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Topic Page: Croatia
(krōā'shӘ), Croatian Hrvatska, officially Republic of Croatia, republic (2015 est. pop. 4,236,000), 21,824 sq mi (56,524 sq km), in the northwest corner of the Balkan Peninsula. Roughly crescent-shaped, Croatia is bounded by Slovenia in the northwest, by Hungary in the northeast, by Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina (enwrapped in the north and south arms of Croatia, giving it its distintive shape), and Montenegro in the east, and by the Adriatic Sea in the west. Zagreb is the capital. There are important seaports at Rijeka, Split, Pula, Zadar, šibenik, and Dubrovnik.
The republic includes Croatia proper, Slavonia, Dalmatia, and most of Istria. Western Croatia lies in the Dinaric Alps; the eastern part, drained by the Sava and Drava rivers, is mostly low lying and agricultural. The Pannonian plain is the chief farming region.
The Croats, who make up about 90% of the population, are mainly Roman Catholic. The Serbs, who belong largely to the Orthodox Church, are the largest minority, but evictions and evacuations during the early to mid-1990s reduced their numbers. Both Croats and Serbs speak dialects of Serbo-Croatian that are mutually intelligible but also recognizably Croatian and Serbian.
Wheat and other grains, sugar beets, sunflower seeds, alfalfa, clover, olives, citrus, grapes, and soybeans are grown; dairying, beekeeping, and fishing are also important. More than one third of the country is forested, and lumber is a major export. Croatia is, excepting Slovenia, the most industrialized and prosperous of the former republics of Yugoslavia. There are oil fields and deposits of bauxite, iron ore, and other minerals. Shipbuilding, petroleum refining, and food processing are important; chief manufacturers include chemicals, plastics, machine tools, fabricated metal, electronics, iron and steel, aluminum, paper, wood products, and textiles. Tourism, primarily along the Adriatic coast, also is important to the economy. Severely curtailed during the warfare of the early 1990s, the tourist trade grew in significance in the 21st cent. Transportation equipment, textiles, chemicals, foodstuffs, and fuels are exported, while machinery, electrical equipment, chemicals, and fuels are imported. The main trading partners are Italy, Germany, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Croatia is governed under the constitution of 1990 as amended. The president, who is the head of state, is popularly elected for a five-year term. The government is headed by the prime minister, who is appointed by the president and approved by the legislature. Members of the unicameral Assembly (Sabor), are elected from party lists by popular vote to serve four-year terms. Administratively, Croatia is divided into 20 counties and the capital city.
A part of the Roman province of Pannonia, Croatia was settled in the 7th cent. by Croats, who accepted Christianity in the 9th cent. A kingdom from the 10th cent., Croatia conquered surrounding districts, including Dalmatia, which was chronically contested with Venice. Croatia's power reached its peak in the 11th cent., but internecine strife facilitated its conquest in 1091 by King Ladislaus I of Hungary.
In 1102 a pact between his successor and the Croatian tribal chiefs established a personal union of Croatia and Hungary under the Hungarian monarch. Although Croatia remained linked with Hungary for eight centuries, the Croats were sometimes able to choose their rulers independently of Budapest. In personal union with Hungary, Croatia retained its own diet and was governed by a ban, or viceroy. After the battle of Mohács in 1526 most of Croatia came under Turkish rule. In 1527 the Croatian feudal lords agreed to accept the Hapsburgs as their kings in return for common defense and retention of their privileges. During the following century Croatia served as a Hapsburg outpost in the defense of central Europe from a Turkish onslaught.
The centralizing and Germanizing tendencies of the Hapsburgs, however, severely weakened the power of the Croatian nobility and awakened a national consciousness. During the 19th cent. Hungary imposed Magyarization on Croatia and promulgated (1848) laws that seriously jeopardized Croatian autonomy within the Hapsburg empire. Joseph Jellachich, ban of Croatia, had the diet pass its own revolutionary laws, including the abolition of serfdom. Jellachich's forces also marched against the Hungarian revolutionaries in the 1848–49 uprisings in the Hapsburg empire. When the dual Austro-Hungarian monarchy was established in 1867, Croatia proper and Slavonia were included in the kingdom of Hungary, and Dalmatia and Istria in the Austrian empire. The following year Croatia, united with Slavonia, became an autonomous Hungarian crownland governed by a ban responsible to the Croatian diet.
Despite the achievement of autonomy in local affairs, Croatia remained restless because of continuing Magyarization. Cultural and political Croat and South Slav organizations arose, notably the Croatian Peasant party, founded in the early 20th cent. With the collapse of Austria-Hungary (1918), the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later renamed Yugoslavia) was formed. Serbs dominated the new state, however, and promoted centralization, ignoring Croat desires for a federal structure.
Agitation resulted in the assassination (1928) of Stepjan Radić, head of the Croatian Peasant party. After Radič's successor, Vladimir Maček, connived with fascist Italy to form a separate Croatian state, Yugoslavia allowed the formation (1939) of an autonomous banovina comprising Croatia, Dalmatia, and parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nevertheless, many Croats, especially members of the Ustachi fascist terrorist organization, insisted on complete independence.
When the Germans invaded Yugoslavia in 1941, the Ustachi seized power and declared Croatian independence under Ante Pavelič. Croatia was placed under Italian and later German military control, while the Ustachi dictatorship perpetuated brutal excesses, including the establishment of concentration camps; in the Croat-operated Jasenovac camp alone, it has been estimated that some 200,000 Serbs, Jews, Romani (Gypsies), and Croat opposition figures were killed. A large part of the population joined the anti-Fascist Yugoslav partisan forces under Tito, himself a native of Croatia.
Pavelič fled in the wake of Germany's defeat in 1945, and Croatia became one of the six republics of reconstituted Yugoslavia. Croatian nationalism persisted in Communist Yugoslavia, however, and the Ustachi and other émigré nationalist groups remained active abroad. A major Yugoslavian decentralization reform that took effect in the early 1970s was designed in part to satisfy Croat demands for increased autonomy and dampen secessionist sentiment. The death of Tito in 1980, however, weakened Yugoslavia and increased demands for secession.
In 1990, the Croats elected a non-Communist government and began to demand greater autonomy. On June 25, 1991, Croatia declared its independence, with Franjo Tudjman, a former general, as president. Immediately fighting erupted with federal troops (mostly Serb) and Serbs from the predominantly Serb-populated areas of Croatia. The Serbs carved out the Republic of Serbian Krajina in central and NE Croatia.
In Jan., 1992, after other European Community–brokered cease-fires had failed, a more stable truce was mediated by the United Nations, which in February sent in a peacekeeping force. This force froze the territorial status quo, which left 30% of the land, in Serb hands and also left as refugees many Croatians who had been displaced by "ethnic cleansing" from Serb-held lands. Croatia was recognized as an independent nation by the European Community (now the European Union) in Jan., 1992, and was accepted into the United Nations. In 1993, Croatian forces launched attacks against Serb rebels in various areas. During 1995, Croatian forces recaptured most Serb-held territory (but not E Slavonia, in the northeast), leading approximately 300,000 Serbs to flee into Bosnia and Yugoslavia; in war crime trials in 2010, Croatian forces were accused of deliberately expelling many Serb civilians in the campaign.
Croatia had supported and directed Bosnian Croats when fighting erupted in neighboring Bosnia in 1992, and Croatia played a role in negotiations for a Bosnian peace agreement. The Bosnian peace treaty was signed by Croatia, Bosnia, and Serbia in Dec., 1995. A separate accord called for the return of E Slavonia to Croatian rule; this went into effect in Jan., 1998, following a transition period overseen by UN peacekeeping forces. The international community has expressed concern over Croatia's slow implementation of the Bosnian peace treaty, the delay in the return of Serb refugees, and alleged human-rights abuses, including the muzzling of independent newspapers. Tudjman's autocratic rule and failure to cooperate on Bosnian issues led to Croatia's international isolation in the late 1990s.
In Nov., 1999, Vlatko Pavletic, the speaker of parliament, became acting president as Tudjman lay on his deathbed. Parliamentary elections in Jan., 2000, resulted in a victory for a six-party, center-left opposition coalition, and, after a runoff in February, Stjepan (Stipe) Mesić, an opposition candidate, captured the presidency. Elected on a reform platform, the coalition failed to improve Croatia's stagnant economic situation, and in the Nov., 2003, parliamentary elections the conservative nationalist party founded by Tudjman won a plurality of the seats. The party, the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), formed a minority government the following month, with Ivo Sanader as prime minister.
Mesić was reelected in Jan., 2005, after a runoff in which he defeated Deputy Prime Minister Jandraka Kosor. In Oct., 2005, the European Union opened membership talks with Croatia, contingent on Croatian cooperation with the war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Croatia's claim to large areas of the Adriatic, effectively blocking Slovenia's maritime access from its coast, and other issues have created tension between the two nations. In 2007, however, the countries agreed to submit their boundary disputes to international arbitration. The HDZ again won a plurality in the Nov., 2007, parliamentary elections; Sanader remained prime minister, leading a coalition government.
Croatia began excluding EU members from a protected fishing zone off its coast in Jan., 2008, despite a previous agreement with the EU. The act threatened to delay accession talks with the EU, but enforcement of the zone was suspended in March. However, negotiations with the EU were slowed nonetheless, as Slovenia blocked some talks because of its border dispute. In Apr., 2009, Croatia joined NATO; the Slovenian border dispute had threatened to postpone Croatia's accession.
In July, 2009, Sanader announced his resignation as prime minister; Jadranka Kosor succeeded him, becoming Croatia's first woman prime minister. Slovenia ended the freeze on Croatia's accession talks after Croatia agreed in September that none of the documents associated with its EU application would have any legal impact on the resolution of the border dispute. Ivo Josipović, the candidate of the opposition Social Democrats, was elected president in Jan., 2010.
In Dec., 2010, Sanader was arrested on an international warrant in Austria after Croatian prosecutors sought to detain him in connection with a corruption investigation. He was extradited to Croatia in July, 2011, and additional corruption charges were subsequently brought against Sanader (as well as others and the HDZ itself). Sanader was convicted of taking bribes in 2012, and he, others, and the HDZ were convicted of corruption in 2014, but retrials of both cases were ordered in 2015.
Parliamentary elections in Dec., 2011, resulted in a majority for the center-left coalition led by the Social Democrats and Zoran Milanović, who became prime minister. Later the same month the country signed a treaty with the EU that was intended to lead to its accession as a member in mid-2013; a referendum (Jan., 2012) approved joining the EU, but turnout within Croatia was only 47%. Josipović failed in his reelection bid in Jan., 2015, narrowly losing to Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, a former foreign minister and the HDZ candidate. Grabar-Kitarović became the first woman to serve as president of Croatia.
In the parliamentary elections in Nov., 2015, the HDZ-led coalition edged the center left, and in December HDZ and the new Most [Croatian,=bridge] party, which had placed third, agreed to form a government led by business executive and political independent Tihomir Orešković. Croatia announced its withdrawal from international arbitration of its maritime border with Slovenia in 2015 after a Croatian newspaper revealed that unauthorized conversations between the Permanent Court of Arbitration's (PCA) Slovenian judge and a Slovenian official had taken place, However, in 2016 the PCA ruled that the violation was insufficient to justify withdrawal, and said it would continue with the arbitration process. It ultimately ruled (2017) largely in favor of Slovenia; the decision was rejected by Croatia.
In June, 2016, the coalition government collapsed over conflict-of-interest accustions involving the HDZ leader, Tomislav Karamarko, and parliament voted to dissolve and hold elections. The HDZ again won a plurality and formed a government with Most; Andrej Plenković, the HDZ's new leader, became prime minister. The coalition with Most collapsed in Apr., 2017; in June the HDZ formed a new coalition with some members of the Croatian People's party (HNS).
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Full text Article Croatia
HISTORICALLY PART OF the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Croat people joined the Serbs in creating the eastern European nation of Yugoslavia in the...
Full text Article CROATIA
The Republic of Croatia is both a central European and a Mediterranean country with a territory of 21,829 square miles and a population of 4.7...
Full text Article Croatia
Croatia adopted a red, white and blue flag in 1848. Under Communist rule, a red star appeared at the centre. In 1990, the red star was...


