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Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey felt proud of what he accomplished during the 2020 season.
A divisional round playoff loss to the Packers in Green Bay obviously wasn't the result he or the team wanted, he emphasized, but it didn't take away from the fact that he felt he put together his best season as a pro.
"The year didn't end how we wanted it to as a team, but there are some positives to take away from it," Ramsey said during an end-of-season video conference on Sunday. "Personally, for me, I feel like I had probably my best year in my NFL career thus far. I feel like I put out the best body of work out that I've ever put out."
While no one knows Ramsey and his game better than himself, of course, end-of-season awards and accolades from external evaluators certainly reinforced his case.
He was named to his fourth Pro Bowl, second All-Pro First Team by The Associated Press, and second All-NFL and All-conference teams by the Professional Football Writers of America after a season in which Pro Football Focus (PFF) says he allowed the fewest receiving yards (309) in coverage among 33 cornerbacks with 500 or more coverage snaps in the regular season. Furthermore, per PFF, only one receiver guarded by Ramsey surpassed 50 receiving yards in a single game – the Cowboys' Amari Cooper, who had 57 on seven receptions in Week 1.
Per NFL Research and PFF compiled prior to the divisional round, here's what happened after Week 1:
- Week 3 vs. Bills, Stefon Diggs: 1 reception, 4 yards, 1 touchdown
- Week 5 vs. Washington, Terry McLaurin: 0 receptions
- Week 7 vs. Bears, Allen Robinson: 1 reception, 42 yards
- Week 10 vs. Seahawks, DK Metcalf: 0 receptions
- Week 11 vs. Buccaneers, Mike Evans: 4 receptions, 40 yards
- Week 13 vs. Cardinals, DeAndre Hopkins: 3 receptions, 20 yards
- Week 16 vs. Seahawks, Metcalf: 1 reception, 11 yards
- Week 17 vs. Cardinals, Hopkins: 2 receptions, 28 yards
- Wild Card round of playoffs vs. Seahawks, Metcalf: 3 receptions, 33 yards
Diggs was a fellow First Team All-Pro and All-NFL selection for this season, Hopkins and Metcalf Second Team All-Pro selections. Diggs was also named to the All-NFL team, Hopkins the All-NFC team. The trio of Diggs, Hopkins and Metcalf were also named to this year's Pro Bowl.
Ramsey said it's a credit to the work done by cornerbacks coach Aubrey Pleasant.
"I think I've said this before in one of these media sessions, I've taken my game to another level, and in my opinion, this is the best body of work that I've put out in the NFL, a lot of that is thanks to him," Ramsey said.
And he did all of this while lining up in the secondary at cornerback and the "star" hybrid defensive back position in former defensive coordinator Brandon Staley's scheme.
"He's a very complete player – size, speed are critical factors for the position," Staley said on Jan. 5. "He's an outstanding open field tackler. He can play man-to-man, from bump-and-off. He can play the ball in the deep part of the field. He's got position flexibility. He's got a mind that allows him to play different positions and play them at a high level. He's as fierce of a competitor as you're going to find."


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Ultra Rare to find so clean. Made in Hamburg, Germany between 1936 and 1938. What a handsome pen this is. Has to be seen in person to fully appreciate its beauty.
These were one of the first Montblanc pens to have the PL (Platinum) colourway pattern. Also the first to have the Gold Tie Clip. The pen is made of Celluloid. The Black top section of the Cap is made of BHR (Black Hard Rubber) the White Star logo is made of Casein. It has deep and easy to read Montblanc Meisterstuck Imprint, just above the clip.Rare to find so easy to read imprints here. The Blind Cap (Tail End) has untouched deep 122PL and O (Oblique) Imprints. Also made of BHR as is the front section (part you hold when writing).
The Clip and Ring Band are Yellow Gold Plated and also perfect with zero plate loss or brassing etc. Very rare to find such fantastic Gold Trim as New.
Overall once in the hand to the naked eye this 84 year old looks positively New Born. Must have belonged to Benjamin Button. These are push button fillers. Unique to Meisterstuck Grade 1 pens the Blind Cap does not unscrew off to reveal a metal button.
These top of the line 12x model pens are VERY clever in that their Blind Cap tail end is the button. It unscrews and then you press to fill. To have a threaded Blind Cap that also can be pressed is actually a lot more complicated than you imagine. Only Montblanc did this extra engineered feature. Only on Masterpiece range pens.
To fill with bottled ink could not be any easier. Simply unscrew the blind cap.
Now place all of the nib in ink and press once and release. Wait 5 seconds to fill. Now take nib out of ink.
Takes less than 10 seconds and is child's play easy. Amazing 14C 220 nib is a simple JOY to write with.
The nib is also perfect with zero damage. Superb Iridium tips are good to last several more lifetimes.This chap is worth breaking the bank for. You will not see a cleaner example. Perfect for everyday use like a new pen. Come s ready to write just add your favorite colour bottled ink...
Perfect as a gift or treat yourself to a wonderful collectible fountain pen that can be used and enjoyed daily.. Please view all the Photographs they form large part of the description. All photographs are of actual pen. What you see is everything you receive.
Any boxes or papers will ALWAYS be photographed if included. Fed Ex is also available. PLEASE VIEW MY OTHER ITEMS MORE PENS, Montblanc, Onoto, Conway Stewart, Parker, Waterman, Mabie Todd Swan, Sheaffer, Dunhill etc. The item "Montblanc 122PL Celluloid Fountain Pen 1936. 14C 220 O Flex Nib.Mint" is in sale since Monday, February 1, 2021. This item is in the category "Collectables\Pens & Writing Equipment\Pens\Fountain Pens\Montblanc". The seller is "myhs10cd" and is located in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. This item can be shipped worldwide.

subset: commoncrawl


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Through the Research Awards UD-Santander, the University of Deusto and Banco Santander support the development of excellent research which seeks to respond to the challenges of today's society and influence its transformation. This award seeks to recognize and reward the research of excellence developed by the research teams of the University of Deusto attending to its scientific and social impacts.
The research work "New Skills Agenda Steel: Industry-driven sustainable European Steel Skills Agenda and Strategy (ESSA)" to define and develop future job profiles in the steel sector won first prize. The ESSA project aims to define and develop future job profiles in various areas, starting from the steel sector, that serves as a spearhead for others. Its objective is to design and deploy a coordinated, sustainable and industry-driven plan towards a European Skills Agenda.
The news appeared at several media, a national level newspaper (https://www.larazon.es/sociedad/20220304/zu6ujwxdenhardrrn2dg3gvwny.html )and a regional one (https://www.deia.eus/bizkaia/vida-social/2022/03/04/hijos-mejores-planeta/1196836.html), among others.
20th January 2021
The ESSA Mid-Term / Intermediary conference with the title "Skills and Jobs in the Future-Proven Steel Industry" will take place in Duisburg in the thyssenkrupp Steel Europe Training Centre on 27th and 28th May 2021. Parallel to this, online streaming is also offered.
The conference will include first results of the European Steel Skills Alliance, a sectoral Blueprint cofunded by the European Commission via the Erasmus+ programme. The first is centred on the Blueprint prototype as well as other sectoral EU Blueprints (cooperation). On the second day, the event will focus on rollout and implementation of ESSA. Please have a look at the complete programme below.
18th December 2020
On 16 December 2020, Antonius Schröder presented the project ESSA at steelTalks an event of the steeluniversity.
Please have a look on the presentation as well as the factsheet which were create for this occasion.
For more information on different steelTalks events, please visit this page.
31th August 2020
This label is given to the projects of the University of Deusto with highest social impact.
The Label Deusto Research Social Impact recognises research projects that demonstrate a potential social impact through:
the transforming action and social impact for the people, entities, the environment and the society in general in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, the European policy priorities and/or the Basque Country RIS3 Strategy (or other relevant policies linked to the main project theme);
the involvement, at different levels, of non-academic agents;
the project's contribution to the knowledge field beyond the scientific impact, giving evidence of adoption, uptake and exploitation of the results by the relevant stakeholders, and of dissemination of project results to the target group(s)
ESSA Midterm Conference
Steel as forerunner for the Triple Challenge - a green, digital and social transition. Shaping the future of the European Steel Industry


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This image was created by Rick Thompson and is available for purchase in a variety of sizes through IStock.
This large bud of marijuana is ready to harvest and its features stand out against the light and purple background. . Indoor gardens are the most common place for marijuana to be grown on a personal level. In medical marijuana states, patients often grow their own cannabis, even in locales where it violates the law. This vertical image has high resolution.
Click on the image to view it in greater detail, or to make a purchase.


