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Dambisa Moyo' book "Dead Aid" is gaining influence among African leaders (I wanted to point to President Kagame's thoughtful commentary in the FT). I would like to add the following comments. Volumes of aid to Africa per se are not the issue; instead the issue is the quality of political leadership and the effectiveness with which aid is put to in Africa to support the continent's development. Aid, by itself, is not a bad thing and, if utilized properly, can help resource constrained economies make wise investments to move from a low to a higher base of performance. Post-war Western Europe and Japan reconstructed into a modern economy through massive aid provided through the Marshall Plan, and many developing economies in East Asia (China, Korea, etc) and South Asia (e.g., India) have taken off because of large injections of external aid and, of course, the determined will and good policies of those nations. I find the debate championing the ending of aid to Africa as a dangerous one for it misses one key economic argument: resource fungibility. Having little less external resources does not imply meager internal resources will be better utilized. Africa has a financing gap--- and aid is a part filler. Depriving aid to Africa champions presume ending aid to Africa will make African economies face harder budget constraints and that African leaders will make wiser resource allocation decisions, as a result. This could not be further from the truth. Instead, I would argue that, if this were the case, we will see economies like that of Zimbabwe fare better. Instead, on account of resource fungibility, depriving aid to African economies, given prevailing patterns of governance and resource use in African economies, would likely hurt Africa's poor more. What we need to push for is not less aid but more aid to Africa and help untangle those aspects which reduce aid effectiveness: weak and underutilized capacities, aid unpredictability, aid tying, and aid fragmentation. We should continue to push for and assist countries improve their governance and accountability capacities and systems to ensure that aid and resources of African countries are utilized more effectively for growth and lasting poverty reduction.
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Tijan Sallah's comment on President Paul Kagame's thoughts on aid to Africa is strange. For instance Tijan says he agrees with Kagame on some issues. Tijan does not indicate areas of agreement. He then creates a false debate.
For example Tijan cites large infusion of aid through the Marshal Plan to post-WW2 Europe and development aid to Asia as having been responsible for success - besides sensible policies pursued by aid recipients. Now Kagame does not talk of ending aid now but calls on Africa to concentrate on creation of conditions for ending it, including promotion of dynamic economies, precisely the factors that enabled Europe and now Asia to graduate from aid. So what is your point Tijan?
Where did Kagame talk of volumes of aid, or where does he call on funders to stop financial support today or tomorrow other than calling for socioeconomic transformation? Should Africans not even visualize a future where they earn their way economically just like any other societies? Is there no dignified future for the one billion Africans - beyond charity and aid? Kagame believes that Africa, like other societies, should at least debate such a future. No Tijan - it is not dangerous to discuss the possibility of a different Africa able to transform and use its enormous human and natural wealth to change the lives of its people. What is unhelpful is to refuse to see the possibility of a dynamic Africa free from aid and begging.
Dear Sallah - I am sorry, but it seems you got wrong the point made by the Rwanda's President in his FT Article on "Africa has to find its own road to prosperity". He is not opposed to foreign aid per see, he did not say that aid is a bad thing, nor does he downplay the role of political leadership and effectiveness use of aid he actually emphasized them. The points he made are fourfold: (i) that aid is not a panacea poor nations should focus much on improving their economies rather than on receiving aid; (ii) that aid is not a right, since richer countries do not owe anything to poor nations ; (iii) that aid, whenever it materializes, should be in support to what recipient country/government intend to achieve themselves; and nobody should pretend that they know better or care more than the people in charge or reciepient people ; (iv) that, in all cases, aid should be temporary (i.e, should not last forever), as otherwise it will end up creating aid dependence, which dehumanize the societies it is intended to help.
The debate he is calling for is a very interesting one: When to end aid and How best to end it. I purposely underline when and how best, because it is there where you missed the point. We should remember, as yourself point out, that aid is a part filler of financing gap, or an aid to complete not to replace countries own efforts. Unfortunately, what is often seen, is that the world tends to give more press on the importance of foreign aid, but less focus on what countries themselves mobilize internally to drive their economic development. And this increasingly gives feeling that without foreign aid, Africa can not develop. Beside, the ultimate goal is that one day the financing gap should not continuously be there or it should be filled through other means such as borrowing, save macroeconomic stability and long-term sustainability. The ultimate debate is how quickly and best to end the cycle of aid and poverty in Africa. And it is hard to believe that the call for more aid is the answer.
Last point, you state that having little less external resources does not imply meager internal resources will be better utilized. For one, internal resources are not meager and this is the point I made above. Second, there is not much evidence that infusion of massive aid in a country has contributed to improvement in the management of resources sometimes the contrary is true.
So yes, African countries and the rich world should debate when and how best to end aid dependence frankly a debate that is more overdue.
I do not know which of President Kagames views you agree with or which ones you disagree with. I have read his FT article and I have to say you have mischaracterized his argument as a championing ending aid to Africa. The fundamental issue the President raises is that Aid in its present construct will not solve the problem of the poor because it rarely addresses the underlying issues of poverty and weak societies. I am sure you agree with that. In the same line of argument, aid can be potentially distractive and makes governments more dependent. Many African countries are well endowed with un harnessed natural resources yet they are equally holding the begging bowl, dont you agree that there should be an exit strategy? Aid should come in form of supporting them to build capacity to tap this potential.
Yes Africa needs Aid and but needs an exit strategy, through more open trade, investment and building domestic capital markets. In my view his argument is about the old adage dont hand a man fish but teach him how to fish. Both donors and African leadership should have a strategy and target date for when Africa should eventually graduate from the fishing school and feed on their own catch.
You are absolutely right on the role of African leadership but thats precisely President Kagames point as highlighted in the title of his article, and he has clearly demonstrated that with good leadership he has provided to his country, Aid goes a long way, however he also rightly argues that this is not sustainable. You rightly argue that Africa needs a Marshal Plan, I am sure President Kagame would agree with you as well, but to me thats precisely the point. The marshal plan was targeted, time bound, sufficiently funded and tailored to the needs of the recipient countries, on the other hand aid is unpredictable, fragmented, not customized to the recipient needs despite all the talk about country ownership demand driven and is more of drip feed which can only maintain Africa on life support for ever. Will it solve Africas poverty problem? I doubt.
Tijan, in your eminently sensible and correct post, you don't mention that President Kagame's critique of aid is actually very different from Dambisa Moyo's. Dambisa wants to cut aid because she thinks it goes to corrupt dictators and causes real-exchange-rate appreciation. President Kagame's point is that even well-intentioned aid can lead to aid dependency as a low-level equilibrium. His other critique of aid to Congo and Afghanistan are more along the lines of those in Paul Collier's latest book, "Wars, Guns and Votes," namely that we are giving the wrong kind of aid.