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Hi everyone,
I really didn't intend to be away for as long as I have been, so I wanted to drop a quick note to explain. I'd planned to start simming again this week and get an update out by this weekend but that's really unlikely.
Very early Sunday morning, my dad was taken to hospital after experiencing shortness of breath. He's been in there ever since, being treated for what was ultimately discovered to be a weak heart muscle. It's irreversible but manageable with medication. He is also going to have to make some serious lifestyle changes when he gets out and he has a history of not following doctors' orders. He has said that he'll do as he's told this time but we're all on tenterhooks while we wait to see if he's had a big enough scare to actually follow through.
It's been a very stressful time for the whole family. You may see me around the community but I haven't been able to actually play. I'm not going to take a stab at when I might be back, because I don't want to pick a date and then not stick to it. It might be soon, it might take a bit longer. I hope you can all be patient with me in the meantime! :)
Thursday, 2 June 2016
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Murdoch's editors built stories out of the thinnest shreds of news, jammed them together in unwieldy packages, and shamelessly plugged the results. And while Murdoch wasn't the first newsman to realize news could make spectacular entertainment (see Hearst, William Randolph), he mastered the art of news hysteria, which would prove irresistable to television. That was no accident either, since Murdoch's Fox network led the way there, too.- New York Magazine
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
What Rupert wrought
Rupert Murdoch bought the New York Post in 1976. It was there, according to New York Magazine, that he perfected the mix of hard conservative politics and unapologetic tabloidism with which his name has become synonymous.
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Home Improvement Services Gulfport
Home Improvement was a sitcom documenting the perform and home life of Tim 'The Toolman' Taylor, stand-up comedian Tim Allen's interpretation of a man unjustifiably secure in his knowledge of power tools and in his ability to communicate with his wife and sons via grunting. Right here are some information about Home Improvement that never obscure themselves behind a picket fence.
Use fabrics such as savannah and tobacco cloth, Abaca fiber, or fabrics created of burlap to aid produce a all-natural looking location that your are re-decorating. Be creative with these fabrics to make blinds, location mats, floor mats, curtains, dividers, or anything that is creatively and uniquely yours. We were getting down to the wire with the renovation to get it completed in the time the bank allowed. Preston and his dad worked actually tough on the shower pan, Preston and I did the tiling and all we had left in there was to grout and paint. It truly does not take a lot does it, Dolores. Your newly decorated living space sounds lovely. It is amazing how every little thing feels various when you only alter a few factors about. Wow. Wonderful descriptions and photos. So worthwhile for any person wanting to construct a root cellar. Congratulations on LOTD. Nicely deserved.
Wonderful lens. I employed to be a rabbit breeder and showed rabbits, so know quite a bit. They actually are FAR more playful and social than most men and women feel. Excellent job highlighting this and what incredible pets they actually do make. Pick an power effective hot water program and place it as close to the bathroom and laundry as feasible to reduce pipe length and minimize heat loss. Be sure that as you are applying the stain that you are following any directions that came from the manufacturer.
The two large exterior jobs we hired out. We got lots of suggestions and then had our driveway and walkway redone with brick pavers. The front step was unnecessary and removed totally, not to mention that the pavers raised the level of the walkway, so they went right up beneath the door. Having been locked out of the residence produced me understand that I had to have a back up plan. Soon after all, I may uncover myself in a similar situation once again. Naturally, challenging perform and dedication in the field of interior style can be really rewarding and fulfilling. Interior Designers demand a lot of power and creativity to excel at their profession.
We also have full line of storm doors obtainable to shield your investment. Mikita Home Improvement is the skilled way to do any and all of your home improvement demands! We have over 20 years of knowledge and in no way use any subcontractors! Let us help you on you new project these days! You can also attain us on Tumblr. A low voltage lighting system is a fantastic method that you can use to not only add some accent lighting, but also provide a small bit of added safety. When you have the work web site prepped, it is time to install your replacement shower pan. There should be a plumbing template on the pan of where your drain should go. Measure the heights for every shelf on the back wall of the closet, generating confident that you have enough area underneath shelf to hang the intended clothes.


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Why Glenlivet Is Selling a $10,000 Whisky Chair
Looking to appeal to wealthy customers, liquor makers are going to extreme—often absurd—lengths to market their most expensive drinks. Photo: Pernod Ricard
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... the special envoy to the taste of what the US to London ... just walk reformicon Aykroyd's Tony Will StockTwits ... refined tastes and inexpensive bustling pieces to be enough to commit to the mega rich they were drinking the best but isn't alone ... not anymore ... the world's biggest drinks companies again to extreme lengths to ... us that much wealthy customers ... if you prefer you whisk in a less hectic environment I never thought much of the US ... the fund companies then that it was just released what it calls the Olson the drums to ... it's basically designed to house the whisky drinking experience ... just a moment ... and you can buy one from than ten thousand dollars ... companies are spending millions of dollars on these outlandish muppets ... but they do have a serious ... sales of hard expensive it has ... been since the financial ... the ultra rich the child of the district's ... in North America last year ... sales of the ... wines and spirits what woman hundred dollars of costs will increase by sixty cents ... this means that the world's biggest companies continue to buy back five overs with lavish about his and ultraexpensive uncertainties