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With WandaVision now in the rearview mirror, Marvel fans have turned their attention to the imminent premiere of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier this Friday. Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan reprise their roles as Sam Wilson (the Falcon) and Bucky Barnes (the Winter Soldier) for a series set after the events of Avengers: Endgame.
As we've reported previously, after the Avengers and their many allies finally defeated Thanos in Endgame, Steve Rogers/Captain America (Chris Evans) handed over his shield to Sam so he could take on the mantle. But will Sam accept it? That's a big part of what The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will explore over the course of its six episodes, and showrunner Malcolm Spellman has said the tone will be similar to Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Sam and Bucky will "team up on a global adventure that tests their abilities—and their patience." The primary villain will be Baron Helmut Zemo, a Sokovian colonel-turned-terrorist who is obsessed with defeating the Avengers, with Daniel Brühl reprising the role from Captain America: Civil War. Director Kari Skogland has said that his appearance in the series shows him "paying for his crimes" and "in a very sad place."
Emily VanCamp reprises her Civil War role as Sharon Carter, daughter of Steve Rogers' associate Peggy Carter. Don Cheadle will be making an appearance on the series as Rhodey/War Machine, and Georges St-Pierre is back as mercenary and kickboxing master Georges Batroc, whose last MCU appearance was in Winter Soldier. Wyatt Russell plays John F. Walker, who is the choice of the US government to be Captain America's successor. (Apparently, Walker thinks he's "a better embodiment of American values than Rogers." So he certainly doesn't lack confidence.)
The studio dropped an eye-popping, action-packed "first look" trailer for the series during Disney Investor day in December tha showcased the titular superheroes' buddy-cop vibe, trading barbs and wisecracks in between battling the bad guys. A second trailer last month gave us a split-second peek at Zemo's signature purple mask amidst all the action.
The final trailer opens with Sam practicing throwing Cap's old shield, telling Bucky that it "feels like it belongs to someone else." Both are clearly struggling with the burden of trying to live up to the legacy of Steve Rogers and what he represented to so many. Mackie has said that his character feels particular trepidation about taking up the shield: "How does a Black man represent a country that does not represent him?" As for Bucky, Stan has said his character in the series is "pretty lost and having an identity crisis again," struggling with a century of trauma and his own lingering dark nature.
"Symbols are nothing without the men and women that give them meaning," Sam says in a speech in honor of Rogers, while another scene features a politician insisting, "We need someone to inspire us again." Those hoping for a bit more Zemo will be disappointed; he is largely absent from this final trailer, as is Walker. But we do get a bit more footage of the "anarchist anti-patriotism group" called the Flag-Smashers, with Erin Kellerman playing one of the masked members, Karli Morgenthau. "We're never gonna stop. This world is ours," we hear her say over a montage of masked marauders robbing a bank and generally creating havoc. "There's no going back." Sam tries to tell her this doesn't need to be a war. But in Karli's eyes, "It already is."
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier debuts on Disney+ on March 19, 2021.
Listing image by YouTube/Marvel


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THE PHANTOM 'RICKSHAW AND OTHER GHOST STORIES pdf free download. One of the few advantages that India has over England is a great Knowability. After five years' service a man is directly or indirectly acquainted with the two or three hundred Civilians in his Province, all the Messes of ten or twelve Regiments and Batteries, and some fifteen hundred other people of the non-official caste. In ten years his knowledge should be doubled, and at the end of twenty he knows, or knows something about, every Englishman in the Empire, and may travel anywhere and everywhere without paying hotel-bills.
THE PHANTOM 'RICKSHAW AND OTHER GHOST STORIES pdf free download
Please make a comment if the link is not working for you.
I appreciate your valuable comments and suggestions. For more books please visit our site.


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Groningen have confirmed that defender Jeffrey Chabot has left the club to sign for Serie A side Sampdoria.
- Follow Football-Oranje on Twitter
The German centre-back joined Groningen a year-ago from Sparta Rotterdam and signed a four-year deal. However, Chabot has now departed for Serie A, signing for Sampdoria, who currently sit ninth in the table.
Groningen technical manager Mark-Jan Fledderus told the club's official website, "After moving from Sparta to Groningen, Jeffrey has developed strongly in a year. So good that a renowned Italian club is on his doorstep. On the one hand, it is a shame that Jeffrey has only a short period with us but on the other hand it shows that he has been in an environment where talent can develop quickly and well, resulting in this great transfer.We thank Jeffrey very much for his efforts at the club and wish him every success. in his further career. "
No transfer fee has been revealed yet but reports in Italy claim that Groningen will receive around €3 million.


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From Wikipedia: the book All Quiet on the Western Front describes the German soldiers' extreme physical and mental stress during the war, and the detachment from civilian life felt by many of these soldiers upon returning home from the front (WWI). If you are a fan of an AL East team, especially a team that is usually a mover and shaker during the early winter months, this offseason may be causing some physical and mental stress due to the inactivity and judging by my twitter feed Yankee and Red Sox fans are quite restless.
For the first time in a number of years every move that a team makes in the American League this winter isn't seen through the prism of "is it enough to catch the Yankees or Red Sox?" Kind of refreshing to think that as of now, in my opinion, the Yankees and Red Sox have to ask if they have enough to keep up with the Rays who finished the last two months of the regular season with a 35-20 record while scoring 4.6 runs per game. The end of 2011 also showed how explosive Matt Moore can be and the emergence of left fielder Desmond Jennings.
As we head into the holidays let's take a look at the moves that the other teams in the AL East have made. And since the free agent market and trade market has began to settle down the field of trade partners and the available free agents is beginning to become more into focus; therefore, predictions may become a little more on target.
Feel free to use this thread to post your thoughts on what the other teams in the AL East may do over the remaining month and a half of the offseason and how these moves may affect the Rays in 2012 as well as what moves you anticipate the Rays making via free agent signings or trades. Remember to hashtag your predictions in the comments section or on Twitter with #DRBPrediction if you want to be included in the official DRaysBay Prediction Tracking.
The Yankees big moves has bee the re-signing of CC Sabathia, who opted out of his contract, and Freddie Garcia. Neither move inspires the usual glitz and glamour of landing a big time free agent signing to catapult the team to certain World Series favorites.
BrandonC over at Pinstripealley asks: Does the New York Yankees Answer to their Rotation "Problem" Lie Within.
Richard Justice of mlb.com discusses the Yankees quiet offseason and suggests that this offseason may be an example of Brian Cashman exerting more control over the operations and viewing this as a transitional phase where the Yankees return to growing Yankees.
Jonah Keri has an outstanding piece at Grantland titled Counting Pennies and Clipping Coupons in the Bronx. It is a fantastic read and its final sentence wonders about how George would feel about all of this:
The New York Yankees have become more frugal than they have in years, with enough patience to make them baseball's most unlikely story of Zen. Wonder what George would say if he could see them now.
The Red Sox were stung early in the winter when closer Jonathon Papelbon jumped ship to head to the Philadelphia Phillies. In an effort to replace some of the back end bullpen depth the Sox dealt Kyle Weiland and Jed Lowrie to the Astros for reliever Mark Melancon. To add depth to the bench the Red Sox have signed Nick Punto and Kelly Shoppach. The Red Sox big move has been the re-signing of DH David Ortiz.
If any one area of the Red Sox could be pointed at as the reason for their late season collapse it would be the starting rotation. With the tumultuous end of the 2011 season and replacing of GM Theo Epstein with Ben Cherington and Manager Terry Francona with Bobby Valentine it would seem logical next step for the Red Sox would be to begin the process of filling out their rotation.
The Red Sox have only three starters returning from the 2011 team, Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Clay Buchholz. Thus far the Red Sox were unable to land Trevor Cahill or Gio Gonzalez, were not a big player in the C.J. Wilson talks, and didn't seem to be interested in Yu Darvish. The Red Sox could still land a starting pitcher such as Hiroki Kuroda, Edwin Jackson, or Roy Oswalt via free agency or could pick up a Wandy Rodriguez or Matt Garza in trade but the lack of addressing this area has been a mystery thus far.
Marc Normandin at OverTheMonster posted an open thread for the Red Sox fans to discuss their Starting Pitching Preferences. Alex Speir of WEEI discusses the transition of Daniel Bard and Alfredo Aceves from the bullpen to the rotation and discusses Why Red Sox Face a Complex Move.
The Blue Jays,as well as the Red Sox and Yankees, have been linked to brand name players like Carlos Beltran and Prince Fielder and were supposedly the runner up in the bid to land Japanese pitcher Yu Darvish but thus far have made very little moves. The Jays big move this offseason has been trading prospect Nestor Molina to the Chicago White Sox for closer in Sergio Santos.
Alex Anthopolous has been a very active GM during his tenure in Toronto. He has been able to turn over most of the roster including removing the albatross contracts of Vernon Wells and Alex Rios, he's added depth to the minor league system, and added Colby Rasmus at the trade deadline in 2011. The Blue Jays were unable to win the Yu Darvish posting, were unable to land Carlos Beltran, and were unwilling to match prospect packages for Mat Latos or Gio Gonzalez. The Blue Jays seem unwilling to go beyond 5 years in a contract offer which seems to take them out of the Prince Fielder negotiations so it appears as if the Blue Jays will not be making a big splash this offseason. Tom Dakers at BlueBirdBanter says:
Anyway, it got me thinking, do the Jays really need to make a 'big splash'? We've had a year of big moves. Marcum for Lawrie. Farquhar and Magunson for Davis. Wells for not having to pay Wells. Napoli for Francisco. Hill and McDonald for Johnson. A half dozen middle relievers for Rasmus.
They were all pretty big moves, but the Jays still have to "prove" to folks that they want to win. And they have to do it now. Right now. You'd think Alex would have built up a little good will in us by now. We could give him a bit of time. He does seem to know what he is doing.
This winter the Orioles have dipped into the international market by signing pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada and signed reserve outfielder Endy Chavez. They have also been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Prince Fielder and have been rumored to be in trade discussions with the Atlanta Braves centered around Adam Jones for some of the Braves pitching depth.
At the end of the winter the Orioles are often the team that has removed several older overpriced players with other older overpriced players. The result of constantly making these lateral moves has been 14 consecutive years finishing under the .500 mark. This winter the team has taken a risk in signing Wada but has resisted to be the early entrant for the older player that is on the market. Dan Duquette has taken over as the GM and along with Buck Showalter may have enough experience and stubbornness to convince owner Peter Angelos to allow them to build the Orioles in a slightly different manner.
Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun looks at the Orioles pursuit of Fielder and Edwin Jackson, is Adam Jones untouchable, and are Mark Reynolds and Jeremy Guthrie the best trade chips Baltimore has.


