the Jackets turned out. So I feel the need to share that with you because you got it done for me.


text:
Fu l'erede al trono di Sassonia-Weimar-Eisenach.

Biografia
Nacque a Weimar, come unico figlio di Carlo Alessandro, granduca di Sassonia-Weimar-Eisenach e della principessa Sofia d'Orange-Nassau.

Carlo Augusto servì nell'esercito del granducato ed era sottotenente degli ussari nell'esercito imperiale russo. Venne decorato con la "gran croce" dell'Ordine del Falco Bianco e con quella dell'Ordine del Leone d'Oro.

Matrimonio
Il 26 agosto 1873, a Friedrichshafen, sposò la principessa Paolina di Sassonia-Weimar-Eisenach. Erano cugini di secondo grado, poiché lei era la nipote del principe Bernardo, fratello minore del granduca Carlo Federico di Sassonia-Weimar-Eisenach, il nonno di Carlo Augusto.

Dal matrimonio nacquero due figli:
 Guglielmo Ernesto Carlo Alessandro Federico Enrico Bernardo Alberto Giorgio Ermanno, granduca di Sassonia-Weimar-Eisenach (Weimar, 10 giugno 1876 - Heinrichau, 24 aprile 1923)
 Bernardo Carlo Alessandro Ermanno Enrico Guglielmo Federico Oscar Francesco Pietro (Weimar, 18 aprile 1878 - Weimar, 1º ottobre 1900)

Morte
A causa di una malattia cronica, Carlo Augusto si recava spesso a Mentone per la sua salute. Morì a Cap Martin sei anni prima di suo padre. Il figlio maggiore di Carlo Augusto divenne in seguito granduca di Sassonia-Weimar-Eisenach. Carlo Augusto venne sepolto a Fürstengruft.

Ascendenza

Onorificenze

Altri progetti

Sassonia-Weimar-Eisenach


A summary of the Social CRM trends and product offerings as of November 2010.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 2 Sales Transformation iSTART Team What is Social CRM?
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 3 Sales Transformation iSTART Team Customers have become more social and savvy…. And are taking control of the conversation.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 4 Sales Transformation iSTART Team Traditional customer feedback models are being replaced by more open and social models. Source: Adapted from Social CRM a primer - by Esteban Kolsky at Enterprise2.0 Conference Santa Clara 2010.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 5 Sales Transformation iSTART Team Social CRM is an enterprise's response to "social customers" taking ownership of the relationship with their partners and suppliers. Paul Greenberg describes Social CRM as… – a philosophy & a business strategy, – supported by a technology platform, business rules, workflow, processes & social characteristics, – designed to engage the customer – in a collaborative conversation – in order to provide a mutually beneficial value – in a trusted and transparent business environment." It's the company's programmatic response to the customer's ownership of the conversation. Source: Adapted from Convergence: E20's & SCRM's Twain Meet - by Paul Greenberg at Enterprise2.0 Conference Santa Clara 2010.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 6 Sales Transformation iSTART Team • Phone • Fax • Email • Service • Letters • Personal contact • Company's website • SMS • Instant Messenger • Chat • Media • Phone • Fax • Email • Service • Letters • Personal contact • Company's website • SMS • Instant Messenger • Chat • Media + • Blogs • Social Bookmarking • Microblogs • RSS • Wikis • Social Networks • Widgets • Podcast • Video sharing • Forums • Wish lists • Price comparison website • Reviews and ratings in retail sites • Photo sharing • Slides sharing • Auction website Traditional CRMTraditional CRM Social CRMSocial CRM Social CRM encompasses a much broader spectrum of customer interaction spaces which are not controlled by the enterprise. Source: Adapted from Social CRM: Concept, Benefits and Approach to adopt - by Fabio Cipriani, Nov. 2008.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 7 Sales Transformation iSTART Team Social CRM can complement existing internal operations by enriching them with client-facing external activities. CRM is no longer just a model for managing customers but one of customer engagement. Source: Adapted from Social CRM a primer - by Esteban Kolsky at Enterprise2.0 Conference Santa Clara 2010.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 8 Sales Transformation iSTART Team Emerging principles of Social CRM 1. Value is a two-way street. Collaboration, co-creation, transparency, authenticity, advocacy 2. Each of us is governed by self-interest. Personalization, controlling own experiences 3. We are social creatures too. conversation, collaboration, data capture/insight 4. For ideas to be truly exciting, they have to be real. measurement, analytics, realistic objectives, success 5. Do unto others…you know the rest. customer experience, customer-company interactions Source: Adapted from Convergence: E20's & SCRM's Twain Meet - by Paul Greenberg at Enterprise2.0 Conference Santa Clara 2010.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 9 Sales Transformation iSTART Team The "5 Ms" of Social CRM business processes offers a framework for using social customer insights to develop a Social CRM strategy. Tracking the effectiveness of CRM goals Data seamlessly flowing from external to internal. Management systems to provide insights to the right teams at the right times. Linking social profiles to company records. Listening capabilities in the online social world. Is it working? How do I get it there? Where should it go? Who is saying it? What is being said? Monitor Map Manage Middleware Measure Adapted from Social CRM: The New Rules of Relationship Management, March 5, 2010. Altimeter Group. By R "Ray" Wang and Jeremiah Owyang with Christine Tran.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 10 Sales Transformation iSTART Team The Altimeter Group has identified 18 use cases for formulating a Social CRM strategy. Source: Social CRM: The New Rules of Relationship Management, March 5, 2010. Altimeter Group. By R "Ray" Wang and Jeremiah Owyang with Christine Tran.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 11 Sales Transformation iSTART Team Social CRM is an evolutionary step towards a more Collaborative Enterprise in the future. Source: Adapted from Social CRM a primer - by Esteban Kolsky at Enterprise2.0 Conference Santa Clara 2010.
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 12 Sales Transformation iSTART Team What does the product landscape look like?
© 2010 IBM CorporationPage 19 Sales Transformation iSTART Team Examples of effective communities for idea generation, collaboration, and self-service models. P&G Vocalpoint Win / win community of mothers. Try new products. Generate new ideas Connect + Develop P&G ties entrepreneurs, inventors, suppliers etc. together to collaborate on R&D that they need. IBM developerworks Massive forums allow customers to help each other. Some IBM experts active via blogs & forums.