President Kagame's commentary therefore should not be seen as an implicit endorsement of Dambisa's arguments; nor should people who dismiss Dambisa's book ignore President Kagame's cogent critique of aid.
Ending aid to Africa is not politically desirable, at this stage, for objective and subjective reasons. Indeed,countries with low capital base have no other choice than to rely on Official Development Aid(ODA)to sustain their economies. In Burkina Faso, for example, 80% of public investment expenses are funded with ODA, and in 2007, aid accounted for 15.18 % of GDP. The country's economy is based on cotton production( about 60% of total exports) but we all know that raw cotton export is not a stable revenue stream in view of the distorsions in the international cotton market.
Fortunately, many other Sub Saharan African countries are well endowed with natural resources and there are no objective reasons why these countries should not develop themselves on their own. But if they continue to rely on ODA, it is simply because their leaders are keen to pocket half of the funds they receive at the expense of their poor people. Leaders of donor countries have also incentives to continue to deliver ODA despite these conditions because it serves to mask their businesses non competitive behaviour that allow them to acquire recipient countries' exports at very low prices. I'd like to get any cross country evidence on aid effectiveness in Sub Saharan Africa. I bet that aid is likely to be less responsive to poverty reduction in resource-rich African countries.
However, I totally agree with Tijan Sallah that aid itself is not a bad thing if properly utilised. The problem is, as he and some readers already pointed out,bad management of public finance(whether the money comes abroad or within the country):corruption and absence of time value of money considerations makes self-development a far distant goal for most Sub Saharan African countries in my view.
President Kagame is totally right. He clearly challenges our thinking on two points:
1) As he has said we cannot solve the problems of the poor with sentimentality and promises of massive infusions of aid, which often do not materialize. We all know that aid pledges made by G8 countries at Gleneagles have yet to be fulfilled. Countries that succeeded in developing out off poverty did receive massive aid inflows, including from the Breton Woods institutions. If you give a poor $1 a day for all his life, I doubt that he will be wealthy enough to stop depending on your assistance. If instead you make him a one time gift of $1440- the same amount that you would have given him over 4 years under the previous scheme, he can start up a small business and graduate from poverty to middle class status ( Why did we pick 4 years? It corresponds to the duration of the Marshall Plan). Now lets ask Tijan to help with numbers: how much money does the World Bank spend in the average poor country and can we honestly hope that this amount will help this country grow out of poverty. How much does the Bank spend in poor countries that graduated from poverty vs. poor countries that did not?
2) The Presidents idea of focusing government activities on supporting entrepreneurship is brilliant. As a matter of fact recent scholarship have found that this was a key ingredient in the success of the Marshall Plan. Again lets ask Tijan: How much does the World Banks agency dedicated to the private sector development (IFC) spend in Africa?
In both absolute and relative terms the numbers utterly come up short.
President Kagame didnt call for the end of Aid. He said :Do not get me wrong. We appreciate support from the outside....
Clearly he is challenging us to go beyond aid as we know it. Lets give him two thumbs up for advocating for smart aid, or for Aid 2.0.
I have read President Kagame's interesting opinion piece in the FT. It is thoughtful indeed. That said, I would like to make a few points.
Instead of seeing Dambisa's "Dead Aid" as controversial, I would rather it's considered a contribution to the debate on effectiveness of foreign aid. Care, therefore, needs to be taken to not regard it as an authoritative reading of the "real" state of development assistance. Dead Aid is a description (critique at best) of an aspect of the aid culture rather than an "accurate evaluation," as President Kagame argues. Whilst Dambisa raises critical points, I am struggling to find out what's new. In my opinion, Dambisa short-circuits Africa's development agenda/process by concentrating her "blue-print" on development financing only, the path of least resistance. This is not to say we should not pay attention to the issues.
It is also worth paying attention to the issues Dambisa touches on regarding political leadership on the continent. She cites a database (Polity IV) to stress a point that Africa is still home to at least 11 fully autocratic regimes. Interestingly, Rwanda features prominently on this list. I do not want to believe that President Kagame tacitly agrees with this characterization. But the broader point is leadership matters.
Certainly, it will require democratically elected leadership working with the populace to take initiative as well create opportunities for Africa to find its road to prosperity.
In the same way, leadership matters on framing and advancing the discussion on when and how best to end aid. If ending aid is Africa's surest way to lift itself out the woods, I am all for it. What steps should Africa take to ensure that it will be able to pull itself by the bootstrap? How does it get there? Who starts this conversation and where? May be cutting or eliminating aid dependency could be a NEPAD target to reach at specified time. The problem, however, is that NEPAD itself depends on the benevolence of outside support to survive.
President Kagame could be more serious making it his agenda to get this discussion going practically, substantively not politically. You can never have your cake and eat it!
Dambisa Moyo pointed out one great truth in that more aid has been given to Sub-Saharan Africa than to Western Europe after WWII. So the question is what has africa done with it? I suspect that aid is a failure in Africa because it often combines with typically useless people in equally useless organizational systems that results in resounding failure as it has equally been with the oil-rich states of Cameroon, Nigeria, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon where all that capital has gone to waste.
Aid in Africa needs to change and firstly require minimum evidence of capabilities - that Africans are already helping themselves and striving to do more.
The institutions that are aid conduits must have minimum efficient and effective standards and have a history of performance. They should NOT be, as they are now, headed by a few well dressed Sorbonne or Harvard-educated PHDs speaking great English and French in beautiful air-conditioned, wood panelled offices overseeing work that takes place in dusty, filthy backrooms or branch offices with paper strewn all over the place by careless, sleepy-eyed, incompetent and unprofessional personnel - as is the case with most African public institutions.
After all, a state water board like the one in my home region of anambra, nigeria has not provided steady water to average people since the 60s at the least talk less laid new pipes since the 70s yet year-in and year out they get World Bank and EU assistance for water projects.
Yet had the World Bank and EU officials done their homework like investment bankers and visited the offices of the state board and looked at their infrastructure and performance (or more lack of it), they wouldnt be routing billions to a state entity that is clearly a non-performing entity filled by terribly incompetent people.
This to me is the first step western aid must demand of all recipient countries particularly in Africa. Prove that you can make something of the money. Speaking broadly about good governance like democractic institutions, etc is all nice but at a rigorous level proof has to show that disbursing institutions have strong accountability, well-trained management systems, clean accounting and evidence (through surveys for example) of striving to cater to local needs.
After all, whats important is not teaching a person how to fish but is having a person eager and willing to learn how to fish with lots of desire to eventually go out there and fish.