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James Clad served as a senior U.S. official in Iraq after Saddam Hussein fell. He draws lessons from the occupation in an interview.
A U.S. soldier stands in a convoy as smokes billows from a truck destroyed in Najaf, Iraq, 2 April 2003. (AP Photo/Jean-Marc Bouju)
James Clad had a front-row seat at the start of the allied occupation of Iraq in 2003.
As a senior U.S. Defense Department official, Clad arrived in Iraq with the first civilian occupation force in the spring of 2003, shortly after U.S.-led forces had toppled Saddam Hussein.
The invasion followed the 9/11 attacks on the United States, which claimed it had proof, later discredited, that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.
In an article in The National Interest magazine, Clad says the United States failed to capitalize on the "golden hour", a brief spell after victory when an invader can install a new, legitimate regime.
Clad is now writing a book on the subject.
A dual U.S.-New Zealand citizen, Clad served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia from 2007–09. Currently he is a News-Decoder correspondent and a senior adviser at CNA Corporation and IHS Jane's Defence.
Q: You are writing a book on the U.S.-led intervention in Iraq following 9/11. What is your basic thesis?
Clad: Intervention, and then occupation, is really hard. But it's been done in the past. The French routinely have led interventions in former colonies like Chad and the British in Sierra Leone. They made sure that the interventions were short term with limited objectives. The U.S.'s big mistake was to have a transcendent agenda — "We are going to remake this society."
Q: What were the main mistakes the U.S. forces made in Iraq?
Clad: Staying too long and not showing authority. Americans couldn't understand that people saw the new regime as another coup d'état. They had to get out. But that involved getting someone who knew the security system of Iraq and knew what needed to be done to keep the place tranquil. It could not be the instant democracy they wanted.
Get out fast, show authority, send a message to the occupied and forget about installing a Jeffersonian democracy. That's how I think it should have been done. The Iraqis were watching everything. They realized that we just didn't know what the hell we were doing.
Q: The Obama Administration's critics say it has been slow to react to events in Syria and Libya, and not stood up to Islamic State. Do you agree?
Clad: Obama is stuck with the consequences of this invasion, which continue to cascade through the region. Empowering a numerical majority, the Shia, who had not been in a position of power for a millennium helped create the basis for separatists and sectarians to thrive. All the overstay did was loosen the network of authority after a good start.
Q: The Middle East is engulfed in conflict now. Is this a product of the war in Iraq, or were the conflicts inevitable given the history of animosity between Shias and Sunnis?
Clad: About the Arab world, Tahseen Bashir, an Egyptian diplomat, said: "Tribes with flags." It sounds arrogant, but the Ottoman empire turns out to have been a good arrangement for groups that didn't fit easily within the nation state boundaries. In Syria, the Alaouites took over and made it safer for different confessions there, but that also laid the groundwork for real trouble. The Saudis, too, are responsible for so much because of their dreadful Wahabi missionary activity.
Q: Looking forward, what is the best way to achieve peace in Iraq and the Middle East?
Clad: Normalizing with Iran is important because we have more leverage for the application of our power and more equilibrium in the Gulf area. The comparative decline of American power is leading the U.S. to intervene less and work with others more behind the scenes.
Q: What are the lessons from the Iraq occupation for the candidates in the U.S. presidential election of 2016? And how might the election shape U.S. policy towards the region?
Clad: There are limits to our power, so the lessons are: work with others behind the scenes and don't have an absolutist thinking. Be realistic about the possibilities of change.
It's not about making a tough statement, it's about statecraft. We will have more of an influence from a distance. That's the case in Iraq, but also in Cuba.
(Correction: In an earlier version of this story, the first paragraph said Clad had a front-row seat at the start of the second Iraq war. That war started in March 2003, and Clad arrived in Iraq when the civilian occupation force took charge later that spring.)
(Interviewed by News-Decoder Assistant Editor Pauline Bock)
James Clad is a New Zealand-born lawyer who has worked as a foreign correspondent, professor and senior U.S. defense official. He was bureau chief in Kuala Lumpur, Manila and New Delhi for the Far Eastern Economic Review and covered war and conflict in Iran, Kashmir, Sri Lanka, Philippines and Afghanistan. He earned fellowships at Oxford and Harvard, worked as a professor at Georgetown University (1995–2002) and served as U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asia (2007–09). He has written three books on foreign policy and Asia.