Are you the administrator of the CRV board? Is that why you welcomed me? Hey, thanks for the thumbs up! Sorry for so many posts but I could not get my message in any other way.
Nova, she is so petite and dainty, she reminds me of Anna Pavlova and it goes with Palomino, that is her golden color.
I can see your 50cc scooter in my mined. I use to own and ride a Suzuki TS185cc and blast down the highway going about 70 to 75 on it. It sure did vibrate at the high speed. I loved it…I was the only female out on the road on a motorcycle at that time.


text:
TRIP PLANNER 50 days in South of France Itinerary
50 days in South of France Itinerary
Created using Inspirock South of France trip planner
Saint-Raphael
— 13 nights
Wed, Jan 19 - Wed, Mar 9 Edit
Bordeaux — 5 nights
The Port of the Moon
With a long history of producing regional wines since the Romans brought grapevines here during the first century, so many people consider Bordeaux to be the wine capital of the world.
Get out of town with these interesting Bordeaux side-trips: La Grande Dune du Pilat (in Pyla-sur-Mer), La Rochelle (Vieux Port & Aquarium La Rochelle) and Spas (in Bayonne). There's still lots to do: appreciate the extensive heritage of Place de la Bourse, admire the masterpieces at CAPC Musee d'Art Contemporain, take a stroll through Promenade Sainte Catherine, and take in the views from Pont de Pierre.
For other places to visit, ratings, traveler tips, and other tourist information, use the Bordeaux trip maker website.
Amsterdam, The Netherlands to Bordeaux is an approximately 5-hour flight. You can also take a train; or drive. Traveling from Amsterdam in January, expect nights in Bordeaux to be about the same, around 3°C, while days are a bit warmer, around 11°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 24th (Mon) to allow enough time to drive to Carcassonne.
Parks · Nature · Museums · Historic Sites
La Rochelle, Rocher de la Vierge, La Grande Dune du Pilat, Spas
Find places to stay Jan 19 — 24:
Aquarium La Rochelle
Place de la Bourse
Rocher de la Vierge
Carcassonne — 6 nights
Medieval Heart of France
Best known as a fortified town, Carcassonne is a walled city that provided the inspiration for the castle in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" and the location for many scenes in Kevin Costner's movie "Robin Hood." For a daily dose of excitement, medieval jousting tournaments are held twice per day between the two walls--while this may sound like a typical touristy show, it's actually an entertaining display of combative competition and horsemanship.
Venture out of the city with trips to Toulouse (Church of Les Jacobins, Le Capitole, &more), Balma (Spas & Galerie 21 Toulouse) and Escape Game S Room Agency (in Montauban). Next up on the itinerary: wander the streets of Cité de Carcassonne, learn about winemaking at O'Vineyards, make a trip to Place Carnot, and explore the historical opulence of Chateau Comtal.
To see where to stay, maps, reviews, and tourist information, read Carcassonne trip itinerary planner.
Traveling by car from Bordeaux to Carcassonne takes 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train; or take a bus. In January, daily temperatures in Carcassonne can reach 11°C, while at night they dip to 3°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 30th (Sun) so you can drive to Avignon.
Things to do in Carcassonne
Historic Sites · Museums · Neighborhoods · Wineries
Toulouse, Balma, Escape Game S Room Agency, Cathedrale Sainte-Cecile
Cité de Carcassonne
Escape Game S Room Agency
Musee des Augustins
Avignon — 6 nights
City of Popes
An ancient town center surrounded by medieval ramparts, Avignon is a major city of Provence and a Mediterranean city in the Vaucluse department on the left bank of the Rhône River.
Venture out of the city with trips to Arc de Triomphe (in Orange), La Maison Carree (in Nimes) and Montpellier (Bertrand Bosc & Cathedrale St. Pierre). And it doesn't end there: step into the grandiose world of Palais des Papes, contemplate the long history of Amphitheatre (les Arenes), admire the masterpieces at Musee Departemental Arles Antique, and indulge your senses at some of the top wineries in the area.
For reviews, other places to visit, photos, and tourist information, read our Avignon trip builder website.
Drive from Carcassonne to Avignon in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a train; or take a bus. In January, daily temperatures in Avignon can reach 11°C, while at night they dip to 1°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 5th (Sat) so you can go by car to Marseille.
Things to do in Avignon
Wineries · Tours · Museums · Historic Sites
Arles, Montpellier, Arc de Triomphe, La Maison Carree, Pont du Gard
Find places to stay Jan 30 — Feb 5:
Palais des Papes
Pont d'Avignon
Marseille — 7 nights
Gateway to Provence
The 2013 European "Capital of Culture," Marseille is the largest port city on the breezy Mediterranean coast and the second largest city in France.