The link between development and western style democracy is at best tenuous. Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, etc did very well before embracing western style democracy. China is doing very well. Kagame's Rwanda is doing well because of his leadership. btw, the vote that took place in Rwanda is no less legitimate than the ons in Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria. Rwanda is emerging as a country where there is clear vision because of Kagame's ledership. Leadership is not synonymous with democratic election. Nor democracy can be reduced to elections. And from that perspective, there are few countries in Africa where one can talk of democracy really. Corruption is rampant in countries where there were apparently clean elections. The point I want to make though is that the development debate on Africa should be based on facts, not ideology.
As to "Dead Aid", one need not agree with the book, its premisses, analysis or prescriptions to get the essence of the message. And clearly there is one. I doubt though that the debate it ignited will endure.
During hard times poor country try to seek financial aid to the most powerful country, but the problem arises when there is some political instability within the region that the suppose fund from other sector or foreign country has not been used effectively. We have to bear in mind that a strong political system has something to do with the economic growth of a particular country. Economic growth is not just about the fund but also lies on a strong political leadership that the country may have. It's not all about the money but the brilliant idea to create a change toward economic sustainability and poverty reduction.Anyway, despite of recession, P.F. Chang's remains the most popular restaurant chains of the last few years.The food is not authentic, and often heavily fried, and they have point blank admitted that it isn't authentic, and the restaurant is relatively high end compared with other Chinese restaurants but not so much that you need a payday loan and a reservation. They have been one of the fastest expanding restaurant chains in North America in the last decade, and they don't seem to need debt relief as more P.F. Chang's keep going up.
Dambisa Moyo's book has often been misunderstood and simplified. It does not just suggest the end of aid but its rapid replacement by more trade, more direct investment, more use of remittances and local financing and, yes, better use of resources. I think there is a compelling argument in this book: aid has very often been granted to governements who do not respect their word. The donors moan, but then they continue to give. This transforms aid in a kind of tax, a tax on which the governements are accountable to nobody. This is a very vicious circle.
Aid is definitely needed in Africa, but when the aid is given to governments that are corrupt, the aid never gets to the intended source. So much aid is stolen from the people it is intended to serve, and yet countries still continue to give. Why? If you know the aid is being misused, do something about it. Get another source to be accountable for the aid. I have lived in Kenya for 7 years and I can most definitely tell you that the aid coming into this country is stolen consistently. Only a trickle ever reaches the people.
I think the salient issue in the whole 'aid to Africa' debate should be the structure of the aid. Since donor agencies and organizations have provided relief primarily in the form of money, maybe it's time to rethink strategy. Instead of giving funds which end up lining the pockets and suitcases of our corrupt leaders, how about funds in terms of goods and services? For instance if it is determined that infrastructure is needed in a particular country, the type of infrastructure should be agreed on and what the donor agency could do is to probably engage turn key consultants or ask the Country to supply human resources for the job. Major procurement should be undertaken by the donor. I don't see this as a denigration of a nation's sovereignty. Also, training of human resources should be a key focus area for donors.
I tell you that it is really heartbreaking watching so many die from preventable causes while the leaders entrusted with their welfare strut about happily with ill gotten wealth.
Tijan, in your eminently sensible and correct post, you don't mention that President Kagame's critique of aid is actually very different from Dambisa Moyo's. Dambisa wants to cut aid because she thinks it goes to corrupt dictators and causes real-exchange-rate appreciation. President Kagame's point is that even well-intentioned aid can lead to aid dependency as a low-level equilibrium. His other critique of aid to Congo and Afghanistan are more along the lines of those in Paul Collier's latest book, "Wars, Guns and Votes," namely that we are giving the wrong kind of aid. President Kagame's commentary therefore should not be seen as an implicit endorsement of Dambisa's arguments; nor should people who dismiss Dambisa's book ignore President Kagame's cogent critique of aid.
" Post-war Western Europe and Japan reconstructed into a modern economy through massive aid provided through the Marshall Plan, and many developing economies in East Asia (China, Korea, etc) and South Asia (e.g., India) have taken off because of large injections of external aid and, of course, the determined will and good policies of those nations."
While that is true to a larger extent, I strongly argue that for example the post-war Europe was different in one very important way compared to current day africa: There was a strong sense and tradition of respecting the rule of law.
Didn't already Einstein say that Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Nothing draws you a better picture where we stand than this site http://www.youintheworld.info/. Really puts things in perspective.
I believe it's about time to change something or at least stop expecting to see different results from doing the same thing over and over again.
My book When Africa was a Young Woman was published by Writers Workshop of Calcutta, India, in 1980.
I don't know whether it is still in print but you may google Writers' Workshop of Calcutta and ask if they have a copy or perhaps google "used books" to see if you can locate a second hand copy.
Selections from it appear in my more recent book, Dream Kingdom, which is a collection of my Selected Poetry from past published volumes and is published by Africa World Press of Trenton, New Jersey. Hope this helps. Tijan
Sorry, not contributing to this discussion but i'm writing to ask you (Tijan Sallah) where i can get your book 'When Africa was a Young Woman'. Is it in any bookshops in the UK?
I don't agree with Wells' argument that 'Post-war Western Europe and Japan reconstructed into a modern economy through massive aid provided through the Marshall Plan, and many developing economies in East Asia (China, Korea, etc) and South Asia (e.g., India) have taken off because of large injections of external aid and, of course, the determined will and good policies of those nations."
There are deep differences than the rule of law, though this is important as well. Marshall Plan had a time line of five years and was specifically directed to reconstruct the torn apart infrastructures of Europe, not in every sector of the economy and society like in modern Africa.
Further Marshall Plan represented a small percentage of the recipient countries GDPs compared to modern Africa where 15% or more is the normal. In addition Europe had strong institutions and access to resources in their colonies to fuel their industries, this is a big difference. By the way i think the two cases of aid in history are incomparable.
Tijan, I still possess the copy you gave to Jals and I. Passing it on to my Grandson, Khamani Chadrick Keita-Newell, and will enlighten him on the value of this gift from a fellow Gambian. He has much to learn about the country of his heritage.


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Danish filmmaker Mads Brügger's The Ambassador (read my review here) opened on VOD everywhere and began a limited theatrical run last week. Brügger first became known outside of Denmark in 2009, with his documentary The Red Chapel, which detailed Brügger's bizarre journey to North Korea with two adopted, Danish-Korean comedians, one with cerebral palsy, where they were to put on a comedy show, all while under the strict supervision of the North Korean state. Their ace in the hole was that North Koreans aren't especially fluent in Danish, and especially not palsied Danish. It was at turns wildly tragicomic and uncomfortable to watch, with the North Korean advisor/translator fawning and trying desperately to appear sympathetic to the disabled, all while it was becoming increasingly clear that other North Koreans had never even seen a disabled person before, which spoke volumes about how the regime deals with its disabled citizens.