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Here's the usual disclaimer: this unit was provided to me, for free, by VIRPIL. As with all my reviews, I will be completely unbiased and totally honest with both you and VIRPIL. If something is not right, I will call it. But if it is, I will say so as well.
Funny enough, one of the things I wish was better in a previous review was actually addressed by VIRPIL and it's a very strong point for this product!
Thank you very much once again to VIRPIL, of course.
Last year I have reviewed the VIRPIL VPC MongoosT-50CM2 , which behaved flawlessly, and I ended up rating it a 10/10. It's definitely a product I recommend to those that are looking for a modular solution where they can switch grips, bases, pedals, etc.
Near the end of that review, I wrote the following:
The only thing I would change? The ability to control friction so that the stick would say in the same position. It's not like the joystick is too loose. It's not. Surprisingly, because of the weight of the mechanism, it's not flimsy at all. But it could benefit from some friction tweaking to make it much better.
Almost (almost) perfect. For a joystick, of course.
Almost. I have been having conversations with VIRPIL about their gear and, regarding this base, I had told them exactly that, of course. I directed them to the aforementioned review and provided them with my direct feedback.
I had conversations with someone directly involved in the design of the products and they promised me something in the future.
Fast forward a bit over a year and VIRPIL released a new version of their base: the MongoosT-50CM3. And guess what?
VIRPIL added the feature I wanted to see in the base. Let me remind you of something else I have written in that previous review:
If VIRPIL makes it any better (like adding friction control) it will be odd to give it an 11
Am I in trouble?
Let's find out. First things first, as usual.
The VPC MongoosT-50CM3 is very similar to the CM2. It's an all-metal construction with a rubber sleeve to protect the joint between the actual stick base and the rest of the unit and a couple of rubber lids that protect the screws which allow you to adjust the X/Y axis.
There are also a couple of smaller holes to adjust the new system (I know you're excited to find out more about it – bear with me, please; we'll get there soon enough).
Those holes and the lack of a bracket system to mount on VIRPIL's mount systems are the only major differences between the units.
The lack of a bracket system doesn't mean you can't use a mount. You can still mount the stick by using VIRPIL's VPC Desk Mount , using an adapter, which you will have to select as you are purchasing the mounting unit.
The metal is finished in a beautiful matt black. The build quality is outstanding, and I want to use this as a decorative piece in my home.
What's in the box
The unit comes in a nice VIRPIL box, very well protected with everything we need to set our hardware up.
Inside 3 small plastic bags, we will find 2 sets of springs. The silver one (light) and the gold one (heavy) as the standard springs (black) come preinstalled in the joystick.
We also get 4 sets of cams (2 cams per set) and, again one of them is already preinstalled and 2 Allen keys, which we will need to open the unit and set up the spring/cam and the clutch.
Finally, we have the USB cable. This is not a standard cable, though. The end that connects to your computer is a standard USB plug but the end that connects to the base is an XS9 plug, which is used in aviation.
Installation and configuration
First, this:
Important note: if you have multiple VIRPIL controls, make sure you connect one at a time and set them up separately to prevent issues, conflicts or even damaging your controls.
You have been warned. Take care of your gear!
If you have read my previous reviews on VIRPIL hardware , you already know the drill.
Step one (after opening the boxes frantically and drooling over the beautiful black matt finish) is to download and install VIRPIL's VPS Software.
After that, you can connect the base to your computer. You will notice the base has 2 ports. One is the USB port, which connects to your computer and the other one is the AUX port.
The AUX port is useful if you have a VIRPIL control panel , for example. Instead of occupying 2 USB ports on your computer, you can connect the control panel to your base, via the AUX port and then connect the base to your computer.
Everything will be recognized, and you will be using a single port instead of 2.
After that, you can continue the process in the software where you'll have to indicate what are the base and grip models that you have. Once that's done, check for firmware updates.
There's a very high probability that there's an update for it, which I recommend you apply.
Once that's done, calibrate your axes and test everything out. The hardware itself will store its calibration settings internally so you will not have to have the software always running.
Let's dive into the juicy stuff now.
The new feature
As you go through the official features list, there's something that you may notice. I'll highlight it in bold:
- Perfect for Mounted Setups with Extensions
- Adjustable Axis Clutch Dampers
- Adjustable Axis Pre-Tensioners
- Swappable Springs and Cams
- Aircraft-Grade Duralumin Gimbal
- Compatible With All VIRPIL Grips and Thrustmaster Grips
- 10% Discount When Purchased with VPC Grip (applied at checkout)
Adjustable Axis Clutch Dampers. What's that? Glad you asked! You probably didn't ask, but I don't care and will tell you anyway.
I am going to risk and make this sound a bit more dumbed down than it probably is from an engineering perspective. An adjustable axis clutch damper, in very layman's terms, is a friction system.
Underwhelming, right? I tend to ruin stuff for people. Sorry!
Seriously, though, it's a system that allows you to control the internal friction of the X/Y axes of the base. By simply loosening or tightening a couple of small screws, you can decrease or increase the amount of friction on any of the 2 axes independently.
But let me take a small step back here and I'll get to this again.
Just like its older brother, the VPC MongoosT-50CM2 base, the new CM3 base allows you to change the springs and the cams so you can make the joystick lighter or heavier to move and with a more pronounced center point, up to no point at all, if you remove the cams altogether.
The same with the springs. You can remove cams and springs and the joystick will move freely and without any physical center. This, of course, makes it a lot easier to control your helicopter as you will need less force, and the stick won't "fall" into the center detent as you move around that point.
Operating the joystick will be much smoother and you will have more control over the helicopter, preventing overcontrol and a safer operation of the virtual machine.
And this is where I felt that something like a friction system could come in handy in the previous version, the CM2.
Which the CM3 now has!
You can take the springs out, get the cams out, and adjust the axis clutch damper so that you feel comfortable with how much force you need to apply. You can also prevent it from falling to the side.
Exactly what I wished VIRPIL would do.
Oh, and yes, you read it right: it is compatible with all VIRPIL AND Thrustmaster grips.
My testing setup
To test the base, I obviously had to use a grip. The grip I chose for my review was the VPC Constellation ALPHA Prime .
I chose this grip for two reasons: the first one was because I need to review it as well. So, expect that to happen sometime soon. The second reason was because of the weight.
The VPC Constellation ALPHA Prime is made of metal, therefore a bit heavier than some of its younger (and smaller) brothers. Since the joystick features the clutch system, I wanted to make sure it was able to cope with the weight.
On top of that, I also did my tests with the VPC Flightstick 200mm Extension , which also adds more weight to it.
The goal was to stress the base as much as I could in a realistic environment. I'll tell you my conclusions in the next section.
While this base is an update on the CM2, the only thing that I really find to be different is the new clutch system. Not to say this is a bad thing, though. The CM2 already performed amazingly well, and I was under control the whole time.
It's smooth, precise, and responsive and I was pretty comfortable with how it operates. For your reference, I tested with Aerofly FS4, ARMA3, DCS, MSFS, X-Plane without any issues.
The adjustable axis clutch damper adds a bit more to the stick. Some more moving parts have an influence on the way the stick moves and that can be good or bad, depending on the engineering solution used.
Although there were some other internal changes (the position of the screws is different in the CM3), everything else seems to be pretty much the same as with the CM2. I couldn't find any changes in how the base physically performs.
And even with the clutch system, it's impeccable. Movement is fluid and the adjustment of the clutch system is precise enough, at least for me. I could get it to a point where it was very comfortable and exactly the way how I use my regular/daily system.
Oh, and to be clear: you can loosen the clutch to a point where it's completely disabled, so the base will operate pretty much the same way as the CM2.
As for the added weight that I talk about in the previous section, I had no issues. The base handled it just fine and I didn't even have to tighten the clutch system that much.
I have to say that using the extension does make a difference, so if you are wondering if you should get it or not, my recommendation is for you to get it if you have room for it.
Honestly, if I could give it an 11/10 I would. And I would do that because the CM2 was a perfect 10/10.
You may be asking yourself why is it that I gave it a 10/10 to the CM2 since it was lacking a feature. The truth is: it wasn't.
VIRPIL didn't promise that the product would have that feature. The friction/clutch system was something I wish it had, but the VPC MongoosT-50CM2 delivered what it promised, with great quality and performance.
Now, while you may find this weird, being the CM3 is pretty similar to the CM2 but the clutch system didn't work properly, I would NOT give it a 10 since that was a promised feature and it would be lacking.
That's not the case.
The VIRPIL VPC MongoosT-50CM3 both promises AND delivers great quality and performance. I can't point out a single thing I don't like about it.
Oh boy, do I recommend it.
Should I upgrade to the CM3?
Ah. This is a tricky question.
Let's face it: these are not cheap bases. We're talking about a €329,95/US$369.95 upgrade. That's hefty, right? And for a single feature?
Well… I can understand that line of thought which is perfectly logical and valid. But you could probably sell your current base to someone else that doesn't fly helicopters, for example, and you'd save perhaps close to a couple hundred Euros/Dollars.
This is a "single-feature" that makes quite a huge difference. When I reviewed the K-51 damper for the VIRPIL rudder pedals , I mentioned that having a bit of friction, a bit of force actually helps you in preventing overcontrol of the helicopter and the same is true here.
Not to mention the stick won't fall to the side. You can leave it there if you need to change your hand's position. Not only that, but you also won't need to be constantly forcing your wrist and arm as you must hold the joystick.
Do I also recommend you upgrade? If you can afford it, definitely, yes.


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Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense claims Chinese bombers and fighters breached its airspace on September 19, 2020, entering the country's territory in a pincer movement and prompting Taiwan to scramble its own jets.
Two H-2 strategic bombers and one Y-8 transport plane, escorted by J-16 fighters, crossed the midline of the Taiwan Strait south of the island, while two J-16s and several more J-10s entered from the north. Meanwhile, two J-11 fighters breached the line in the middle, proceeding northwest within Taiwan's airspace and exiting it later. In total, 19 Chinese planes conducted the maneuvers, according to the Ministry.
Sep. 19, twelve J-16 fighters, two J-10 fighters, two J-11 fighters, two H-6 bombers and one Y-8 ASW crossed the midline of the #TaiwanStrait and entered #Taiwan's southwest ADIZ. #ROCAF scrambled fighters, and deployed air defense missile system to monitor the activities. pic.twitter.com/qqpdEQSLol
— Ministry of National Defense, R.O.C. (@MoNDefense) September 19, 2020
It was China's second incursion into Taiwan's airspace in two days, the previous one being conducted on September 18, 2020, when a group of no less than 18 Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwanese air space in a similar manner.
In both cases, fighter jets were scrambled, while missile defense systems held Chinese planes in their sights, according to Taiwan.
The incursions may have been prompted by a visit of the U.S. delegation, which was headed by Undersecretary of State Keith Kratch, the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in four decades. While defense or border disputes were not on the table during the visit, the region's pressing economic issues – including so-called "technology war" with Beijing – became the focus.
China does not recognize Taiwan's sovereignty, regularly conducting flights in what it considers its own territorial waters.


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In the security industry, there is so much emphasis on Windows server and workstation security with thousands of security products dedicated to finding vulnerabilities and hardening servers. A few products that we have in the market are Nessus, Nexpose, and OpenVAS, one may say they do support Linux and I agree entirely, but they are not that integrated for Linux systems.
To tackle that we have CISOFY's Lynis project. It is an open-source security tool that performs system hardening and compliance testing on Linux, macOS, or Unix-based operating systems. As per their official website, the typical use case for the project is Security auditing, Compliance testing (eg. PCI, HIPAA, Sox), Penetration Testing, Vulnerability Detection, and System hardening
The workings of these tools are described as such, Lynis scans target system tools and their libraries installed on the system and its scanning method is described as modular and opportunistic. Some of the benefits described on the website are that there are no external dependencies required to run the scan and it also does not require installation.
Let's look at the working of the Lynis typical scan:
- Initialization
- Perform basic checks, such as file ownership
- Determine operating system and tools
- Search for available software components
- Check the latest Lynis version
- Run enabled plugins
- Run security tests per category
- Perform execution of your custom tests (optional)
- Report status of security scan
Installation can be done by multiple methods but the recommended one is by using a git clone. Multiple methods for installation can be found in reference link 2. Now we should jump on the installation of Lynis:
- Go to /usr/local/ and do git clone
git clone https://github.com/CISOfy/lynis
- Change directory to lynis git folder
- To run a default scan run the following command
./lynis audit system
After running a default it will provide a very detailed result on warning and suggestions as follow:
Help Menu:
Some common parameters that are available are with Lynis are:
[ Lynis 3.0.8 ]
Lynis comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY. This is free software, and you are
welcome to redistribute it under the terms of the GNU General Public License.
See the LICENSE file for details about using this software.
2007-2021, CISOfy – https://cisofy.com/lynis/
Enterprise support available (compliance, plugins, interface and tools)
[+] Initializing program
Usage: lynis command [options]
audit system : Perform local security scan
audit system remote <host> : Remote security scan
audit dockerfile <file> : Analyze Dockerfile
show : Show all commands
show version : Show Lynis version
show help : Show help
update info : Show update details
Alternative system audit modes
–forensics : Perform forensics on a running or mounted system
–pentest : Non-privileged, show points of interest for pentesting
Layout options
–no-colors : Don't use colors in output
–quiet (-q) : No output
–reverse-colors : Optimize color display for light backgrounds
–reverse-colours : Optimize colour display for light backgrounds
Misc options
–debug : Debug logging to screen
–no-log : Don't create a log file
–profile <profile> : Scan the system with the given profile file
–view-manpage (–man) : View man page
–verbose : Show more details on screen
–version (-V) : Display version number and quit
–wait : Wait between a set of tests
–slow-warning <seconds> : Threshold for slow test warning in seconds (default 10)
Enterprise options
–plugindir <path> : Define path of available plugins
–upload : Upload data to central node
More options available. Run './lynis show options', or use the man page.