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The Credit Score Game: Utilization
FICO Credit Score is a number assigned to credit worthiness and is based on many factors including usage and risk and time.
For the last 90 days I have played the credit score game. Utilization of my credit card is how I played. For the last 90 days I charged the cell phone bill and a utility company's monthly bill to the credit card.
Allowing the charges to hit the statement was the next step. Once the charges are on the statement they get reported to FICO as Credit Card Usage.
Zoom in if needed. The line on the image moved to the right indicating I increased my FICO Credit Score between March and June 2015.
Value of a Higher FICO Credit Score
FICO Credit Scores are not cool. Since I am buying a house I decided that a higher score would ensure the lowest rate on a mortgage.
"Highly qualified" borrowers like Mrs. MBG and myself receive interest rates that are lower then people who have medium to low credit scores. Those with bad credit scores may not meet lending requirements for a mortgage.
Other Factors in FICO Credit Scoring
Time is a factor that will increase steadily. You cannot change time but you can use the time to pay your debtors on-time. The Age of Credit appears to be an average to the dates for which the credit was opened.
Total Accounts is the number of accounts that have been used during your lifetime, open and closed. As you can see FICO Credit Score is higher for people who open more accounts.
While I could have raised my score by opening as many as seven more accounts. There would have been a lowering of the score in the Age of Accounts category.
Credit Inquiries are the last category that impacts the FICO Credit Score. My credit score has four inquiries in the last seven months. Full Pre-Approval for a mortgage is the reason. It's pretty difficult to be qualified for a mortgage without a hard Credit Inquiry. A cash purchase would be cool.
Derogatory Remarks Hit FICO Hard
Derogatory Remarks have an adverse effect on your Credit Score and hit a FICO credit score really hard! I didn't discuss any change in this category because it made no changes in three months. It takes years to repair your derogatory remarks.
Payments on your debt is necessary to maintain excellent credit. As few as one Derogatory Remark (a.k.a. missed payment) will begin to lower your credit score. If you are late on multiple accounts then your credit score will suffer.
Credit Card Deadbeat or Freeloader
For many months I was a credit card deadbeat. I would pay my payment before the credit card statement would close. When the statement closed I would receive a statement stating zero balance was due.
Now I am a credit card freeloader. I not so patiently wait for the credit card statement on the 24th of each month. When it arrives I electronically make the payment, usually the same day. The credit card company reports the balance and payment to FICO. In return they get nothing. I'm a freeloader.
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Comments: In no way did I cover this subject in detail. Did I get close to sharing something you think is important but didn't? Now is your time to shine. Go ahead and tell me any tips you have that may be helping your credit.


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Sq. Feet
Year Built
Days On Site
36 Photos
Home Description: 10492 Kepler Cascades St
Approximate Room Sizes / Descriptions
The average asking price of a 3 bedroom Las Vegas home in this zip code is
$385,228 (26.3% more than this home).
This home is priced at $153/sqft,
which is 16.8% less than similar homes
in the 89141 zip code.
Map |
Street |
Birds Eye
Birds Eye
10492 Kepler Cascades St Las Vegas NV 89141
Driving Directions:
Head south on I-15 S, take exit 30, 1.9mi, Rt at Fair Falls Way, 177ft, RT at Wild Creek Falls Way, 213ft, RT at Kepler Cascades St, 79ft to the address on the left
Similar to: 10492 Kepler Cascades St
For Sale Near: 10492 Kepler Cascades St
School Information
Area Stats
These statistics are updated daily from the Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors Multiple Listing Service. For further analysis or
to obtain statistics not shown below please call EasyStreet Realty at
(702) 406-2382 and speak with one of our real estate consultants.
Listing Courtesy of Opendoor Brokerage LLC.
10492 Kepler Cascades St, Las Vegas NV is a single family home of 1996 sqft and
is currently priced at $305,000
This single family home has 3 bedrooms and was built in 2006.
A comparable home for sale at 5012 Perrone Ave in Las Vegas is listed at $309,900.
This home on 10492 Kepler Cascades St has decreased in price by $15,000 and the last change was on 11/7/2019.
In addition to single family homes, EasyStreet also makes it easy to find Condos, New Homes and Foreclosures
in Las Vegas, NV.
Desert Willows, Industrial Star Southern Highlands and Presidio Heights are nearby neighborhoods.
MLS 2123972 has been posted on this site since 8/8/2019 (126 days ago).
They are the hardest working Realtors I have ever dealt with...
-- F. Jacobi


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Here is a person who has lived a full and responsible life in the world of decisions and affairs and this fact in itself has helped to form my cast of mind.
A chairde, beir bua agus beannacht,
We are confident the little volume featured on this web-site will bring pleasure to anyone who peruses its pages. Its author Gavin Corbett also took the photographs and we think you will agree he very much has an "eye" for a beautiful scene. We have followed Gavin's writing career for many years noting how he has brought happiness to many hundreds of people and are delighted now to be publishing this his new book which is sure to be a "best seller". Gavin has been a keen photographer since his school days and The Giving Light is a showcase for his talents as both a photographer and also of course as a writer and what better book could there be than one that has both beautiful words and pictures in it. With so much talent what next is there for Gavin to achieve? "Top of the Pops" we would wager!
Le meas,
Cló Hi Tone
Title: The Giving Light
Author: Gavin Corbett
Extent: 64pp, CMYK + Metallic Gold
Trim: 198mm x 138mm, portrait
Format: Thread sewn; paperback with french flaps & cloth covered hardback
ISBN: 978 0 9569493 4 9 (paper — edition of 250)
ISBN: 978 0 9569493 3 2 (cloth — edition of 50)
Published: November 2017
Book design: Niall McCormack
Printed and bound in Ireland
Paperback – €20 including P&P
Buy Now
Special Edition Hardback – €40 including P&P
Limited to 50 copies. Each one includes a signed & numbered 5″x7″ print.
Buy Now
All books sealed in plastic and packed in padded envelopes for sending.
The book is also available from the following shops:
Gallery of Photography – Meeting House Square, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
The Winding Stair Bookshop – 40 Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin 1
The Library Project – 4 Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Books Upstairs – 17 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2


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About Russell's Rubbish Removal
Russell's Rubbish Removal offers residential and commercial rubbish removal, junk removal, garbage disposal, and recycling. I service the South Surrey, White Rock, North Surrey, and Langley areas. With specialized trucks I can handle any junk, rubbish, or garbage removal job large or small. I also take old paint cans, old electronics and will recycle your unwanted rubbish or haul it to the garbage dump for proper, legal disposal.
How does the junk removal service work?
When you contact Russell's Rubbish for junk or garbage removal & recycling I will set up a time to come and determine the size of the waste removal job. I will then provide a quote and once approved, I will haul away your unwanted items for proper disposal or recycling.
What does rubbish, junk, or garbage removal cost?
The minimum garbage, rubbish, or junk removal cost is $60. Transfer stations charge by weight for most items, so dumping cost will be determined once I estimate the weight that needs to be hauled to the dump or recycling facility. Transportation cost is based on volume, therefore cost is determined by weight, volume, and any special handling needs.
Who is Russell's Rubbish?
|This is me, Russell Therrien.
I have been the owner/operator of Russell's Rubbish Removal since 1997.
All rubbish removal operations are supervised by me. I review all online orders and schedule all appointments. Confirmations are always done via telephone.
|This is my father in-law Ken Johnston. You may recognize him as your "353″ bus driver around White Rock/S. Surrey for the last 30 years. He is currently retired. When he isn't golfing or chasing the sun he helps me restore items to give away, reuse, or resell them, as well as hold the other end of a couch once in a while.
|This is Steve. He is also a huge help to me and my rubbish removal business. He works part-time for Parks and Recreation in South Surrey. After work or on the weekends he will help me do the jobs that require "heavy lifting".