Brügger's second documentary feature, The Ambassador follows his quest to become an African diplomat, ostensibly to expose government corruption in Africa, a quest which first brings him into contact with a pair of shady fellows who sell such titles, one a crew-cut Brit named Colin Evans, the other a rumpled Belgian with a silly mustache named Willem Tijssen. From there Brügger travels first to Liberia, then to the Central African Republic, a "failed state only if one is to believe it was ever a functioning state to begin with." Brügger, who for the film creates a slightly Sacha Cohen-esque character named "Mr. Cortzen," a colonialist dandy in long riding boots who smokes cigarettes out of holders like Hunter Thompson, earned points for boldness from all critics, creating a rare view of Africa from the corrupt top down in a real-life heart of darkness. Or, as Brügger describes it, "a place where the principles of causality don't apply."
As far as I've read, the two biggest knocks on The Ambassador are the lack of a clear goal ("what was he trying to do, anyway?") and an insensitivity to the natives. A reviewer for Salon went so far as to call Brügger a bastard, writing, "If Brügger's intentions are in many senses laudable – exposing the epic and corrosive corruption that surrounds the African diamond trade, and for that matter almost everything else about the governance and society of that continent – there's an unmistakably malicious edge to the spectacle of this bald-headed Dane, a B-movie character in his linen suit, glove-leather boots and designer shades, dancing with a bunch of drunken Pygmies amid the ruined dreams of civilization."
I recently had a chance to ask Mads how he responds to those critics (including the country of Liberia, who have threatened legal action against him), as well as find out about the day-to-day realities (read: diarrhea) of working in a country so poor they have to import eggs. Enjoy.
"It was the most hardcore thing I have ever seen."
What was your end game going into The Ambassador? When you first envisioned the project, what did you hope to find out and in a perfect world what were you going to get out of it?
Well, I'm a "Let's see what happens" kind of guy. I was thinking what kind of people we will meet, and what sort of environment will I be involved in. But I did have ideas about what kind of place this Central African Republic is. It is the most forgotten country in Africa if not the world; it does attract a lot of shady people because it is the ultimate hideaway. So, I did suspect I would meet some bizarre characters, which I really did, but I had no idea that I would run into characters such as the head of security of that was assassinated. That was something that really came as a surprise. I was also, almost on a daily basis, shocked about how easy it was for me to operate in the Central African Republic, and how few questions I was confronted with about who I was and what I was up to. Take a look at the most obvious question, "How come a very white guy is representing an African country to another African country?" This very obvious question was never asked by anybody. I had the ambition or idea that a diplomatic channel would be an access ticket, it would grant me access to the inner sanctuaries of power in a failed African state, and it surely did.
How much were you willing to pay to buy diplomatic credentials? How did you get in contact with those people that you were trying to buy them from? It almost seemed that you were Googling people in the movie.
Well, I did do a lot of research about this business of obtaining diplomatic access. There are a lot of scholars in this field. What I found out in an early stage was that anything below a hundred thousand dollars is a scam, and to be avoided. Further more, if they don't ask to meet you in person, before anything happens, then it is also a scam. Third of all, if they do not fairly quickly suggest a meeting with a representative of the government that you are to represent, it is also a scam. But apart from that, it's incredibly easy, and if you have the money and you have a business suit and you are capable of speaking English or French you are in the loop.
There didn't seem like there was much infrastructure in the Central African Republic. I was wondering what did you eat while you were there?
I really like that question, because that was a great concern for me. I had a lot of grilled chicken because of frequent electricity blackouts getting fresh food is really difficult. A lot of people suffer from constant diarrhea when they are there. I would meet people who had diarrhea on a daily basis for eight years. They made a very nice grilled chicken, which they traditionally enjoy with French mustard. It's an acquired taste, but once you try it it's great.
Was this something you could get at a restaurant?
You could get it at most places. One large restaurant, that is relatively speaking, it's a restaurant called L'Equater, it means the Equator, which is a swanky place, and I remember one night being there and while eating, this officer from the French Foreign Legion enters, this elderly silver-fox kind of guy, a real leatherneck, and he orders raw beef tartar and a glass of red wine. Having that in the Central African Republic is basically committing suicide. It's that thing, Russian roulette, with the six bullets in the chamber. He was eating it as if it was another day at the office. We were watching him being in shock. It is the most hardcore thing I have ever seen.
Was there a certain amount of businesses there that catered directly to the sort of diplomats and people in the circles that you were running with?
In Bangui [capital of the CAR] there is this weird nightclub called Zodiac where it's businessmen and diplomats and dealers go to meet good-looking women. Another place where people such as Mr. Cortzen must be found is waterhole called Tropicana, which is where I met the head of state security [the morbidly obese, cigar-chomping former Legionnaire who was assassinated before the movie was over].
When you were meeting with diplomatic paper brokers, how in character were you when dealing with them?
I was being an alternate version of myself. I told them I was a hugely successful media entrepreneur from Denmark. That I made a lot of money in publishing and film producing – which I have not at all – and that I was looking for a second career. That's about it.
They didn't ask much further than that?
No. From the beginning I was really concerned what happened if people would really Google me in depth, because if you do begin to peel the layers of Mr. Cortzen, you will end up with me, but that apparently never happened.
There's a lot of people that you filmed where I wondered what you had to say to these people for them to allow you to film them. What was your cover, and what were they thinking that was the reason for filming them?
We were using a Canon EOS camera, which looks like a still camera. I told them the photographer was my first officer, because it sounds official and impressive. So they thought he was taking still pictures and they didn't care, really. Eventually we got to film a lot of things, which would be impossible to film, such as the whole process of leaving with Mr. Gilbert. [Brügger speaks here of a sequence in the film when the gold-toothed, crocodile-smiled diamond-mine owner, Mr. Gilbert takes Brügger on a tour of the mine, and as they're leaving in an SUV, Gilbert's Muslim child-bride tries to jump in the car with them. Gilbert shoves her out and exhorts them not to "shame him in front of the white men."]