text:
Canada—The Carbon Impact Initiative
The United Nations Environmental has reported that buildings account for 40% of emissions as a result of the construction, operations and maintenance over the life of a building.
The Carbon Impact Initiative (CII) is an industry-wide effort by the EllisDon Corporation (a world leading construction/building firm) to contribute to a low-carbon economy in Canada by providing a strategic direction for future buildings and communities. To launch this initiative, EllisDon reached out to leading contributors in sustainable development and advanced energy technologies in the development of large-scale commercial buildings, energy, communications and infrastructure across Canada.
CII seeks to build and retrofit the next generation of buildings and infrastructure to surpass new performance standards; and, in doing so, design and promote an industry systems approach to offset the carbon footprint in currant building development, construction, and operations. It currently has 3 pilot projects and there are 15 others in the pipeline.
EllisDon created the CII as a means to engage market leaders across sectors in a response to new priorities. Industry will bear the brunt of the responsibility to meet Canada's commitment to the Paris Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% below 2005 levels in 2030.The public sector needs to rely on industry practices to guide development and carbon pricing. The Carbon Impact Intiative will make an important contribution to this effort.
Learn More about the CII Strategy
Largely adapted from http://lowcarbonagenda.ellisdon.com/actionplan.pdf and
The need for retrofits and net zero new building design http://policyoptions.irpp.org/magazines/march-2017/constructing-our-future-with-low-carbon-buildings/
What is needed next from the Pan-Canadian Framework http://climateactionnetwork.ca/2017/03/21/action-update-canadian-climate-policy-2/


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Saturday, November 22, 2014
I have been thinking lately about how the "median income" - a dollar amount representing a point at which the number of people earning above that amount equals the number of people earning below it- may not really be as representative of levels of wealth and poverty as would be the "average" income- the amount that is reached by adding up all the incomes and dividing the result by the number of people "earning" that income.
So I started by Googleing "average income in Hawai`i" and the results, only showed "median income." At first I thought of Googleing "no you idiot, I said AVERAGE" until I came across an article that reminded me that the "average" anything is also called the "mean."
Fair enough- I'm the idiot. So I Googled "mean income in Hawai`i" and without exception, I got a page of listings for "median" income.
Now I did get an occasional reference to "per capita income." But that isn't the mean income. Per capita would denote the total of all income made divided by the total number of all residents, including people like children, the unemployed or others with zero income.
The problem with "median income," which, according to Wikipedia, was $68,020 in 2013 in Hawai`i, is that the dollar amounts above the median could conceivably, for argument sake, "average," $300,000 per year while the mean for those below it could average only $25,000 a year.
Meaning that the rich are a lot richer and the poor are a lot poorer than the $68,020 median- which seems pretty high to begin with- would seem to indicate to statistically-challenged idiots like me.
Based on nothing but noting the poverty of the regular working people I know who make $8-12 an hour and the relative apparent opulence of those who live in million dollar homes or half-million dollar Honolulu high rise condos I get the feeling that - surprise surprise- "median income" statistics are either lies or damnable lies.
Even at the $12 an hour rate, for a 40 hour work week that comes out to just a smidgeon under $25,000 a year. At $10/hr it's just under $21,000.
Is there a research/data/ statistical genius out there who can figure out the "mean" income for those above and below the median income. I have gone to the US Census and they don't even have "mean" just "per capita" and "median."
I started a math major in college but I never claimed to be any good at arithmetic. I remain your humble numerical idiot.
4 comments:
- Andrew Cooper said...
The formulae for mean and median are in any statistics book, or on Wikipedia. They will come out fairly close to the same unless there is a really bad skew to the data. What you are looking for?
What you need is the raw data or something close. Then you can calculate mean, median, or better yet create some sort of distribution plot. Raw data from several decades would allow you to see how the distribution is changing, even more interesting. Finding the raw data is the job of a journalist;) - November 22, 2014 at 4:53 PM
- SMelman said...
Andy, I think median income is more revealing than mean income. Andrew Cooper, there IS a "really bad skew to the data," but most people assume the two averages would be close. I am in rush this morning, so cannot provide you folks with the numbers.
I think you know Bill Boyd, the economist, from FB? Despite his sometimes very wrongheaded ideas, like fanatical support for the Mufi Train and uncritical support for GMOs, he is actually very smart and well-informed, within certain narrow parameters.
He is very knowledgable with the Hawaii income data. Dept of Labor often relies upon his data, but you might be able to find the data on their website as well.
The US compares fairly well with other OECD countries when you look at mean income. But not when you look at median income. This is because mean income hides the growing inequality, wherein the rich are getting richer, the middle and working class are getting poorer. So overall income is climbing slightly on a per capita (or mean) basis. But because 90 of those increases have gone to the richest people at the top, it is perfectly possible for "per capita" income to rise while a majority of people have experienced a decline. Median income reveals that. Mean income conceals it. - November 23, 2014 at 9:28 AM
- Andy Parx said...
Thanks- I got a hold of the Hawaii info from DBEDT. Someone tagged Bill on FB discussion. I rather think it's the median that skews the gap- being lower the mean is closer to being realistic. Neither is good indicator but I have thee feeling that dividing the it into two groups of means, one below and one above the median it would show wheree the discrepancies are.
- November 23, 2014 at 10:19 AM
- Loren said...
Hi Andy, I found this data broken down by state at Census web site; it does take configuring what you want to get the data. http://www.census.gov/cps/data/cpstablecreator.html
For 2013 Household Income in Hawaii, there are 459K households: mean is $79,046 and median is $60,866.
The top bracket is most interesting - $100,000 and over - with 131K households: mean $165,051, median $144,055.
You can see a copy of the full dataset at http://slashmisc.blogspot.com/2014/12/hi-med-mean.html or play with the census.gov link above.
Is this the data you wanted? (If not let me know what you want to see.)
A few comments … the US Census should not cut off brackets at $100, that's way too low as over one quarter of households get lumped up in it.
We know that "the top 1%" will always be way way above everyone else so they always pull up the mean much faster than they (counting as one data point) do the median.
For privacy reasons the government will not publish the raw individual income amounts, but that is what you need to accurately compute mean and median. From these brackets one can estimate and come close but not exactly deduce it.
I would say that a distribution chart of income brackets (with more brackets going higher) is really the best way to visualize the data.
- December 1, 2014 at 4:36 PM