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Saturday, December 18, 2010
Macroeconomics 101
Banking System 101: We now have what's known as a "fractional reserve system". What this means is this: lets take "JeffBank", which has $10mm in the vault. Most people in America believe that this means JeffBank can loan out $10mm. Not true. In 1913, they insitituted the fractional reserve lending and the 10-1 leverage ratio rule, which means that banks can lend out ten dollars for every dollar in the bank. Therefore JeffBank can loan out $100mm.. but if 1/10th of these loans go bad, JeffBank is toast because he only has that $10mm in the bank. Beginning in the early 1980's, regulators threw out the 10-1 rule (especially for bigger banking institutions) and essentially let them loan out whatever they wanted. Big US banks wound up with 30-1 leverage, and so if only 1/30th of their loans went bad, these big banks were either forced into finding cash to cover their losses or go under. In Europe, the banking system is even worse; most bigger banks in Europe are leveraged at like 60-1 these days.
Credit Default Swaps (CDS): Credit Default Swaps are a form on insurance written on many things such as Certificate of Deposits (CD), simple savings accounts, bonds, etc. Here's an example: Lets say that you have $1 million ($1mm) in JeffBank and lets say that its in the form of a 5 year CD, therefore you cannot simply walk into the bank and cash out any day you wish.. you have to wait the 5 years to get your million out. Lets say that JeffBank had loaned a huge amount of money to Lindsay Lohan, and as Lindsay gets dragged by the cops to yet another rehab clinic, you begin to worry about the whether JeffBank is going to survive Lindsay's antics.. and specifically worry about the fate of your $1mm CD. Therefore you turn to "JennyBank" (which is the exact same size of JeffBank and therefore has $10mm in the vault) and ask them if they will write an insurance policy on your $1mm CD in JeffBank.. so if JeffBank goes under and your $1mm CD is gone, JennyBank will pay you the $1mm as long as you pay JennyBank a monthly premium for this insurance. This insurance policy is known as a Credit Default Swap.
There is also something called a "naked" Credit Default Swap, and here is what this is: lets say that a month after you get the CDS from JennyBank on your million CD you get a call from a loan officer at JennyBank who says: "Ya know, if you really think JeffBank is going under, we can write you another Credit Default Swap for $12mm if you want to make the monthly premiums". This new "naked" CDS isn't really protecting an asset like the first one is.. it is, as it's heart, essentially a bet. Most big US banks write these naked CDS for anything under the sun.. the biggest ones are for interest rates. For example, "LisaBank" is worried that if interest rates go up, their costs also go up and they might become insolvent, so LisaBank contacts JeffBank, who agrees to underwrite a big "naked" CDS for LisaBank just in case interest rates go to 9%. The big US banks have written naked CDS's for the City of Detroit, the Greek Government, GM, and most commonly on each other. When Lehman Brothers went under on September 15th 2008, it triggered an avalanche of CDS's. The very next morning, AIG.. who had underwritten hundreds of billions of CDS on Lehman, was toast. The rumor was that if AIG had not been saved, their collapse would've taken down Citibank, RBS (England's biggest bank) and UBS (Switzerland's biggest bank). They were essentially dominos thanks in large part to these CDS's. There are still hundreds of trillions of them laced in the system, thus making the failure of any bank, big company or government four or five times as bad as it need be.
So now lets go back to JeffBank, who now has a 25-1 leverage ratio (ie he's loaned out $250mm and only has $10mm in the vault). JeffBank has also underwritten a slew of naked CDS's worth another $250mm to LisaBank in regards to interest rates. Overall, JeffBank has a 25-1 leverage ratio.. and possibly 50-1 thanks to the CDS's. Because LisaBank and others pay JeffBank monthly premiums, bank profits are skyrocketing !! Hurray Happy Day !! But if interest rates go up to 9%, JeffBank will be forced to pay LisaBank the $250mm.. and JeffBank only has $10mm in the vault. Whoops. If JeffBank bites the dust, JennyBank is now on the hook for the $12mm CDS you got from them. The problem is, JennyBank only has $10mm. Therefore JennyBank also bites the dust. JennyBanks's failure then triggers other CDS's, destroying other banks. The Domino Effect. This is what was happening in September of 2008 and why it's so dangerous. If you are p!ssed that such an inherently dangerous system was allowed to become reality, you should be.
United States: In the 1970's and before, most Americans could'nt get loans for anything except a house.. and even then you needed at least 1/5th down and had to show you had savings just in case. The 10-1 leverage ratio on banks essentially meant that they did'nt have tons of money to loan out and therefore had to be careful about who they loaned to. Home ownership in the 1970's was about 33%.. the other 2/3rds of people rented. But with the arrival of Alan Greenspan in the early 1980's, the 10-1 rule was tossed aside. Soon enough, we as a nation began living a pretty nice lifestyle.. the Reagan years, the Clinton years, the Bush years.. this was a prosperous 30 years. The problem was, it was built on a mountain of debt. As a nation, we essentially spent six dollars for every five we produced for thirty years. By 2008, over 70% of adults owned houses. In 2005, a friend of mine got what was called a "no doc" mortgage.. she did'nt even have to prove she had income !! Are you serious ?? Banks were loaning anything to anyone with a pulse. The banks found themselves leveraged 25 and 30-1 in most cases. By 2007, the party was ending. Foreclosures and losses began skyrocketing. The banks, which had loaned out way too much, were beginning to totter. Americans began defaulting on credit card debts, car loans and mortgages because they had gotten themselves into too much debt. These losses began taking their toll on banks, and in 2008 we had a banking crisis caused by too much debt, and multiplied many times over due to the above mentioned CDS's.
And here we are.. we as a nation are still way over our heads in debt due to Greenspan's policies. What would you do if you had a $50,000/yr income and debts of $285,000 (your mortgage is $220,000 of this) ? This is the position we as a nation find ourselves in. Realistically, we can do two things.. tighten our belts and slowly pay down the debts or default (which would crash the entire economy in days). In 2009 and 2010, we as a nation chose a third path.. the US Government began borrowing trillions of dollars and the Federal Reserve began printing trillions more to try and ease the pain that needs to come and try to get people to borrow and spend like they did in the past to kickstart the consumer economy. The problem is.. thanks to high unemployment (and under employment) and people defaulting on their debts, there just are'nt that many credit worthy people out there to loan to anymore. We as a nation will one day feel the pain.. and the pain we are feeling today is only a small, bitter taste of what needs to come. We cannot forever kick the snowball down the hill by borrowing money and handing the bill to our own children. Here's my favorite video.. it's an interview with Kyle Bass a few months ago, who's pretty much the smartest economist on this continent, on the US economy: http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4372206/hedge-fund-manager-debt-defaults-ahead/
Europe: The problems in Europe are very similar to the ones described above.. too much debt, overleveraged banks, credit default swaps. The difference is, their problems are much worse.. the European banking sector is on average twice as leveraged as the American banks are. Worse, in many cases, the size of these banks dwarfs the nations where they're located. The most dangerous example here is Ireland, a nation of only 4 million souls, who has titanic size banks that have loaned out way too much to way too many. These banks are in serious trouble, and the government of Ireland is trying to prop them up. Because of their size, however, Ireland's government has had to borrow vast sums of money.. for every dollar the Irish government took in tax revenue this year, they are spending four dollars.. most of this to prop up these rotten banks. It's rather like watching a dirt squirrel trying to catch a falling hippo. Switzerland, with only six million souls, is also in this boat. Now the Irish Government is having problems financing itself. The EU's answer ? Yes you guessed it.. more loans !! Greece is in a similar position. Spain is getting there. But when the IMF and the EU give Ireland and Greece loans, they demand that these governments cut spending somewhere.. usually this means slashing the jobs and wages of public employees. Ireland in particular has suffered from this. Worse yet, as time goes by, their economies continue to shrink {caused in part by these spending cuts), and so these nations' tax revenues shrink as well, forcing yet more cuts in government spending. It's called a deflationary death spiral. Ireland's unemployment rate is 14.1% and soaring. Spain's last summer went over 20%. Strikes and riots are occuring in Athens as I type this. This is Bernanke's worse nightmare, and its why he's printing money. My fear here is that one day, the people and/or government of one of these nations will simply say "Screw This" and will let their own banks fail.. and we have another Lehman style crisis thanks to the trillions in CDS's.. Spain is particularly worrysome because of the size of their banking sector's debt ($1.8 trillion), their already high unemployment, and the inability of the other EU nations to deal with a problem of this size. Spain will need to borrow $400 billion in 2011, and their rates have been rising. Left alone without help of some sort, I highly doubt Spain makes it this year. Portugal will not make it this year. If Spain begins to totter, be afraid.. very afraid. Oh yes.. and Europe's Central Bank, the ECB, has a leverage ratio of.. get this.. 331 to 1. Yesterday it was leaked out that the ECB needed a $10 billion credit line from the Bank of England. The answer is the EuroBond, which essentially means Germany will be helping their southern neighbors in perpetuity.. but will they agree ? 2011 could be very interesting.
Japan: Japan's economy is the first modern economy to suffer a real estate/banking crash, which happened in the 1980s. The response of the Japanese Government was much the same as we are today doing.. have the government prop up these rotten banks at all cost. As a result, Japan's government is severely over it's head in debt. For example, Greece is Europe's most overindebted government.. it owes 120% of it's GDP in debt and spends about 1/4th of their government revenues just to pay the interest on this debt. The figure for Japan you ask ? 210% as of this year. There is, however, a major difference.. Greece relies on foreigners to supply the loans to it's government. Japan, however, is very lucky in that their own people supply their government with the needed loans. Because of the amount of debt the Japanese Govt does owe, any rise in interest rates will hit their government's finances very hard. For example, a rise in interest rates of 2% would force the Japanese Govt to halt all funding to their Defense Dept and Medicare. So far, the Japanese people have been willing and able to finance their government. My concern here is that Japan as a nation is getting very old very fast. Fewer and fewer younger people are expected to not only pay down this debt but provide for the huge and growing elderly population. Japan's government this year spent two dollars for every dollar they took in as tax revenue. One day, something's gotta give.
9 comments:
- AnonymousDecember 19, 2010 at 9:48 PM
HI Mr Kowalski much enjoy your articals also vistit Queen Bees blogg and Mish. You sure do get it. I have not posted much best to learn and not be heard. Thanks again keep up the good work sprig1ReplyDelete
Mr K Very well stated. 2011 will most like be similar to 1932 and we all know how that turned out. The second Great Depression is upon us. I see wars on the horizon. A gold back currency maybe?ReplyDelete
- Got A WatchDecember 20, 2010 at 8:54 AM
It's just a Depression, don't be depressed.ReplyDelete
I don't know if you follow the Kondratieff Wave theory, but it seems to me to be fully correct and is coming ashore now in this cold Winter of our discontent.
The good news is that it should be about finished rolling over us by about 2016-2018, and that will be the real bottom of this sorry period. Getting from here to there is a bit of an issue.
Kondratiev's predictions were startling, especially given when he made them.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousDecember 26, 2010 at 2:55 PM
Ace! Thanks much!ReplyDelete
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text:
Over the past few trading sessions, energy markets have once again come back into focus. WTI crude has, much like the stock market, come back a little bit in recent trading, and is now over $86/bbl. or roughly $10/bbl. from its lows just a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, in Brent crude trading, many investors are anxiously awaiting the end of Qaddafi's regime in Libya and the restart of shipments of the country's light crude oil supplies in order to help bring down the premium that this European benchmark currently enjoys over its North American cousin. Yet, with the conflict in Libya seemingly winding down, and investors waiting for Bernanke's speech on Friday in order to push crude in one direction or another, many investors will likely focus their attention on the natural gas market for the time being.
Near month natural gas futures are currently trading just below $4/MMBtu, representing a sharp drop from the $5 level that investors experienced in early June. This has largely been due to robust supplies of the key heating and cooling fuel, as well as lackluster demand, a combination that has helped to keep prices depressed for the better part of summer. This week, investors will look for an increase of underground supplies of roughly 75 bcf from the past week so a smaller increase would likely be beneficial for prices in the short term. However, the supply increase has beaten expectations in three of the last four weeks but, in the one week that was a miss, investors saw supplies increase by just 25 bcf, the lowest in recent memory. This suggests that today's reading could go either way and a large deviation from expectations could help to rapidly shift prices [see all the Natural Gas ETFs here].
Beyond this key weekly report, many traders will also be keeping an eye on the storm that is brewing in the Atlantic. Many belive that Hurricane Earl will be at least a category three storm when it hits the East Coast later this week, potentially crippling large, heavily populated sections of the country. While the loss of natural gas production isn't likely to be significant no matter where the storm strikes in this area, a loss of power in major population centers could send demand for the fuel plunging, causing prices to slump in the near term as repair work is done. Thanks to this, traders should look to weather reports today to see if the storm is expected to strengthen, and if the hurricane looks to hit the densely populated corridor between Washington D.C. and New York City in order to possibly signal the short term future of prices [Commodity ETFs: It Takes Two To Contango].
Thanks to these two events, investors should look for the United States Natural Gas Fund (UNG) to be in for a volatile trading day. The fund tracks Natural Gas Futures as represented by the closest to expire contract that is at least two weeks away from expiration. With this focus on the short-term, the product could see more volatility than other, more spread out ETFs since both of the events highlighted above will strike markets within the immediate future. If investors see a large increase in the storage report and if the hurricane looks to hit major population centers, we could see UNG resume its short-term trend lower in Thursday's trading session. However, if the storm appears destined to make landfall in Long Island or further North, and if supplies of the fuel come in under analyst expectations for the most recent report, traders could see UNG surge during today's trading session [see Commodity ETF Investing: Five Factors To Consider].
[For more ETFs to watch sign up for our free ETF newsletter.]
Disclosure: No positions at time of writing.
Click here to read the original article on ETFdb.com.
Read more posts on ETF Database »