subset: commoncrawl


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How to Model the Compression of a Hyperelastic Foam
Chandan Kumar September 5, 2018
When characterizing hyperelastic materials, how do you ensure accuracy? Here, we show how to model the compression of a sphere made of an elastic foam using experimental data.Ler Mais
Chandan Kumar January 4, 2018
Get the theory behind a quintessential CFD problem, the oscillating motion of a buoyant sphere, as well as step-by-step instructions for modeling it in COMSOL Multiphysics®.Ler Mais
Chandan Kumar October 8, 2015
MEMS resonators are microelectromechanical systems primarily used as sensor elements, filters, and frequency elements. Two common actuation methods for MEMS resonators are piezoelectric actuation and electrostatic actuation. In this blog post, we will discuss the modeling of electrostatically actuated MEMS resonators. When modeling such resonators, you will often come across terms such as equilibrium point, pull-in, pull-in voltage, and time harmonic response of a biased resonator. We will explain these phenomena using a simple representation of an actuator.Ler Mais
Chandan Kumar June 24, 2015
Previously on the blog, we have discussed the need for appropriate measured data to fit the material parameters that correspond to a material model. We have also looked at typical experimental tests, considerations for operating conditions when choosing a material model, and an example of how to use your measured data directly in a nonlinear elastic model. Our focus today will be on how to fit your experimental data to different hyperelastic material models.Ler Mais
Chandan Kumar January 28, 2014
Here is an interesting question: How can we easily probe the solution at a point that is moving in time, but associated with a stationary geometry? One option is to use the General Extrusion coupling operator. In this blog post, we will take a look at how to use the General Extrusion coupling operator to probe a solution at a point in your geometry, and illustrate how to implement a dynamic probe using an example model.Ler Mais
Chandan Kumar April 3, 2013
Some structural applications involve thin or high aspect ratio structures sandwiched between other relatively low aspect ratio structures. For example, if a piezoelectric transducer is glued on the surface of a mechanical system, the thickness of the adhesive layer is very small in comparison to the two structures it glues together. Numerical modeling of such a thin layer in two or three dimensions requires resolving it with an appropriate finite element mesh. This can result in a large concentration of […]Ler Mais


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Fiji Population: 915,3031 VISITOR FROM HERE!
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|Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Reelected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Following years of political turmoil, long-delayed legislative elections were held in September 2014 that were deemed "credible" by international observers and that resulted in BAINIMARAMA being reelected.
Includes 332 islands; approximately 110 are inhabited
|Oceania, island group in the South Pacific Ocean, about two-thirds of the way from Hawaii to New Zealand
|Geographic coordinates:
| total: 18,274 sq km
land: 18,274 sq km
water: 0 sq km
Size comparison: slightly smaller than New Jersey
|Land Boundaries:
|0 km
|1,129 km
|Maritime claims:
| measured from claimed archipelagic straight baselines territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation; rectilinear shelf claim added
|tropical marine; only slight seasonal temperature variation
|mostly mountains of volcanic origin
|Elevation extremes:
|Natural resources:
|timber, fish, gold, copper, offshore oil potential, hydropower
|Land use:
| agricultural land: 23.3% arable land 9%; permanent crops 4.7%; permanent pasture 9.6% forest: 55.7%
other: 21% (2011 est.)
|Irrigated land:
|40 sq km (2012)
|Natural hazards:
|cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
|Current Environment Issues:
|deforestation; soil erosion
|International Environment Agreements:
| party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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| noun: Fijian(s)
adjective: Fijian
|Ethnic groups:
|iTaukei 56.8% (predominantly Melanesian with a Polynesian admixture), Indian 37.5%, Rotuman 1.2%, other 4.5% (European, part European, other Pacific Islanders, Chinese) note: a 2010 law replaces 'Fijian' with 'iTuakei' when referring to the original and native settlers of Fiji (2007 est.)
|English (official), Fijian (official), Hindustani
|Protestant 45% (Methodist 34.6%, Assembly of God 5.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 3.9%, and Anglican 0.8%), Hindu 27.9%, other Christian 10.4%, Roman Catholic 9.1%, Muslim 6.3%, Sikh 0.3%, other 0.3%, none 0.8% (2007 est.)
|915,303 (July 2016 est.)
|Age structure:
| 0-14 years: 27.88% (male 130,414/female 124,774)
15-24 years: 16.42% (male 76,709/female 73,565)
25-54 years: 41.11% (male 192,605/female 183,681)
55-64 years: 8.29% (male 38,427/female 37,412)
65 years and over: 6.31% (male 26,534/female 31,182) (2016 est.)
|Dependency ratios:
| total dependency ratio: 52.8%
youth dependency ratio: 43.9%
elderly dependency ratio: 8.9%
potential support ratio: 11.2% (2015 est.)
|Median age:
| total: 28.6 years
male: 28.4 years
female: 28.8 years (2016 est.)
|Population growth rate:
|0.63% (2016 est.)
|Birth rate:
|19 births/1,000 population (2016 est.)
|Death rate:
|6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.)
|Net migration rate:
|-6.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.)
| urban population: 53.7% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 1.45% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
|Major urban areas - population:
|SUVA (capital) 176,000 (2014)
|Sex ratio:
| at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.85 male(s)/female
total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2016 est.)
|Maternal mortality rate:
|30 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)
|Infant mortality rate:
| total: 9.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 10.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.)
|Life expectancy at birth:
| total population: 72.7 years male: 70 years
female: 75.5 years (2016 est.)
|Total fertility rate:
|2.44 children born/woman (2016 est.)
|Health expenditures:
|4.5% of GDP (2014)
|Physicians density:
|0.43 physicians/1,000 population (2009)
|Hospital bed density:
|2 beds/1,000 population (2009)
|Drinking water source:
| improved:
urban: 99.5% of population
rural: 91.2% of population
total: 95.7% of population
urban: 0.5% of population
rural: 8.8% of population
total: 4.3% of population (2015 est.)
|Sanitation facility access:
| improved:
urban: 93.4% of population
rural: 88.4% of population
total: 91.1% of population
urban: 6.6% of population
rural: 11.6% of population
total: 8.9% of population (2015 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
|0.13% (2014 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
|700 (2014 est.)
|HIV/AIDS - deaths:
|fewer than 100 (2014 est.)
|Obesity - adult prevalence rate:
|35.9% (2014)
|Education expenditures:
|3.9% of GDP (2013)
|Unemployment, youth ages 15-24:
| total: 18.7% male: 14.8%
female: 25.4% (2007 est.)