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St Thomas' News
26 March 2021
St Thomas' Primary School is part of a faith community centred on the life of Jesus, as expressed in our Motto, 'Together in Christ'
Our Vision is to 'Educate the Whole Child' and empower learners as global citizens, to be curious, collaborative, creative and critical thinkers, inspired by Christ.
Important Dates
Wednesday 31 March - Stations of the Cross 9am - Parents welcome
Thursday 1 April - Interschool Swimming Carnival - Years 3-6
Thursday 1 April - Last day of term for students
Monday 19 April - Pupil Free Day
Tuesday 20 April - Students commence back at school
11 -21 May - NAPLAN Years 3 & 5
Palm Sunday: Hosanna to the King of Kings
Lord, we pray for all who are preparing to celebrate the Easter
sacraments, that they may enter more deeply into the mystery
of God's unconditional love through the celebrations of Holy Week.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord
Dear Parents and Friends
Thank you for attending parent/teacher interviews this week. Communication is important and we recognise the important role that parents play in encouraging and motivating children to learn. We are keen to work in partnership with you to educate your child in a Christ centred, child focused environment. Please feel free to contact your class teacher if you wish to discuss your child's progress as we journey through the school year.
Harmony Day
It was wonderful to see so many students and staff wearing orange or cultural dress on Harmony Day. Harmony Day celebrations commenced with a prayer service acknowledging that 'Everyone Belongs'. A beautiful song sung by the Choir students 'I am the Earth' and activities with our buddies, was topped off by a 'A taste of Italy' provided by our P & F and Nonno Joe playing his accordion. A big thank you to Bianca Della Vedova, our P & F President, and her wonderful team, for their contributions, and to all our staff for organising the events on the day.
A big thank you to the P & F Team, Mrs Gibbs, Year 6 parents, and all the parent helpers for organising the Disco last Friday evening. Students had an amazing time! DJ Shaun organized games throughout each session, and it was lovely to see Jewel Grosse (Year 6) amaze us with her DJ skills during the Year 3-6 session under the mentorship of DJ Shaun.
Kindergarten 2022 – Applications are now due
Enrolments are now being taken for siblings and new students wishing to commence Kindergarten at St Thomas' in 2022. Families with children eligible for Kindergarten 2022 (born from July 2017-June 2018) are required to fill out a St Thomas' Primary School Enrolment Form.
St Thomas' will continue to operate a three day program next year with the days of attendance being Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Kindergarten places are limited, so it is important that parents within the St Thomas' Primary School community submit their applications as soon as possible. Forms can be obtained from the office or by accessing the following link.
Mobile Phone Policy
Mobile phones and wearable devices are allowed on premises, but strict rules apply to their usage. Students will require permission from parents to bring a mobile phone to school. Our school Mobile Phone Policy for students may be accessed along with the permission form on the school website.
Link to Permission Form Student-Mobile-Phone-Permission-Form-2021-docx.pdf
Uniform Policy
Students in Years 1-6 will be wearing their winter uniform when they return after the school holidays. A reminder that jewellery and nail polish are not to be worn at school and students are required to tie back their hair if it is too long. Uniform requirements are outlined in our uniform policy on the website.
Holy Week
As we approach Easter, the most important festival in the Christian calendar, we are reminded of God's sacrifice of his son, and also God's love for his people. Holy Week prayer at St Thomas' Primary will include a 'Journey to Cross' sequence of prayers telling the Easter Story. On Wednesday, the Year 5 students will lead us in the Stations of the Cross. Parents are welcome to join us at 9am on Wednesday outside the hall for this liturgy.
Interschool Swimming Carnival
Wishing our Year 3-6 students all the very best in the Interschool Swimming Carnival next Thursday 1 April.
Term 2
Have a joyous Easter and a safe and restful holiday break. We look forward to seeing all of our students return to school on Tuesday 20 April in their winter uniform.
May God bless you and your family
Natalia Thomson
Congratulations to our Merit Award Winners
Congratulations to our Swimming Carnival Record Holders
Announcing the Performing Arts Captains for 2021!
Drama Club Captain- Archie R
Drama Club Vice Captain- Matilda G
Choir Captain- Maddison Z
Choir Vice Captain- Lauren S
Elected by their peers, these amazing year 6 arts leaders will be kept busy assisting with drama club and choir over the following months as the teams are working hard to prepare for the 2021 Catholic Performing Arts Festival. Applications for the 32nd Catholic Performing Festival have now opened and St Thomas Students will represent their school in Bible Reading, Solo Instrumental, Sacred and Choral Choir, Short Play, Monologue and Duologue Drama categories. An estimated 20000 students from 163 Catholic Schools across Western Australia will take part in this years festival hosted by a variety of venues across Perth throughout term 3. The festival offers our students not only the opportunity to perform in front of a live audience but also to participate with other like minded students who share a passionate for the arts. Further information regarding events will be forwarded to participants early in term 2.
Synergy Solar Car Challenge
Feast of St Joseph
This year Pope Francis has proclaimed as the 'Year of St Joseph.' In his letter 'With A Father's Heart' Pope Francis describes St Joseph as a father who is much loved and loving, tender, obedient, accepting, creatively courageous, working and caring.
We recognise the attributes of St Joseph and the very special role that he had in the Holy Family as the father of Jesus and the husband of Mary. As a school we acknowledged the Feast of St Joseph with whole school prayer on Friday 19 March.
Prayer for St Joseph
You were receptive to God working in your life
You kept Jesus and Mary in your care
You taught Jesus your trade and prayers
You said 'Yes' to God's plan and spent your life serving others.
May we be strengthened by your life of faithfulness and love and follow your example.
Curriculum Corner
At St Thomas' we identify that building strong oral language skills will assist a child in becoming a successful reader, a strong communicator, as well as increasing their confidence and overall sense of well-being. The ability to use oral language effectively will contribute towards a child's ability to learn and progress, build relationships and achieve academic success. Below are some ideas that parents can do at home to build their child's oral language skills at home:
· Children learn what they hear: Repeated exposure to words, books, and conversation allows a child to learn new words and develop strong oral language skills.
· Children learn words for things and events that interest them: Talk about what your child is interested in and showing curiosity in. Children will learn more when they are interested.
· Children learn best when they are engaged and interacting: Talk with your child rather than at them, expand on what your child says, comment on what your child is interested in and ask lots of questions.
· Children learn best in meaningful contexts: Play and engage with your child. This will allow greater learning opportunities.
· Children need to hear a wide range of examples of words and language structures: Talk with your child about lots of topics, read a wide range of books, sing songs and rhymes. Quality is important, not quantity.
St Thomas' Chess Club
Sport News
Tennis and Cricket Carnival – Friday 26th March
Wishing our Year 5 and 6 students all the best on Friday at this year's Tennis and Cricket carnival. Thank you to the parent volunteers and staff who will be accompanying the teams on the day.
Cricket games will be held at Abbett park Scarborough and the Tennis games at Scarborough Tennis club (next door to Abbett Park). All parents and friends are welcome to attend.
Interschool Swimming Carnival – Thursday 1st April
Next Thursday, selected students in Years 3-6 will be representing the school at the Catholic Primary School Interschool swimming carnival. This will be held at HBF stadium from 9.30am – 2.30pm. All parents and friends are welcome at attend with an entry fee of $2.60. Students will need to wear St Thomas school bathers and the school will provide the swimming caps and an Interschool Top to wear on the day.
Good luck to everyone involved.
Mrs Sharon Seaman
Physical Education Teacher
Parents & Friends (P & F) News
The P&F was delighted to provide our St Thomas children with a "taste of Italy" to celebrate Harmony Day. We hope all our children enjoyed their fresh, locally made gelato to the sound of some traditional Italian music. Thank you to Mel Trend and Celeste Hartfield for your bellissimo gelato service.
Friday night saw our School Hall transform to an ocean cave under the sea full of mermaids, pirates, life savers and beach goers at our Oceans Disco!
Many thanks to the P&F Exec and the exceptional team of parent volunteers who worked tirelessly to ensure the Hall was superbly set up (and cleaned up!), the sausages were sizzling and served and a fun and safe night was had by all, and to our wonderful teachers who helped parents supervise the event.
Special thanks to Mrs Lila Gibbs and the Year 6 Class Reps Linda Foot, Ash Warren and Caroline Rubina Acuna for their hard work in helping organise the event. A big thank you to Party Town in Claremont and Northern Star Seafood who generously donated some under the sea decorations to help transform our hall. We are grateful to have such generous support from a local business in our community.
Thank you to everyone who completed our P&F Survey. It has given us great insight into our community's views. Thank you to Mel Di Latte for her efforts in facilitating this survey. We're looking forward to implementing your ideas and actioning your feedback.To begin we are excited to share that we'll be organizing a Parent Quiz Night in Term 2, Family Busy Bee in Term 3 and a community event in Term 4, so stay tuned for further details.
All P&F events and initiatives bring our community together and not only create fun and special memories for our kids, but enable us to financially support projects and initiatives that benefit our kids and our school. Many hands make light work so keep an eye out for ways in which you can get involved - we'd love to have you on board.
Wishing you and your family a happy and safe Easter holiday.
Warm regards
Bianca Della Vedova
St Thomas P&F President
2021 Term Dates for Students
Monday 1 February to Thursday 1 April
Term 2
Tuesday 20 April to Friday 2 July
Term 3
Tuesday 20 July to Thursday 23 September
Term 4
Tuesday 12 October to Friday 10 December
Pupil Free Days
Monday 19 April
Friday 4 June
Monday 19 July
Friday 24 September
Monday 11 October
These April school holidays METRONET will have a full-scale model on display at Yagan Square, giving people an early opportunity to see inside Perth's new C-Series trains.
METRONET would like to invite you to attend the free family-friendly event from Saturday, 3 April to Sunday, 18 April between 9am and 5pm.
Visitors can walk through the carriage and along with the railcar, there is a 1:50 scale model on display, and kids can get involved with a scavenger hunt.
Thursday mornings between 9am-10am are reserved for Quiet Hour, where the display will be low sensory to cater for those who prefer to experience the train in this environment.
Walk-ins will be welcome and families wanting to skip the queue will be able to register for free VIP tickets at www.metronet.wa.gov.au/all-aboard.
As the biggest railcar order in the state's history, the METRONET Railcar Program will deliver 246 new C-series railcars to Perth's rail network.
The trains will service an increased demand from METRONET projects and replace the A-series trains that currently operate on the Armadale/Thornlie, Fremantle and Midland lines.
Find out more about the Railcar Program and METRONET at www.metronet.wa.gov.au.
Term 2 Enrolments
This term the Year 3-6 students had the privilege of having Daniel Fan (Australian Badminton player) come in and teach Badminton skills.
For those who would like to further their Badminton skills, Nick Kidd Badminton Academy are taking term 2 enrolments now! (Enrolment closes on the 4th of April)
Please follow the link https://linktr.ee/NKBAcademy
Years 3-4 will enrol into "Little smashers"
Years 5-6 will enrol into "Foundations"
Please email the completed form along with *completed screening with coach Dan
Keyed Up Music Lessons
Keyed Up Music Lessons
Keyed Up Music will be teaching keyboard and drums group lessons next term on Thursday and Friday during school. Lessons start from $18.65 for a group of 4 per lesson. If you are interested in your son / daughter learning an instrument, ring Savanna on 1300 366 243 or enrol at www.keyedupmusic.com.au/enrolment_form
St Thomas' Primary School
Email: email@example.com
Website: stthomas.wa.edu.au
Location: 8 Warden Street Claremont WA 6010
Phone: (08 9286 9500
Facebook: www.facebook.com/stthomasprimaryschoolclaremont
Twitter: @StThomasCPS