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It's a packed week of events across Canada and beyond. If you're in Toronto or Ottawa, check out the Aga Khan Foundation Canada's panel discussion on reporting on human development in Afghanistan on Nov. 28 (Toronto) and Nov. 29 (Ottawa).
Subscribe to the print and electronic editions and get instant access to Embassy online.
For access to the website.


text:
December 12, 1995
Web posted at: 11:45 p.m. EST
From Correspondent Candy Crowley
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- If progress was measured by the number of meetings held on the balanced budget proposals Tuesday, a unified plan would have emerged by now. But amid the rhetoric, the faint ring of compromise was in the air.
First, White House budget people met with congressional budget people. Some seemed upbeat. "I think we have made some progress today, and I hope we can continue to negotiate," said White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta. If sufficient progress is shown, there is "no reason and no excuse to shut down the government," he said. (145K AIFF sound or 145K WAV sound)
Others were less positive. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico, said the two sides were still about $300 billion in expenditures apart. "That is, they spend about $300 billion more than we do, and it looks like the deficit in the final year is still upwards of $100 billion." (179K AIFF sound or 179K WAV sound)
Next, Republican representatives and senators met with Republican governors. The governors came to urge their party to stand by their proposal to turn the Medicaid over to the states -- an idea Clinton opposes.
"The Medicaid program today is a Cadillac program," said Gov. George Voinovich, R-Ohio. "You got someone on Medicaid who's going back to the neighborhood and you got a working poor person who's got zero. Or you got somebody in this country working his butt off and they pay for part of their Medicaid." (153K AIFF sound or 153K WAV sound)
At about the same time, Democrats met with each other. "We must maintain the explicit guarantee of health care for the most vulnerable. The Republican plan, which could leave almost four million poor children without any health care at all, is unacceptable," said Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt, D-Missouri. (162K AIFF sound or 162K WAV sound)
As dinner time passed, Republicans got together with Democrats.
There was a phone call from President Clinton to House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Majority Leader Bob Dole. Dole urged the president to meet soon with him and Gingrich to resolve the budget problems. But with Clinton leaving for Paris Wednesday to attend the signing ceremony for the Bosnia peace accords, there was little time left for him to meet with the leaders.
There were still more meetings, but reporters couldn't get into those.
By the end of the day, it seemed budget negotiators had taken more steps down the hallways of the Capitol than towards a deal. But as meeting room doors endlessly opened and closed Tuesday, some progress was made in two of the toughest sticking points in budget negotiations:
-- With new, healthier economic predictions, Republicans have softened their plans to scale back spending on Medicare and Medicaid.
-- On Medicare, Republicans are now offering a $226 billion cut in projected spending, down from $270 billion. On Medicaid, they offered $133 billion in cuts rather than $163.
There were other hopeful signs as well. The words "agreement on a budget framework" were beginning to pop up in off-the-record conversations with the press. And there's a one-week temporary spending bill in the works which would avoid a government shutdown while talks continue on a permanent budget.
Unless Congress approves a new stop-gap spending bill by midnight Friday, about 300,000 federal workers will be furloughed for a second time. The temporary funding measure that ended the mid-November shutdown expires on that date.
Expect more meetings Wednesday.
Copyright © 1995 Cable News Network, Inc.
External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.


text:
I regret that I cannot offer clinical advice, and due to the volume of mail I receive, I may not respond to your enquiry if that is what it concerns.
I regret that I cannot offer clinical advice, and due to the volume of mail I receive, I may not respond to your enquiry if that is what it concerns.
Hi Dr. Joanna Moncrieff,
How often do you see pssd? Do you think if someone has not sexually recovered after 3 months being off prozac that more than likely she/he never will.
Thank you very much,
Help Nacho.
I hate Antipsychotic medication, this is my take on it, it is Greatest thing available for someone suffering from mental illness, or psychotic on the streets yelling, screaming, Antipsychotics should be given, however once person is clinically normal 2-3 days all conventional medicines should be replaced with orthomolecular supplements or other alternatives that DO NOT CARRY MAJOR SIDE EFFECTS, INCLUDING DEATH. However they aren't replaced, they may cause you suicidal thoughts, make you sick, they may be forced fed and shoved down your throat. You then start to suffer zombie effects, walking dead,no energy to bother night shift employees playing card games or watching TV. These conventional poisons ( medicines) have many, many suffering side effects to include TD Tardive Dyskinesia, Diabetes, Heart Disease, Weight Gain (30-60 lbs) . If you require Antidepressants those are yet another joke, if you are suffering greatly and given Antidepressants it will take 8-12 weeks before you see any relief, relief is between 35-65% helpful.
Ha ha, what a joke. All meds do not cure, they only treat symptoms. Find an alternative medicine that has no side effects, just Google and type in your question & learn. Read medication madness, Dr Peter B. Breggin . Dr Joanna Moncrieff. Do something.


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Congratulations to our Boys' Brigade Company who enjoyed sporting success on Saturday, 17th January 2015. Against some stiff competition, the team won the West Anglia Battalion Company Section 5-a-side football competition, and did so without losing a single game.
The 'Invincibles' consisted of Adam Downton, Jamie-Clarke-Dakin, Harry Skinner, Dylan Watson and Vaughn Watson.
Well done guys.