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|Country name:
| conventional long form: Republic of Fiji
conventional short form: Fiji
local long form: Republic of Fiji/Matanitu ko Viti
local short form: Fiji/Viti
etymology: the Fijians called their home Viti, but the neighboring Tongans called it Fisi, and in the Anglicized spelling of the Tongan pronunciation - promulgated by explorer Captain James COOK - the designation became Fiji
|Government type:
|parliamentary republic
| name: Suva (on Viti Levu)
geographic coordinates: 18 08 S, 178 25 E
time difference: UTC+12 (17 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins fourth Sunday in October; ends third Sunday in January
|Administrative divisions:
|14 provinces and 1 dependency*; Ba, Bua, Cakaudrove, Kadavu, Lau, Lomaiviti, Macuata, Nadroga and Navosa, Naitasiri, Namosi, Ra, Rewa, Rotuma*, Serua, Tailevu
|10 October 1970 (from the UK)
|National holiday:
|Constitution Day, 7 September; Fiji (independence) Day, 10 October (1970)
|several previous; latest signed into law September 2013 (2016)
|Legal system:
|common law system based on the English model
|18 years of age; universal
|Executive branch:
| chief of state: President Jioji Konousi KONROTE (since 12 November 2015)
head of government: Prime Minister Voreqe "Frank" BAINIMARAMA (since 22 September 2014)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister from among members of Parliament and is responsible to Parliament elections/appointments: under the constitution, president elected by the Parliament for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); prime minister appointed by the president
election results: Jioji Konousi KONROTE elected 12 Ocotber 2015 defeating Ratu Epeli GANILAU 31 to 14
|Legislative branch:
| description: unicameral Parliament (50 seats; members directly elected in a nationwide, multi-seat constituency by open-list proportional representation vote to serve 4-year terms; the new constitution of 2013 restructured Parliament from bicameral to unicameral
elections: last held on 17 September 2014 (next to be held in 2019)
election results: percent of vote by party - Fiji First 59.2%, SDL 28.2%, National Federation Party 5.5%, other 7.1%; seats by party - Fiji First 32, SDL 15, National Federation Party 3
|Judicial branch:
| highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, all justices of the Court of Appeal, and judges appointed specifically as Supreme Court judges); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, all puisne judges of the High Court, and judges specifically appointed to the Court of Appeal); High Court (chaired by the chief justice and includes a minimum of 10 puisne judges; High Court organized into civil, criminal, family, employment, and tax divisions) judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; judges of the Supreme Court, the president of the Court of Appeal, the justices of the Court of Appeal, and puisne judges of the High Court appointed by the president of Fiji upon the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission after consulting with the cabinet minister and the committee of the House of Representatives responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice, Supreme Court judges and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70 but may be waived for one or more sessions of the court; puisne judges appointed for not less than 4 years nor more than 7 years with mandatory retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions)
|Political parties and leaders:
|FijiFirst [Aiyaz SAYED-KHAIYUM] Fiji Labor Party or FLP [Mahendra CHAUDHRY] Fiji United Freedon Party or FUFP [Jagath KARUNARATNE] National Federation Party or NFP [Dalip KUMAR] (primarily Indian) Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Adi Sivia QORO] Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPA [Pio TABAIWALU]
|Political pressure groups and leaders:
|Group Against Racial Discrimination or GARD [Dr. Anirudk SINGH] (suports restoration of a democratic government) Viti Landowners Association
|International organization participation:
|ACP, ADB, AOSIS, C, CP, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, OPCW, PCA, PIF, Sparteca (suspended), SPC, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
|National symbol(s):
|Fijian canoe; national color: light blue
|National anthem:
| name: "God Bless Fiji"
lyrics/music: Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT/C. Austin MILES (adapted by Michael Francis Alexander PRESCOTT)
note: adopted 1970; known in Fijian as "Meda Dau Doka" (Let Us Show Pride); adapted from the hymn, "Dwelling in Beulah Land," the anthem's English lyrics are generally sung, although they differ in meaning from the official Fijian lyrics
|Diplomatic representation in the US:
| chief of mission: Ambassador Solo MARA (since 28 January 2016)
chancery: 2000 M Street NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036
telephone: [1] (202) 466-8320
|Diplomatic representation from the US:
| chief of mission: Ambassador Judith CEFKIN (since 3 February 2015); note - also accredited to Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga, and Tuvalu
embassy: 158 Princes Rd, Tamavua
mailing address: P. O. Box 218, Suva
telephone: [679] 331-4466
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Fiji, endowed with forest, mineral, and fish resources, is one of the most developed and connected of the Pacific island economies. Earnings from the tourism industry, with an estimated 755,000 tourists visiting in 2015, and remittances from Fijian's working abroad are the country's largest foreign exchange earners. Fiji's sugar remains a significant industry and a major export. The sugar industry reforms since 2010 have improved productivity and returns, but the industry faces the complete withdrawal of European Union preferential prices by 2017. Fiji's trade imbalance continues to widen with increased imports and sluggish performance of domestic exports. The return to parliamentary democracy and successful elections in September 2014 have boosted investor confidence. Private sector investment in 2015 exceeded 20% of GDP, compared to 13% in 2013.
|GDP (purchasing power parity):
| GDP (purchasing power parity): $8.374 billion (2016 est.) $8.17 billion (2015 est.) $7.833 billion (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
|GDP (official exchange rate):
|GDP (official exchange rate): $4.556 billion (2015 est.)
|GDP - real growth rate:
|2.5% (2016 est.) 4.3% (2015 est.) 5.3% (2014 est.)
|GDP - per capita (PPP):
| GDP - per capita (PPP): $9,400 (2016 est.) $9,200 (2015 est.) $8,800 (2014 est.)
note: data are in 2016 dollars
|Gross national saving:
|12.3% of GDP (2016 est.) 8.8% of GDP (2015 est.) 7% of GDP (2014 est.)
|GDP - composition, by end use:
| household consumption: 72.5%
government consumption: 11%
investment in fixed capital: 20.5%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 50.4%
imports of goods and services: -54.4% (2016 est.)
|GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
| household consumption: 72.5%
government consumption: 11%
investment in fixed capital: 20.5%
investment in inventories: 0%
exports of goods and services: 50.4%
imports of goods and services: -54.4% (2016 est.)
|Agriculture - products:
|sugarcane, coconuts, cassava (manioc, tapioca), rice, sweet potatoes, bananas; cattle, pigs, horses, goats; fish
|tourism, sugar, clothing, copra, gold, silver, lumber, small cottage industries
|Industrial production growth rate:
|1.5% (2016 est.)
|Labor force:
|350.1 (2016 est.)
|Labor force - by occupation:
| agriculture: 70% industry and
services: 30% (2001 est.)
|Unemployment rate:
|8.8% (2014 est.) 8.7% (2013 est.)
|Population below poverty line:
|31% (2009 est.)
|Household income or consumption by percentage share:
| lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 34.9% (2009 est.)
| revenues: $1.232 billion
expenditures: $1.469 billion (2016 est.)