Explore Marseille's surroundings by going to La Ciotat (Route des Cretes, Casino Pleinair, &more), Aix-en-Provence (Musee Granet, Cours Mirabeau, &more) and Cassis (Trolib & Cape Canaille). Next up on the itinerary: take in the spiritual surroundings of Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, take a leisurely stroll along Le Vieux Port, wander the streets of The Panier, and take your sightseeing to a higher altitude at Montagne Sainte Victoire.
To see reviews, where to stay, more things to do, and other tourist information, read our Marseille trip itinerary planner.
Drive from Avignon to Marseille in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. In February, plan for daily highs up to 14°C, and evening lows to 4°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 12th (Sat) early enough to drive to Hyeres.
Parks · Nature · Outdoors · Museums
Aix-en-Provence, La Ciotat, Cassis, Montagne Sainte Victoire, Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine
Find places to stay Feb 5 — 12:
Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde
Parc du Mugel
Le Vieux Port
Hyeres — 6 nights
Hyères, Provençal Occitan: Ieras in classical norm, or Iero in Mistralian norm) is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.The old town lies 4km from the sea clustered around the Castle of Saint Bernard, which is set on a hill. You'll find plenty of places to visit near Hyeres: Sentier du Littoral (in Saint-Tropez), Bandol (Villa des Flo & Eglise Saint-Francois de Sales) and Six-Fours-les-Plages (Ile du Gaou, Eglise Saint Pierre Du Brusc, &more). The adventure continues: walk around Parc Sainte-Claire, take in the architecture and atmosphere at Eglise Saint-Michel, appreciate the extensive heritage of Vieille Ville, and take an in-depth tour of Musee Du Patrimoine.
For reviews, photos, ratings, and other tourist information, refer to the Hyeres trip itinerary site.
Traveling by car from Marseille to Hyeres takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or take a bus. February in Hyeres sees daily highs of 15°C and lows of 5°C at night. Finish your sightseeing early on the 18th (Fri) to allow enough time to drive to Saint-Raphael.
Things to do in Hyeres
Historic Sites · Parks · Museums · Spas
Six-Fours-les-Plages, Grimaud, Bandol, Bormes-Les-Mimosas, Eglise Saint Jean-Baptiste
Find places to stay Feb 12 — 18:
Notre Dame du Mai
Sentier du Littoral
Saint-Raphael — 6 nights
Saint-Raphael vacations have so much more to offer than an indulgent splurge on a beach.
Get out of town with these interesting Saint-Raphael side-trips: Thalasso Spa Les Issambres (in Les Issambres), Sainte-Maxime (Promenade Aymeric Simon Loriere & Kelys) and Massif du Tanneron (in Tanneron). There's lots more to do: partake in some friendly competition at Total Xscape, don't miss a visit to Site de Malpasset, see the interesting displays at Musee des Troupes de Marine, and let the kids burn off some steam at Jardin Bonaparte.
To find where to stay, maps, more things to do, and tourist information, go to the Saint-Raphael day trip site.
You can drive from Hyeres to Saint-Raphael in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus; or do a combination of train and bus. In February, daytime highs in Saint-Raphael are 15°C, while nighttime lows are 3°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 24th (Thu) early enough to drive to Nice.
Things to do in Saint-Raphael
Parks · Fun & Games · Museums · Spas
Frejus, Sainte-Maxime, Riviera Nature, Thalasso Spa Les Issambres, Massif du Tanneron
Massif du Tanneron
Total Xscape
Massif de l'Esterel
Nice — 13 nights
Nissa la Bella (Nice the Beautiful)
Well-known for the beautiful views of its famous Promenade des Anglais waterfront, Nice is an ethnically-diverse coastal port city on the French Riviera and the fifth most populated city in France.
Change things up with these side-trips from Nice: Antibes (Marché provençal, Garoupe Lighthouse (Phare de la Garoupe), &more), Cannes (Rue d'Antibes, La Croisette, &more) and Station de Ski L'Audibergue (in Andon). Spend the 7th (Mon) exploring the fascinating underwater world at Marineland. The adventure continues: stop by Old Town, examine the collection at Musee Matisse, take in the architecture and atmosphere at Cathedrale Saint-Nicolas a Nice, and take some stellar pictures from Mt Boron.
Find out how to plan Nice trip without stress by asking Inspirock to help create an itinerary.
Traveling by car from Saint-Raphael to Nice takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or do a combination of train and bus. Traveling from Saint-Raphael in February, Nice is somewhat warmer at night with lows of 7°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 9th (Wed) to allow time to fly back home.
Historic Sites · Museums · Parks · Neighborhoods
Antibes, Cannes, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Villeneuve-Loubet, Station de Ski L'Audibergue
Find places to stay Feb 24 — Mar 9:
Colline du Chateau overlook
South of France trip planner
Bordeaux trip planner
Carcassonne trip planner
France trip planner