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How much is it? is a question I get asked all the time. Unfortunately, I cannot give you an accurate answer because the price is influenced by several factors:
Prices for Home Micro Dermabrasion Systems
Prices for Salon & Spa Microderm Abrasion
Prices for Medical Microdermabrasion
It's important to remember that the cost of professional microderm abrasion is heavily influenced by the cost of the machines used. Some brands are more effective and safer, and that is reflected in the final price. However, some spas and salons use the cheaper microdermabarasion machines but charge you much more than they should.
You may want to reconsider having microdermabrasion at a spa, salon or doctor's clinic that uses a cheap microderm machine but still charges regular prices. Make sure to ask about their equipment before you pay them.
For an average series of 9 abrasions and another 4 maintenance abrasions, a microdermabrasion treatment in a beauty salon, spa or dermatologist's office costs around $1,600 per year (without sunscreen or other after-care lotions and creams).
There's no doubt that it's far cheaper to use a home micro dermabrasion kit which costs around $300 per year of use. Keep in mind, however, that office crystal or diamond-tipped microderm abrasion machines are more effective than any crystal scrub found in these personal systems.
Prices for Chemical Peels
Prices for Dermabrasion
Prices for Laser Resurfacing
Microdermabrasion costs $300-$1,950 per year(it's not as effective as other procedures, works on superficial imperfections only)
Next, a few tips on home microdermabrasion kits.
A: You can safely have microdermabasion on skin with tattoos with no risk or side effects. This skin rejuvenation procedure is too mild to affect tattoos.
A: Microdermoabrasion cream removes the outermost layer of the skin by sandblasting it with a jet of micro crystals. During the procedure, part of the pigment is physically eliminated and, at the same time, collagen production is stimulated so that your skin regains its density and elasticity. After 6 to 12 microdermabrasian treatments, smaller sun spots are entirely removed while larger ones fade significantly.
A: Microdermabrastion pulverizes away the dead skin layer (the outermost layer) in order to even out skin texture and erase superficial pimple scars. Deeper pimple scarring needs more invasive non-surgical techniques, like deep chemical peels or laser skin resurfacing.
A: Micrdermabrasion is not recommended for patients taking Accutane. This acne treatment works by reducing the amount of oil produced by the skin's sebaceous glands which reduces the skin's ability to recover after body or facial exfoliation. Having microdermal abrasion while on Accutane may cause permanent scarring. This applies to OTC systems and clinic treatment.
A: Yes, results are visible after the first microdermabrastion. especially if we are talking about surgeon-performed cosmetic microderm abrasion which is more effective than at-home sets. Best results are obtained after 6 to 12 sessions (depending on your expectations and severity of skin imperfections), respectively one month of use for one of the home microderm abrasions system.
A: By exfoliating the top layer of the skin, microderma system cleans deep into the pore and removes excess oil and dirt that clog pores - which causes blackheads. Most blackheads are removed while more stubborn blackheads are reduced.
A: Microdermal abrasion tool works on hyperpigmentation. The micro-crystal flow abrades the top layer of the skin where unevenly pigmented skin cells are stuck. Several doctor-performed microdermabrasia sessions are required to even out skin tone and get rid of hyperpigmentation.
A: Professional microbrasion requires a consultation with the specialist who is going to perform it. After that, everything will be taken care of by the medical staff, all you have to do is show up for treatment. At-home micro dermal abrasion kits need to be used according to indications. You may also need a cleansing gel to be used before the exfoliation, a nourishing cream to be applied after the peel and some SPF lotion for the following few weeks.
A: This procedure exfoliates the top layer of skin which consists of dead skin cells. Microderma tool stimulates collagen production, essential to healthy skin and also removes blotchy skin texture and tone.
A: No, if performed right, micro derma abrasion does not age your face.
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Information and advice on microderabrasion and skin resurfacing
Microdemabrasion is a safe alternative to chemical peels & laser rejuvenation for acne scars & fine lines
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Do you ever feel like life is just not moving along fast enough?
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Do you ever want to hurry up and "get there" already?
If you have… you're certainly not alone.
I know something about what you're going through.
And yes, it's a struggle.
My divorce was finalized last summer and since then life has been a combination of two extremes…
Bouts of insanely slow, gratingly boring pockets of time… and on the other end of the spectrum… extremely busy, chaotic and hectic… no time to eat breakfast or lunch type of days; scarfing half a chocolate bar at 3 p.m. running errands, and then crashing on the couch until dinner… <inset snoring here>
Between going back to school… painting and renovating an entire house some of which I did myself… studying… which is not my forte (thank you, ADHD meds!)… to taking exams (double yuck)… and finally passing said exams, yay(!)… to then beginning a new career… it has been a roller coaster ride.
Now having begun new said career and not really having a clue as to what I'm doing and feeling as though I'm just sort of jumping off a cliff into midair, saying a prayer… yet having a
fierce force of determination to forge forward...
with lot's of hard work combined and clinging to faith everything will work out… it's a big life transition. One I wish now I had made back when I was married as perhaps then during the divorce I wouldn't have felt quite so overwhelmed… instead perhaps feeling some sense of control in at least one aspect of my life however knowingly non-existent at the end of the day.
Now that I've jumped off the cliff and I'm trying to find my way I want it to all fall into place NOW.
I want to already know what I'm doing like the back of my hand… I want smooth sailing… I want to go through my day with relative ease… and live normally. I barely even remember what "normal" is it's been so long since my life resembled anything of the sort… a schedule where you get up, get dressed, eat breakfast and go to work… it's become foreign to me because that reality was so long ago and yet nowvery much welcome as I embark on this new journey that I am incredibly excited about.
A journey also where I just want to exhale a huge sigh of relief and say:
"I'm here. I made it. Finally."
In some ways I can say that today… and I do.
I thank God for this blessing as I can exhale a huge sigh of relief
and looking back marvel at the progress.
Maybe you've recently gone through a big life transition and you can say the same.
And yet I'm looking forward to when I will be able to stand before the mirror one morning and say:
"I'm finally here…"
"I made it, thank you God…"
"I actually know (overall) what I'm doing and I. am. okay."
But then I got to thinking about it and maybe I'm missing the point…
and maybe if you're in a similar situation or recalling a past one there's a chance you are too.
Maybe… just maybe the parts we want to skip… namely, the uncertainty, the not sure steps… maybe there's a lot of growth there… growth in our faith…
I don't mind the hard work… the hard phase is comparable to the meat and potatoes of life… later comes the desert… later comes the payoff… later comes the sweet victory…
later comes the icing on the cake.
When we stop learning… when we stop needing to lean on God in our uncertainty… when we stop growing… we become absolutely stagnant. God doesn't want this… He loves us and desires us to grow, change and become all we are meant to be.
If we weren't doing these things life would be easy… predictably boring… and we wouldn't feel any need for God… we would become pridefully self sufficient and stunted because there wouldn't be any need to lean on Him if every season ran perfectly smooth like a speed ramp at the airport and we could clearly see our way up ahead.
So maybe we all need to look for the icing in the uncertainty in life… because in that cake lies blessings no matter how small… in those uncertain moments…
and how awesomely sweet is that.
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July 2018
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Allies abandon South Africa President Jacob Zuma
South Africa-South Africa's powerful trades union federation, Cosatu, has called for President Jacob Zuma to step down.
Its Secretary General, Bheki Ntshalintshali, said he was no longer the "right person" to lead the country.
Anti-apartheid struggle veterans have also called on the African National Congress (ANC) to recall the president.
Mr. Zuma has been under growing pressure following a major cabinet reshuffle which included the sacking of respected Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
That led to South Africa's credit rating being cut to junk status putting more pressure on a troubled economy.
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), a key part of the governing alliance, says it has 1.8 million members.
It forms part of what is called the Tripartite Alliance along with the African National Congress (ANC) and the South African Communist Party (SACP).
The SACP has also called on Mr. Zuma to go.
Cosatu General Secretary, Bheki Ntshalintshali, told a media briefing that the union's decision was driven by Mr. Zuma's failure to consult it before making changes to his cabinet.
He termed the president's leadership as "inattentive, negligent... and disruptive".
He added that the organization was not concerned about Mr. Gordhan's sacking because he was, like his predecessors, "not a friend of the workers".
"We will support the new minister where necessary and fight with him where necessary," he added.
Mr. Ntshalintshali also criticized ratings agency S&P's decision to downgrade South Africa to junk status saying the union views it as political interference.
ANC veterans, who include former high commissioners, ministers and many respected anti-apartheid activists, also told a media briefing in Johannesburg that the ANC should do "the honorable thing and recall the president", especially after the party's integrity commission advised that he should resign.


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Mission Street
Sponsored By
El Rio, Popular LGBTQ Bar In San Francisco, To Be Preserved Through City Hall ProgramA popular bar in San Francisco has been acquired through the city's Small Sites Program, ensuring that the space and the apartments located above it will stay permanently affordable.
Landlord, City Settle Lawsuit Over Illegal Housing In Excelsior LaundromatCity Attorney Dennis Herrera has reached a $620,000 settlement in a civil suit against a property owner and master tenant associated with substandard housing found in the basement of an Excelsior District laundromat.
San Francisco Sues Landlord Over Illegal 'Dungeon' Housing In BasementThe city discovered the unsafe conditions in the building on Christmas Day last year, when the fire department responded to a non-fire emergency call.
Muni's $2.4 Million Mission Transformation Saves 2 Minutes, Costs Shopkeepers MoreSan Francisco's plan for Muni in the Mission District promised to speed up commutes, but the time saved has come at a startling cost: a million dollars a minute.
58 Residents Displaced By 5-Alarm Mission Street Fire That Burned 6 Buildings In SFA huge fire that burned at least 6 buildings at the edge of SF's Mission District below Bernal Heights displaced 58 people, according to fire officials.
Drivers On Mission Street Flout The Law San Francisco drivers seem to be ignoring new configurations on Mission Street.
Busy Stretch Of San Francisco Mission Street Getting MakeoverChanges are underway along busy Mission Street in San Francisco to make it less congested.
Hit-And-Run Suspect Causes Rollover Crash On SF's Mission StreetPolice arrested a hit-and-run driver who crashed and caused another car to flip over in San Francisco.
San Francisco's Cartoon Art Museum To Close In June; Searching For New Home After Rent IncreaseSan Francisco's only museum devoted to comics, cartoons and animation is closing its doors at the end of June, but not forever.
Popular Jewish Deli In San Francisco Struggles After Mission Fire; Gets Help From Food CommunityThe four-alarm fire that devastated a three-story building in San Francisco's Mission District has had a big impact on dozens of small businesses. Among those hit hard, is one of city's best known delis.
2 San Francisco Pedestrians Struck And Injured By Cars In Separate Incidents; Woman Is Critically InjuredTwo people were injured Thursday morning in separate vehicle versus pedestrian collisions in San Francisco.
1 Dead, 6 Hurt, Dozens Displaced In 4-Alarm Fire At Apartment Complex In SF's Mission DistrictSan Francisco firefighters battled a four-alarm fire at an apartment complex in the Mission District Wednesday evening that took almost eight hours to contain leaving one man dead and six others injured, including one firefighter.
SFPD Re-Drawing District Lines To Reflect Population Shifts, Reduce Response TimesThe once a decade process has begun in San Francisco to redraw the lines of the city's 10 district police stations with a shift to the south for population explosions in SoMa and Mission Bay expected.
Aunt Pleads Not Guilty In Death Of Her Niece On San Francisco Streets, As Family Tries To Raise Funds For Her Funeral25-year-old Lorysha Gage pleaded not guilty to felony child endangerment charges, as her family prepares for the funeral of 2-year-old niece Mi'Yana Gregory.
3 Arrested After Weekend Shooting, Barricade Standoff In San Francisco's South Of MarketThree men were arrested after allegedly firing a gun across a street in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood and then barricading themselves in a nearby building for hours Saturday night, according to a police spokesman.