|Taxes and other revenues:
|27% of GDP (2016 est.)
|Public debt:
|50.2% of GDP (2016 est.) 48.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
|Fiscal year:
|calendar year
|Inflation rate (consumer prices):
|Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.1% (2016 est.) 1.4% (2015 est.)
|Current account balance:
|-$329 million (2016 est.) -$235 million (2015 est.)
|$986.3 million (2016 est.) $1.233 billion (2015 est.)
|Exports - commodities:
|sugar, garments, gold, timber, fish, molasses, coconut oil, mineral water
|Exports - partners:
|US 13.4%, Australia 10.2%, Samoa 6.7%, Tonga 5.9% (2015)
|$2.397 billion (2016 est.) $2.283 billion (2015 est.)
|Imports - commodities:
|manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, food, chemicals
|Imports - partners:
|China 16.2%, South Korea 15.7%, NZ 14%, Australia 13.4%, Singapore 8.7%, France 7% (2015)
|Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
|$884 million (31 December 2016 est.) $918.8 million (31 December 2015 est.)
|Debt - external:
|$833.4 million (31 December 2016 est.) $820.1 million (31 December 2015 est.)
|Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
|$4.347 billion (31 December 2016 est.) $4.047 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
|Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
|$192.6 million (31 December 2016 est.) $189.6 million (31 December 2015 est.)
|Market value of publicly traded shares:
|$452.5 million (31 December 2012 est.) $392.2 million (31 December 2011 est.) $418.8 million (31 December 2010 est.)
|Exchange rates:
|Fijian dollars (FJD) per US dollar - 2.11 (2016 est.) 2.0976 (2015 est.) 2.0976 (2014 est.) 1.8874 (2013 est.) 1.79 (2012 est.)
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|Electricity - production:
|900 million kWh (2014 est.)
|Electricity - consumption:
|800 million kWh (2014 est.)
|Electricity - exports:
|0 kWh (2013 est.)
|Electricity - imports:
|0 kWh (2013 est.)
|Electricity - installed generating capacity:
|300,000 kW (2014 est.)
|Electricity - from fossil fuels:
|46.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
|Electricity - from nuclear fuels:
|0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
|Electricity - from hydroelectric plants:
|48.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
|Electricity - from other renewable sources:
|5.4% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
|Crude oil - production:
|0 bbl/day (2015 est.)
|Crude oil - exports:
|0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
|Crude oil - imports:
|0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
|Crude oil - proved reserves:
|0 bbl (1 January 2016 es)
|Refined petroleum products - production:
|0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - consumption:
|16,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - exports:
|0 bbl/day (2013 est.)
|Refined petroleum products - imports:
|15,970 bbl/day (2013 est.)
|Natural gas - production:
|0 cu m (2013 est.)
|Natural gas - consumption:
|0 cu m (2013 est.)
|Natural gas - exports:
|0 cu m (2013 est.)
|Natural gas - imports:
|0 cu m (2013 est.)
|Natural gas - proved reserves:
|0 cu m (1 January 2014 es)
|Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy:
|1.7 million Mt (2013 est.)
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|Cellular Phones in use:
|total: 966,000 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (July 2015 est.)
|Telephone system:
| general assessment: modern local, interisland, and international (wire/radio integrated) public and special-purpose telephone, telegraph, and teleprinter facilities; regional radio communications center; subject to occasional devastating cyclones
domestic: telephone or radio telephone links to almost all inhabited islands; most towns and large villages have automatic telephone exchanges and direct dialing; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity roughly 115 per 100 persons
international: country code - 679; access to important cable links between US and Canada, as well as between NZ and Australia; satellite earth stations - 2 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean) (2015)
|Broadcast media:
|Fiji TV, a publicly traded company, operates a free-to-air channel, as well as Sky Fiji and Sky Pacific multi-channel pay-TV services; state-owned commercial company, Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, Ltd, operates 6 radio stations - 2 public broadcasters an (2009)
|Internet country code:
|Internet users:
|total: 421,000 percent of population: 46.3% (July 2015 est.)
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|28 (2013)
|Airports (paved runways):
| total 4
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2013)
|Airports (unpaved runways):
| total 24
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 19 (2013)
| total 597 km
narrow gauge: 597 km 0.600-m gauge
note: belongs to the government-owned Fiji Sugar Corporation; used to haul sugarcane during the harvest season, which runs from May to December (2008)
| total 3,440 km
paved: 1,686 km
unpaved: 1,754 km (2011)
|203 km (122 km are navigable by motorized craft and 200-metric-ton barges) (2012)
|Merchant marine:
| total 11
by type: passenger 4, passenger/cargo 4, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 2
foreign-owned: 2 (Australia 2) (2010)
|Ports and terminals:
|major seaport(s): Lautoka, Levuka, Suva
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|Military branches:
|Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF): Land Forces, Naval Forces (2011)
|Military service age and obligation:
|18 years of age for voluntary military service; mandatory retirement at age 55 (2013)
|Military expenditures:
|1.47% of GDP (2012) 1.44% of GDP (2011) 1.47% of GDP (2010)
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|Transnational Issues
|Disputes - International:
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Source: CIA - The World Factbook


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The Hutterites: To Care and Not to Care
Gateway Films, Vision Video, Worchester, PA, 1984, 60 minutes, DVD
While other utopian societies die, the Hutterites have grown in North America to more than 40,000 living in over 300 self-sufficient villages. They are a society where faithfulness to Christ's teachings is more important than self-advancement or worldly comforts. By yielding themselves completely to community, the Hutterites have rid themselves of poverty, homicide and anxiety about the future.
Although maintaining their medieval culture, the Hutterites farm over a million acres of land in Canada and the United States using the most advance farm equipment, and even computers.
Surviving harassment from those around them, the Hutterites have lived strict communal lives based on the teachings of the Bible. In their schools, they continue to teach their children eternal values, in German, despite government regulation of education.
"This film is an extraordinary achievement. It is a sensitive and illuminating document that provides strong visual evidence for the apparent contentment and security enjoyed by people who eschew individualism in all its forms. Holding values so different from those of other North Americans, the Hutterites, as portrayed here, provide a strong case for an alternative way of life in the midst of American industrialism."
George L. Hicks, Brown University
in The American Anthropologist
The Hutterites: To Care and Not to Care
DVD is $30.00 plus Shipping & Handling


text:
In a dimmed classroom in Spanish Harlem's P.S. 112, thirteen kindergarteners were on a journey through the Woods of Wonder. With teacher Tom Roepke they crossed over a bridge made of blocks to reach their base camp—the classroom's carpeted corner. As the traffic of FDR Drive rushed by outside the window, its sound mixing with a soft flute on the CD player, Roepke asked quietly if anyone saw anything interesting.