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Thank you for being part of our journey.
Kathleen Biggins, Founder
C-Change Conversations
This Gives Us Hope
The Great Green Wall of Africa is a 10-mile wide, 4,000-mile long greenbelt designed to stop desertification around the Sahara. As trees grow, they change the weather patterns, enhancing rainfall. By encouraging the planting of drought-resistant species and garnering support from local farmers and herders, policy leaders hope to contain the desert, which is expanding due to climate change, deforestation, and overgrazing. Learn more.
Did You Know?
Did you know revitalizing nature is often the most economically efficient way to fight climate change? Improving our land use approaches (such as using regenerative agriculture practices), encouraging mangroves on shorelines, protecting peat and wetlands, and reforestation could absorb up to 30% of excess carbon by 2030.
Tips for Taking Action
- Talk about your climate change concerns with family and friends. The Nature Conservancy offers a how-to guide with 4 simple tips to get the conversation started. Check out and share the organization's funny video, too!
- Holiday travel is right around the corner. Why not offset the carbon you release while flying or driving? Learn more.
- This fun and informative quiz tests your knowledge about what can be done to fight climate change. Take the quiz.
Notable Quote
"Climate change is by far the most formidable, catastrophic, and certain risk to our economic security and social stability."
Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson
Bloomberg Global Business Forum
September 25, 2019


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Tax | Band 1
What the team is known for
Preeminent tax boutique highly regarded for both tax advice and litigation. Diverse practice covering disputes with the tax authorities, customs, indirect tax and transfer pricing. Also active on criminal proceedings.
Strengths (Quotes mainly from clients)
"A client-oriented and progressive firm that provides top-quality service. The team shows business acumen and industry knowledge."
"Great experience in tax cases – very creative and always trying to find new solutions."
"Excellent in both tax and dispute resolution."
Work highlights
Advises several multinational companies, including Coca-Cola Hellenic Ukraine, Monsanto and Kuehne + Nagel, on transfer pricing matters, alongside representation in transfer pricing disputes with the tax authorities.
Notable practitioners
Alexander Minin is widely recognised for his exceptional expertise in tax matters, with one source commenting: "I have very deep respect for him – he is one of the brightest tax practitioners." Clients also value his impressive expertise: "He has very great knowledge and knows everything about taxes; he can answer questions without any preparation."
Alexander Shemiatkin represents clients in disputes with tax and customs authorities. He is valued by clients for his ability to "give very useful advice – I really like his decision-making skills and he is brilliant in coming up quickly with a solution."
Ivan Shynkarenko has a wide range of industry expertise. One source singles him out as "an expert in customs issues and transfer pricing."
Significant clients
Bunge, Louis Dreyfus Commodities, IDS, Cargill, Noble Resources.
For details please follow the link: Chambers Europe 2015.


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Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn has expressed her frustration that mental health target times within Emergency Departments missed for every one in five people.
Órlaithí Flynn said:
"Those seeking emergency help for their mental health are clearly in a place of emotional crisis.
"Getting the right service at the right time is critical.
"Unfortunately, there will be many people and families who will only know too well the impact and distress caused by delays in not being seen, especially within busy and crowded Emergency Departments.
"However, there is hope with the development of transformational projects such as the street triage service and the crisis centres.
"The rollout of the street triage services will greatly improve the ability to provide the right support at the right time for those in crisis.
"The review of mental health crisis services is due to be completed in April and I would encourage the Minister of Health to commit to increasing access and funding for crisis services, following the review."


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I'd do nothing but reading if I could (ok, maybe eat some great food, buy some fancy shoes between two books...oh, and spend some quality time with the gorgeous guy I married while I am on reading-break anyway...)
Plus a lot of lusting after each other.
There was no real characterization, some insta-relationship and no certain feel of certain time and place.
I really, really miss Georgette Heyer.


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alan little's weblog
a picture a week (6)
25th March 2006 permanent link
from a castle window
Photos of Mad King Ludwig of Bavaria's castle at Neuschwanstein are an appalling tourist cliché and could not therefore possibly qualify for A Photo A Week. Photos of the view from Neuschwanstein are ok though.
It's astonishing what modern cameras and lenses are capable of. The tree in that picture is well over half a mile away. Here's what it looks like in the full size image (unsharpened on the left, and on the right with Photoshop Smart Sharpening applied):
Those fence posts underneath the tree that you can barely see? At 100% you can clearly see the wire:
Holy Shit. That wire, remember, is well over half a mile away.
And this with the Nikon gear I can afford, which is very good but not quite the absolute best: a D200 with the 180mm f2.8 lens. A similar but truly state of the art setup – the D2X with the 200mm f2 – might produce just-about-perceptibly better results, but at over four times the price I'd be well into diminishing returns for the extra money.
related entries: Photography
all text and images © 2003–2008


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Friday, May 11, 2007
Piecemeal Verdicts Delivered In The Strange Case Of Howard Morgan
I've never taken sides other than to suggest reasonable doubt or proof beyond a reasonable doubt should rule here rather than emotions. It looks like things are going well for the defense. If Morgan is guilty and skates on all charges he paid a severe penalty by being horribly wounded, jailed, bankrupted and vilified. If Morgan is truly innocent he will never be made whole by any amount of money.
Partial or piecemeal verdicts are rare in that they usually stay sealed until the whole enchilada, is returned by the jury. I can only hope this verdict is fair and just for all.
read More here and here.
1 comment:
I spent several days watching the trial and talking with other observers. I will share my thoughts.
While the jury was deliberating the final counts, we were puzzled as to how he could be found not guilty of aggravated battery with a firearm and be found guilty of murder.
In the end, they were deadlocked,
and found him neither guilty nor not guilty of the attempted murder charges.
My take on that--Gallup polls show the police rank very high on scales of trustworthiness, so apparently some (two) of the jurors found it hard to disbelieve the police testimony.
As to why this strange event happened in the first place--the police officers were very young, inexperienced, and at least one (who admitted to being the first officer to fire) was from Virginia. One police officer present commented that these young
cops from non-urban areas are not ready for the west side of Chicago,
and,consequently overreacted (to put it mildly) when they saw Mr. Morgan's gun.
The charges against Mr. Morgan stem from the police need to justify their shooting.
Difficulties in figuring out what really happened stem from the fact that the the police investigation was poor-- they did not test for powder residue on Mr. Morgan's hands, and destroyed his van which might have shed some light on things. Each must decide for him/herself whether the sloopy investigation was normal for the
department, or was done that way for a reason.
We need good investigation on all cases. - May 13, 2007 9:11 PM


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Lawmakers delay train safety system for 3 more years
Legislators have postponed a mandate to install new brake systems in trains across the country.
The House is in the process of passing a bill that delays the installation for another three to five years.
Installing the brakes would automatically slow or stop trains that are in danger of colliding or derailing due to excessive speed, reports say.
The technology, known as "positive train control," would have prevented 145 rail accidents since 1969, and federal accident investigators say the deadly Amtrak derailment in Philadelphia last May is one of those.
Seven people were killed in the crash, including Derrick Griffith, a Bronx native and beloved Brooklyn dean.
The braking system could have also assisted in the Metro-North derailment that happened in December 2013 in the Bronx. The crash killed four passengers when officials say a conductor "nodded off" at the wheel.
Reports claim freight and commuter rail lines say they would face a shutdown at the end of the year unless the mandate was granted, they estimate it would be a $30 billion blow to the economy.


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The Dodgers' blockbuster acquisition of Max Scherzer and Trea Turner was the biggest news of deadline season, though Los Angeles wasn't the only NL West power looking to land that same duo from the Nationals. The Padres were reportedly close to getting Scherzer, and FanSided's Robert Murray writes that San Diego also had "strong interest" in obtaining Turner.
Despite all these talks, there still seemed to be some distance between the Padres and Nationals in talks. Murray writes that "a deal was never close" for Turner, while even the Scherzer negotiations were described by one Washington source as "general back and forth."
MLB Network's Jon Heyman shed some more light on the Padres/Nationals talks, reporting that the Padres "floated a serious package" for both Scherzer and Turner, "with the idea of offering even more if Nats came back to them." Washington apparently didn't check back in with the Padres, instead taking the Dodgers' offer of Keibert Ruiz, Josiah Gray, Gerardo Carrillo, and Donovan Casey. As a counter to Ruiz, San Diego's offer might have also included a top-tier catching prospect, as Heyman says the Padres and Nationals discussed Luis Campusano.
Had Turner landed in San Diego, the initial plan likely would have been to install him at second base, just as the Dodgers did in order to fit both Turner and incumbent star shortstop Corey Seager into the same lineup. Turner and Fernando Tatis Jr. would have formed quite a combo up the middle for the Padres, though Turner would have ended up playing shortstop anyway, if Tatis had also re-injured his shoulder in this alternate reality. Turner might have also been the shortstop anyway, had a healthy Tatis instead been moved to the outfield in order to help preserve his shoulder.
Should Scherzer and Turner help the Dodgers win this year (or in 2022 when Turner will still be under contract), Padres fans will look back on this missed trade with regret, though of course it isn't known exactly what the Nationals would have demanded from San Diego. The Dodgers and Padres are currently on pace to meet in the NL wild card game, with Los Angeles holding a three-game lead over San Diego in the standings. The Padres also have to worry about the surging Reds, who have moved to 3.5 games back of that second wild card berth.