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Quality of life in low vision patients can be improved with home-based visual rehabilitation
The quality of life in patients with low vision can be improved with home-based visual rehabilitation. Researchers found that home visits by rehabilitation specialists can significantly improve visual function in people whose vision cannot be corrected with contact lenses or glasses, compared to those who received standard treatment through hospitals or community-based services.
Researcher Prof. Tom Margrain explained, 'With low vision affecting around two million people in the U.K., it's important to identify visual rehabilitation services that can improve the independence and quality of life of those with sight loss. We already know that visual rehabilitation is beneficial to people with low vision, but what we don't know is the best method of delivery. Our new research reveals that a home visit system is very beneficial, delivering care and advice that can promote independence and recover lost skills."
Dan Pescod, RNIB's Head of Campaigns, added "This study is a useful addition to growing evidence about the efficacy of vision rehabilitation in helping blind and partially sighted people to live independently. The research also reinforces the importance of RNIB's See, Plan and Provide campaign, which calls for better access to timely, high-quality vision rehabilitation support."
For the study, 67 participants were divided into two groups for a period of six months. One half received regular rehabilitation in their homes, while the other half received standard routine care.
During their home visits, rehabilitation specialists assessed the needs of the patients in aspects such as functional vision, lighting, safety, personal hygiene, and medication management, to name a few. Training and support were then customized based on the individual needs of a particular patient…..
Read more: http://www.belmarrahealth.com/quality-life-low-vision-patients-improved-home-based-visual-rehabilitation/
Source: Bel Marra Health


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We're looking for an experienced Lead Designer to join our Malta-based team as we work on a range of original IP and third party licensed titles.
As Lead Designer, you'll work directly with the Game Director to ensure their vision for the project is delivered on. This will involve day to day management of the project's small design team and will require collaboration with our peers, across all disciplines.
You will play a key role in the prototyping process in order to define the creative vision, prove the fun factor and ensure players will be engaged.
You will have an insatiable appetite to push for quality and emotional engagement with the player, being able to see the product through the eyes of the consumer and understand what is required to satisfy their needs. You will be able to work in an agile way, throwing away the rule book if required in order to deliver to the quality expected within time and budget.
You will have a strong knowledge of f2p methodologies, processes and psychology and will use that knowledge to grow the knowledge of your team; while looking outside the industry for best practices.
You will also assist with generating concepts and pitch documentation to support the Company's business development efforts.
We are currently not accepting applications from agencies for this role. Only Direct Applications please.


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Many people like to be a critic, and many people like to make a snap judgment on any number of topics. Many may see a preview for a new movie and instantly know if it will be great or not just from the short clip.
You could apply that same principle to the NFL Draft. We see what a team does and instantly love it or hate it. In reality it could take anywhere from two to five years to see if a team made the right move.
But that isn't going to stop me from making a snap judgment on the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft. These are my three winners and three losers from April 27's first round.
Let's get critical.
Loser: Teams that traded up for a quarterback
One thing nearly all the analysts agreed on is that this draft featured a weak quarterback class. That didn't stop the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans from jumping up in the draft to take one.
Chicago signed Mike Glennon in free agency and traded with the San Francisco 49ers to move up a spot so they could grab Mitchell Trubisky. The Bears gave up two third-round picks (one in 2018) and a fourth-round pick in this draft to move up.
Quick note: First- and second-round picks should end up being starters in year one; third-round ones should contribute significantly early their first year; fourth-round ones should help out at some point in their rookie season, and fifth-, sixth- and seventh-round ones need to develop while playing special teams.
That means the Bears gave up two players who should help a team that has holes all in the roster. Chicago gave up a lot of picks for a guy who made just 13 starts in his college career.
Kansas City traded its third-round pick this year and the first-round pick in the 2018 draft to move up from the 21st pick to the Buffalo Bills' 10th pick. The Chiefs gave up a starter and a player that should help right away in Patrick Mahomes, who will sit behind Alex Smith.
Fans will wonder why Kansas City moved up if Mahomes isn't a star. For a playoff team like the Chiefs, the team could have used the picks to make a run at the Super Bowl.
Houston ended up giving up a 2018 first-round pick, moving from 25th to the Cleveland Browns' 12th spot. This is least of the bad moves from teams who moved up since the Texans were able to draft Deshaun Watson.
The Texans' defense could make the transition easier, but they did give up a starter in next year's draft. If Watson doesn't pay off quickly, it will be another in a recent line of quarterbacks who didn't work in Houston.
Winner: the Cleveland Browns
Say what you want about the Browns not getting a quarterback, but in my opinion, the team didn't chase the draft in this first round. Cleveland let it to come to them, and the team took the best player available in Myles Garrett.
The Browns then traded with Houston to get a second first-round pick in 2018. They used the Texans' former pick at 25th to add Jabrill Peppers. They added instant help to their defense in two picks.
Cleveland moved back into the first round in a trade with the Green Bay Packers, grabbing tight end David Njoku. It only cost them the 33rd pick in the second round and the 108th pick in the fourth round.
The Browns will have two first-round picks, three second-round picks and two fourth-round picks in the 2018 draft. Cleveland isn't a quick fix, and this gives the team plenty of picks to make moves or add starters right away.
Instead of looking for a quick fix, it looks like the Browns are trying to do some actual building. Cleveland could add a franchise quarterback in 2018 unless they fall into a Dak Prescott situation in this year's draft, if they use a later-round pick on a quarterback.
Loser: defensive players and players out of Alabama
In a draft that is loaded with defensive talent, http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/rounds">seven of the top-10 players drafted were offensive players. That sent a ton of good defensive talent down the draft.
After the top 10, teams only drafted six offensive players in the rest of the first round. It still proves this is a deep defensive draft, but plenty of talent fell out of the top 10. That is good for the teams drafting after the run on offensive players ended.
The University of Alabama ended up with four players drafted in the first round, which is in no way terrible. What is bad is that teams didn't take those players until the middle of the first round.
Many analysts thought teams could take anywhere from two to four Crimson Tide players in the top 10. There could be a number of reasons for the players dropping, but there is a rumor that many teams think http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/05/13/nick-saban-upset-with-perception-that-alabama-players-enter-nfl-banged-up/">Alabama uses its players up a bit in college.
Winner: the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans added what might be the best cornerback in the draft with the 11th pick. Marshon Lattimore should end up starting right away and improve one of the worst defenses in the league.
The Saints picked up maybe the top offensive lineman in the draft with the 32nd pick Ryan Ramczyk. At offensive tackle, Ramczyk is a player who could help change the nature of the New Orleans offense.
If New Orleans wants to become a run-first team, Ramczyk gives the Saints a good chance to ram Mark Ingram and Adrian Peterson down opposing defenses' throats.
The best part? The Saints didn't chase the draft. They let picks fall to them, and only adding more picks would have been better. New Orleans still has http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft/teams/_/name/no/new-orleans-saints">two second-round picks and a third pick to help fix the defense.
Loser: the censors
Every player is happy at the first round of the draft. They just became millionaires and get to share the experience with their families.
The Falcons ended up drafting Takkarist McKinney after the team traded up to draft the defensive end. In a touching moment, McKinney left the green room holding a picture of his grandmother.
There is no question that http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/2017-nfl-draft-takkarist-mckinley-speech-grandma-picture-fine-me-later-atlanta-falcons-ucla-042717">the former University of California, Los Angeles player was emotional. He ended up using some salty language that included an F-bomb.
McKinney's first NFL check might be a little lighter after his outburst.
Winner: SEC
You could have gone with the San Francisco 49ers here, as they added two starters to their defense and draft picks, but, no. The honor goes to the SEC, http://www.espn.com/espn/now?nowId=21-0649456309392904704-4">which had 12 former players drafted in the first round.
To put it in perspective, the next closest conference was the Big Ten, with seven players drafted on the first night. Third would be the Pac-12 with six picks, and the ACC finished with four picks.
Three conferences (AAC, MAC and Big 12) all saw one player drafted in the first round. On top of teams drafting 12 SEC players, seven of the conference's teams saw former players drafted.
Only three teams in the Big Ten saw teams take former players on the opening night. Five Pac-12 teams were represented in the first round.
The SEC now gets to claim that half of the conference had a former player who was drafted in the first round. That is sure to help with recruiting.
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If it seems like everyone is present on social networks these days, it's because they are. Today over 88% of businesses are active on social media, and 91% of adults that are online are present on social networks. But just creating a username on networks like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn isn't nearly enough. If you're looking to build up your brand online, you really have to get active on these sites, and use them to your advantage.
For those of you that think all you need is a solid resume and a decent cover letter to grow as a professional and network successfully, think again. Let's look at the facts…
1) Everybody is online:
- There are now 1 billion users on Facebook. 552 million of them are active daily.
- Twitter has over 517 million followers now, and almost 7 million of them use it every day.
- Of the 200+ million people on LinkedIn, over 25 million are active daily.
- From 2011 to 2012, time spent on social media has increased by roughly 30 billion minutes (or 37%).
If you're a professional trying to grow your client base, make a sale, or build up your brand as a speaker, entrepreneur, coach, or more – you have to fish where the fish are.
2) Recruiters are online too:
90% of recruiters are now searching for employees online.
- In 2012, 93% of recruiters used LinkedIn to search for candidates (this number was at 87% in 2011 and 78% in 2010).
- in 2012, 66% of recruiters used Facebook for their employee search (this number was at 55% in 2011 and in 2010).
- In 2012, 54% of recruiters used Twitter to find employees (this number was at 47% in 2011 and 45% in 2010).
If you're not on these networks, employers aren't seeing you.
3) Social media can help or hurt you:
- 79% of hiring managers look at applicants' info online before making a hiring decision.
- 70% of recruiters said they've rejected candidates based on something they found online.
- 65% of companies have successfully hired via social media.
- 1-in-5 employers use social networking sites to research candidates.
4) Be smart about managing your social media:
- 86% of employers think candidates should take at least one action to make their profiles more employer-friendly.
- 36% of employers think candidates should remove political and religious views from their profiles.
- Top reasons employers or colleagues decide not to collaborate with someone are based on things they see online:
- Concerns about lifestyle
- Concerns about unsuitable photos
- Inappropriate comments
- Unsuitable video
5) Who is already out there taking advantage of social networks?
- 14.4 million job seekers used social media to find their last job.
- 427,000 resumes are posted on Monster every week – that's population of Luxembourg.
- 61% of all Americans are open to a new job or actively looking for a new one.
6) Professionals should be active on sites like LinkedIn.
- 81% of LinkedIn users belong to one group.
- 61% use it as their primary professional networking site.
- 2 new users join LinkedIn every second.
Want to find new customers or make yourself known online? You better be on these networks – and be active.
7) What do people think of their online presence today?
- Only 80% of people Google themselves regularly and keep tabs on their search results.
- Of the people that search themselves, only 47% like what they see.
Whether you're starting a business, trying to build up a speaking or coaching brand, searching for a new job, or just want to stand out, you need to be online. But being online isn't enough – you have to have a solid plan for how to position yourself as an expert and well-respected professional in your industry. Need help? We thought so – check out our brand new personal brandbuilding class! This "Launch Yourself" Personal Branding Training starts May 3rd and will show you everything you need to – sign up before spots run out!