Satisfaction rating: 98% from 46 ratings.
About us: Pulse is Tokyo's #1 org and also a top 5 overall ranked org. we offer fair matchups against some of the toughest fighters managed by the games most competitive managers.
The highly decorated "Crazy" Koh Ibu has wasted no time making an impact in Pulse's 135 lb Division. A slew of recent signings has created in influx of needed talent into the division, and there is no shortage of challengers lining up for a shot at Ibu's gold, first up is #1 Contender Yurmommy, who left Dare as their 135 lb champ.
The 145 lb champ may just be the most dominant fighter in the history of Pulse. After losing his first fight under the banner, Friedrich "Mein Fick" Alzheimer has reeled off 13 straight wins inside the org. His next fight is a super fight, rubber match, with the former 135 and 145 lb champ at Syn, Daniel Larusso at PFC 89.
After a couple title shots, and a very steady run at the top of the Pulse LW division, "The Lion" Will Rock has finally broken through and claimed is place at the top of a very stacked division.
Fight to Watch: #3 Settakian Fett takes on Lasse Alatalo (owner of a 3 fight win streak). With Stone and Wright likely to never meet, the winner of this could stake a claim to a #1 contender fight up next.
#3 Overall Ranked and #1 MW in the world Alexey Andreev has been spectacular since bursting on the scene at Pulse, establishing himself as the org's #1 draw after moving up from his natural weight class of WW. While the division offers some contenders, "Andreich" is eyeing a move back to WW and the illustrious Champ/Champ status.
In a division that has been very competitive at the top, Dave Semenko currently holds the 205 gold, with a chance to represent Pulse against OFC's 205 champ and a top 5 LHW in Akoni Gray @ PFC 86.
Fight to Watch: #2 Mirage vs #Parade. Both fighters put their 3 fight win streaks on the line as they look to climb the 205 rankings.
Fight to Watch: With a big time fight between #2 Nao and #4 Dmitrov still waiting on the signature from King Kendrick, Red Brophy and Colin Turnbull will face off to cement there place atop the 265 rankings.