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Mkomazi National Park
Set below the verdant slopes of the spectacular Usambara and Pare Eastern Arc Mountain Ranges and overseen by the iconic snow-capped peak of Kilimanjaro.
Mkomazi is a breathtaking virgin beauty exhibiting unique natural treasures and an immense sense of space – which adds to the fulfillment of high visitor's enjoyment expectations – a much-needed bridge between northern circuit and coastal attractions.
Every day, thousands of people pass within a few kilometers of Mkomazi on one of Tanzania's busiest highways. These and the northern circuit safari–goers are now most welcomed to discover the treasures of this wedge of hilly semi-arid savannah – home of large herds of giraffe, eland, hartebeest, zebra, buffalo, and elephant.
Mkomazi is a vital refuge for two highly endangered species, the charismatic black rhino and the sociable African wild dog, which were successfully introduced in the 1990s. Nomadic by nature, you might see wild dogs almost anywhere in the Park; however, the black rhino is restricted to a fenced sanctuary, ensuring their safekeeping for the enjoyment and prosperity of future generations.
Mkomazi supports several dry–country specialist species rare elsewhere in Tanzania; these include the spectacular fringe-eared oryx, with its long back–sweeping horns, and the handsome spiral-horned lesser kudu. Oddest of all is the gerenuk, a gazelle distinguished by its slender neck, bizarre alien-like head, and having the habit of standing tall on its hind legs as it stretches for acacia leaves that other browsers cannot reach.
A game reserve since 1951, this new National Park takes its name from a word from Pare tribe denoting "scoop of water," referring to little water. It is a fantastic destination for birdwatchers, with more than 450 avian species recorded; among them are the dry–country endemics such as the cobalt–chested vulturine guinea-fowl.
Large ground birds such as ostrich, kori bustard, secretary bird, ground hornbill, migratory species, including the Eurasian roller.
Location: Northern Tanzania split between Kilimanjaro and Tanga administrative regions. The park borders on the west, the Tsavo National Park in Kenya. The Zange entrance gate lies 112 km (69 miles) from Moshi, 550 km (341 miles) from Mwalimu J. K. Nyerere International Airport – Dar es Salaam, 142 km (88.7 miles) from Kilimanjaro International Airport, 120 km (75 miles) from Kilimanjaro National Park and 6 km (3.7 miles) from the town of Same.
How to get there
By road, Mkomazi is easily accessible via Same, which lies on the surfaced highway connecting Arusha to Dar es Salaam. The Park is also easily accessible on special arrangements through Njiro, Kivingo, and Umba gates. You can easily access the Park from the nearby tourist attractions in the Eastern Arc Mountains, The Coast, and Kilimanjaro Mountain. Charter flights are available to Kisima airstrip.
What to do
Game drives, camping, site seeing, bird watching, walking safari, and hiking (uphill). Learn more about conservation and rhinoceros at Mkomazi rhino sanctuary.


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Are you a gym-going cardio fan who is looking for a small and sleek fitness tracker? If yes, Fitbit Luxe Tracker is the perfect pick for you. Let us find out how.
Are you looking for a smart band that may be a perfect fitness tracker as well as a beautiful look? If it is so, the Fitbit Luxe Tracker may be the right choice for you.
If we tell you to envision a fitness tracker on any random person's wrist, what would your imaginary fitness tracker look like?
We know you will imagine it as a plastic or metal rectangle that is attached to some nylon or silicone strap. Right?
Of course, you are right. It is because, for years, the fitness tracker looked the same as it. But the matter of the Fitbit Luxe Tracker is different. With this smart band, Fitbit is trying to step up its fashion game.
The Fitbit Luxe Tracker is not only a smart fitness tracker but also it is so slim and beautiful in a look that it could even pass for jewelry.
Read Also
Best Fitness Tracker Under Rs 5000
Best Smartwatches Under Rs 20000
Let us go on to know more about this product's pros, cons, specifications, and features.
Pros and Cons:
Positives | Negatives |
Attractive Sleek design | No in-built GPS |
Bright and crisp AMOLED display | SpO2 monitor not yet activated |
Lightweight | Small screen, a bit difficult to read |
Comfortable | Proprietary charger |
Key Specification:
Display | 0.76-inch AMOLED |
Length | 36.30 mm |
Height | 10.05 mm |
Width | 17.6 mm |
Display Size | 9.672 mm * 16.068 mm |
Color | Black, White, and Stainless Steel |
Material | Stainless Steel |
Water-Resistant | Yes |
Touch Enabled | Yes |
Function | Fitness tracking, health monitoring, and sleep monitoring |
We have let you know about the pros, cons, and key specifications of the product.
Let us now look at a few vital features of this device.
Fitbit Luxe Tracker Features:
- The Luxe is one of the smallest fitness trackers that Fitbit has launched.
- The best thing about this product is its slimline design.
- They have followed Biologic Industrial Design Language, followed by its predecessors such as the Fitbit Inspire 2, Versa 3, and Sense.
- In Fitbit Luxe Tracker, stainless steel has been used for its case, which is matched by a stainless steel buckle. It gives the Luxe a smarter look.
- There are two band options that you will get with the Luxe – Silicon band or gold-toned stainless steel.
- If you have used a Fitbit fitness tracker before, you must be aware of the overall experience.
- The impressive thing about Luxe is it is simple to use. Its interface is user-friendly, so you can track activity and wellbeing easily and in a simple way.
- This product is excellent for heart rate monitoring. It helps to estimate the calorie burn.
- It tracks the stage of your sleep. A user can know about how light or deep sleep he takes. And, with the help of the Fitbit app, he can improve his sleep quality.
- Luxe tracks the oxygen level in your blood. It helps you to get indications pertaining to the important changes in your health.
- Luxe is powered by 20 exercise modes.
- Fitbit is careful enough for women. With the help of the Fitbit app, Luxe keeps on menstrual health tracking. It helps women to log out periods, track ovulation, and much more.
- Another best thing about this device is it can detect some exercise types and start monitoring them with the help of SmartTrack.
- With the help of an in-app stress management tool, it helps the user in stress management. It tracks the signs of stress appearing in the user and on basis of these signs it gives scores from 1 to 100.
Thus the user comes to about the level of stress he is undergoing.
- Since your Luxe Tracker is connected with your smartphone, you can get calls and notifications on it.
- To get protection from water Luxe is water-resistant up to 50 meters.
- Also, when you are swimming it will track you and tell you how long you have been swimming.
- If we talk about the power back up, it is able to work without stopping for 5 days after a single charge.
- The only downside of Luxe is outdoor run tracking is not perfect.
Companion App:
Nowadays, there are thousands of fitness trackers of different companies available in the market. However, the good thing that sets Fitbit apart from others is its very well-designed and developed smartphone app.
Its app is simple, clear, and hassle-free to use.
The companion App of this fitness tracker collects data from all your Fitbit devices in one place. In short, it will help you to know how changes to your lifestyle have affected your body over time.
To Wrap Up:
Indeed, fitness wristbands have revolutionized the field of health and wellness. With its help, you can keep an eye on fitness factors like your heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen level, etc at all times.
This helps you to maintain your health. Not only this, but by this, you can also improve the quality of your sleep. Overall, with the help of a fitness tracker, you keep track of your fitness at all times.
Now the question is of quality. That is why it is important that you take a fitness tracker that meets the standards of quality.
The Fitbit Lux Tracker is one such fitness tracker that is reliable in terms of quality. We have already told you about its features above.
In a nutshell, this device is quite impressive.
Its fitness features are excellent.
It has a smart look, as well as it is designed in such a way that it is beautifully fit even on smaller wrists easily.
Let's summarize a few reasons to buy this product or not to purchase this product.
Therefore, you can get a clear picture of whether you should invest in this product or not.
You Should Buy This Product If…
- You're looking for a stylish fitness tracker.
- Love doing cardio at the gym.
- Want to develop healthy habits in your routine life.
You Should Not Buy This Product If…
- You're a serious runner.
- You want to enjoy the smartwatch experience.


text: BNVD 4G is a binocular night vision device optimized for shooting operations (a wide angle of a side rotation; automatic switch-off if rotated to the side / over the helmet). The FOM of I2 tubes with white phosphor is higher than 2000 which guarantees both high resolution with a minimum noise and less eye strain than with usual green phosphor. The Autogating regulates gain automatically thus protecting the device against damage and the user´s eyes against bright light sources. IR illumination focusing lens provides range up to 100 m. BNVD 4G is used with standard interfaces (Horn or Dovetail) to be compatible with various helmet mounts. BNVD 4G device "sees" SWIR pointers that are invisible to cell phone cameras or standard NVGs.