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Suggested Labor Day reading … or perhaps only if you have insomnia
A Forum by The Nation
In publishing Patrick Lawrence's article, "A New Report Raises Big Questions About Last Year's DNC Hack," on August 9, The Nation ran into widespread cognitive dissonance on the part of many of its readers, who found themselves challenged to rethink the official Putin-Hacked-and-We-Ended-Up-
Never mind. The Nation has now published a "forum" featuring their dissent and including replies to their dissent by the main authors of VIPS #50 – with the kind of related experience that will not quit. Fortunately, credentials of the authors are included.
There was hope that the "debate" would bring some degree of closure. But not so fast. In an overabundance of caution, the The Nation decided to go (another) extra mile and hired "an independent expert," a young technologist named Nathan Freitas, to "conduct a rigorous review" of the "technical claims" of the VIPS authors of Memo #50. Without showing them Freitas's findings in advance, The Nation simply tacked them on to the forum – and just when some of the real issues in question were starting to be understood and clarified. The Nation proudly notes that Freitas lays out several scenarios – which, of course, are just what is needed at this juncture, more evidence-deprived "scenarios."
One of our Silicon Valley volunteer experts has already weighed in, pointing out that Freitas "did not exert much effort other than abstract logic" and noted that there are lots of Silicon Valley specialists who could have added real value. "Freitas's real harm," our adviser quipped, "is in making patently criminal activity seem boring."
And so it goes. In sum, the "dissenters" seemed often confused and, though they took almost six weeks to prepare their dissent, they did not lay a glove on the basic conclusions of VIPS Memo #50 – nor even pretend to. As for Freitas, if his function was to add the veneer of an independent scientist to the discussion, he may have done that to The Nation's satisfaction. But, all told, for those honestly attempting to understand the essence of the controversy, Freitas did little more than muddy the waters. Cynics suggest that he was retained to achieve both purposes.
VIPS Memo #50 is buffeted but remains standing. Its Executive Summary is pasted in below, for easy reference. The key question now, as it was six weeks ago, is whether this recent flurry of attention will lead to further exposure of VIPS's explosive findings. Or will seriously interested people now throw up their arms in despair after trying to digest Freitas's turgid prose.
July 24, 2017
MEMORANDUM FOR: The President
FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS)
SUBJECT: Was the "Russian Hack" an Inside Job?
Executive Summary
Forensic studies of "Russian hacking" into Democratic National Committee computers last year reveal that on July 5, 2016, data was leaked (not hacked) by a person with physical access to DNC computer. After examining metadata from the "Guccifer 2.0" July 5, 2016 intrusion into the DNC server, independent cyber investigators have concluded that an insider copied DNC data onto an external storage device.
Key among the findings of the independent forensic investigations is the conclusion that the DNC data was copied onto a storage device at a speed that far exceeds an Internet capability for a remote hack. Of equal importance, the forensics show that the copying was performed on the East coast of the U.S. Thus far, mainstream media have ignored the findings of these independent studies [see here and here].
Independent analyst Skip Folden, who retired after 25 years as the IBM Program Manager for Information Technology, US, who examined the recent forensic findings, is a co-author of this Memorandum. He has drafted a more detailed technical report titled "Cyber-Forensic Investigation of 'Russian Hack' and Missing Intelligence Community Disclaimers," and sent it to the offices of the Special Counsel and the Attorney General. VIPS member William Binney, a former Technical Director at the National Security Agency, and other senior NSA "alumni" in VIPS attest to the professionalism of the independent forensic findings.
The recent forensic studies fill in a critical gap. Why the FBI neglected to perform any independent forensics on the original "Guccifer 2.0" material remains a mystery – as does the lack of any sign that the "hand-picked analysts" from the FBI, CIA, and NSA, who wrote the "Intelligence Community Assessment" dated January 6, 2017, gave any attention to forensics.
NOTE: There has been so much conflation of charges about hacking that we wish to make very clear the primary focus of this Memorandum. We focus specifically on the July 5, 2016 alleged Guccifer 2.0 "hack" of the DNC server. In earlier VIPS memoranda we addressed the lack of any evidence connecting the Guccifer 2.0 alleged hacks and WikiLeaks, and we asked President Obama specifically to disclose any evidence that WikiLeaks received DNC data from the Russians [see here and here].
Addressing this point at his last press conference (January 18), he described "the conclusions of the intelligence community" as "not conclusive," even though the Intelligence Community Assessment of January 6 expressed "high confidence" that Russian intelligence "relayed material it acquired from the DNC … to WikiLeaks."
Obama's admission came as no surprise to us. It has long been clear to us that the reason the U.S. government lacks conclusive evidence of a transfer of a "Russian hack" to WikiLeaks is because there was no such transfer. Based mostly on the cumulatively unique technical experience of our ex-NSA colleagues, we have been saying for almost a year that the DNC data reached WikiLeaks via a copy/leak by a DNC insider (but almost certainly not the same person who copied DNC data on July 5, 2016).
From the information available, we conclude that the same inside-DNC, copy/leak process was used at two different times, by two different entities, for two distinctly different purposes:
-(1) an inside leak to WikiLeaks before Julian Assange announced on June 12, 2016, that he had DNC documents and planned to publish them (which he did on July 22) – the presumed objective being to expose strong DNC bias toward the Clinton candidacy; and
-(2) a separate leak on July 5, 2016, to pre-emptively taint anything WikiLeaks might later publish by "showing" it came from a "Russian hack."