"I saw lots of seashells," whispered one boy.
"I saw a reindeer and an owl," said another. "They had black fur and they had super eyes that see in the dark and they could even see me in the dark. I put something on the floor and he ate it and he was happy."
"You fed the owl and he was happy," said Roepke. "I bet he's going to remember you! What did you see, Sophie?"
"I saw a little bird that was blue and had a flat beak and sharp claws."
"I saw a purple salamander," Sophie's neighbor offered.
"I've been hoping to see one of those!" Roepke exclaimed. "Every time I go in those woods. I haven't seen one yet. You are so lucky."
Soon enough it was time to build a cellophane campfire. The children each contributed a piece of kindling to the pile and blew it into flame, which Roepke provided with the flicker of a flashlight beneath the orange cellophane. After the students had toasted imaginary marshmallows and stretched out to sleep under the stars, the night watchman reported a passing bear.
"He just spotted it in the woods over there," Roepke told the class. "It's not coming over here. We're safe."
A Peaceful Place
In a neighborhood where safety is fragile, Roepke's all-clear was a statement about much more than a make-believe animal.
"Our kids need a peaceful place," the school's principal, Eileen Reiter, told me in her tidy office lined with baskets of children's books. "Our kids' lives are so chaotic, I can't even tell you. There are kids in foster care, or whose parents are in jail. I have a hundred million stories. So it has to be a place where kids can come and feel relaxed and feel safe and get a lot of support."
Support, in this case, means more than just academic training and a hot lunch. Reiter has embraced a philosophy known as social and emotional learning, called SEL by its proponents, that focuses on teaching children the skills and strategies to recognize and moderate their own emotions and to manage conflicts with others.
That's what Roepke's imaginative journeys are about. "We're in the middle of an imagination where some things are going to happen that might be a little exciting," he explained. "When we feel that, we're going to do the check-in. It's the beginnings of checking in with yourself, in the context of play. I couple the SEL ideas about self-regulation and self-calming with contemplative education, where there are moments of wonder, reverence, stillness, shared silence, looking at something beautiful together."
Empowering students with tools and techniques to calm themselves, observe the world, and exert positive pressure on their environments reduces the distraction caused by inner and outer turmoil, freeing kids up to concentrate more effectively on the rest of what they are learning. In this way, SEL not only helps enhance students' emotional wellbeing and maturity but also improves their academic achievement.
According to the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), a group that advocates the widespread adoption of SEL instruction, students exposed to SEL see their scores on standardized achievement test scores rise by an average of 11 percentile points, compared to students who are not exposed. SEL-trained students also exhibit improvements in class behavior and a decrease in anxiety, depression, and other forms of emotional distress.
SEL in Action
SEL strategies run the gamut from the imaginary journeys like those pioneered by Roepke to meditation practices, reflective exercises, and conflict-resolution techniques. In some schools, students learn how to mediate arguments between other kids and then practice the strategies in mock-conflict situations. They then teach these skills to students in younger grades, a tactic that helps them gain confidence and take ownership of the ideas.
Other SEL curricula include reflective writing exercises in which students complete and illustrate sentences such as "When I am sad I ____," a means of identifying and embracing strategies to manage their emotions. Students at P.S. 112 responded to that question with a wide range of constructive ideas, such as "play with my sister," "listen to music," and, "jump into a dream."
While SEL curricula have been around for years, used most heavily in private and independent schools, a movement to integrate the philosophy into public education is growing rapidly. Based on its success in public schools in a handful of states, including Alaska, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Kentucky, SEL is increasingly recognized as source of stability and positivity in an embattled educational universe.
"Our goal is to start a movement," said Timothy Shriver, chairman of CASEL's board of directors. "It's a movement dedicated to creating knowledgeable, responsible, and caring children and communities."
"These are learned skills. Children can have huge challenges, but when you help them learn how to handle them, you have a chance.
—Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
At a recent congressional hearing, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan agreed with Shriver's positive assessment of SEL's potential. "These are learned skills," he said. "Children can have huge challenges, but when you help them learn how to handle them, you have a chance…If we are not addressing this, we're not in the game."
Some in Congress are moving to enthrone SEL in educational law. Representatives Dale Kildee (D- MI), Tim Ryan (D-OH), and Judy Biggert (R-IL) have introduced the Academic, Social and Emotional Learning Act of 2009, H.R. 4223, to the House of Representatives in an effort to get SEL standards included in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Ryan sees SEL as "a force multiplier" that has tremendous potential to inspire broad-based change. "You get the teachers, you get the parents, you get the students, you create an environment, you create a community, you create success, you create the kind of compassionate society that we all want," he said at a forum organized by CASEL. "I'm completely on board." He secured a grant to implement comprehensive SEL curricula in three school districts in his home state of Ohio.
That program, the most intentional large-scale implementation that the fledgling movement has yet had the opportunity to orchestrate, will involve a comprehensive evaluation plan to assess the program's effectiveness on a number of indicators, including parent response. It will incorporate classes for parents to familiarize them the SEL tools their children are learning in school.
'It's Really, Really Working'
For the teachers of P.S. 112, teaching kids how to handle tough social and emotional situations has made a big difference.
"I'm telling you we have kids that can really be off the wall, that have really extreme behavioral issues," Reiter told me. "I'm not kidding."
"I think you could use the word explosive," Roepke added.
Reiter nodded. "But you don't see it. I have 13 special ed classes, out of 23," said Reiter. "And you cannot tell."
The class Roepke had been camping with is one of them. Elissa Spencer's first-grade class, where eight of the 20 children have been labeled as special needs, is another. I watched as Spencer guided her students through a meditation exercise centered on breathing and body awareness.
"Just take a minute and close your eyes and ask yourself 'how am I feeling right now?'" Spencer said to she and her students sat in a circle in the pale sunlight of a March morning. Her voice was soft and her gaze engaging as she looked from child to child. "What are the images in my mind? How does my body feel today? Does it feel stiff? Is it loose? Do you feel exhausted today? Are you glum? Or are you elated today? Let's check in with ourselves and think about how we're feeling today."
The children were silent, some of them rubbing their temples as they considered these questions. Peace persisted as Spencer led them through a breathing exercise that used the idea of "smelling the cake" and "blowing out the candles" to inspire deep inhales and exhales, and then instructed them to lay head-to-toe on the carpet to do a guided muscle relaxation meditation.
The value of getting students to understand and deal with their own emotions cannot be overstated. Studies show that students in SEL programs not only perform better on achievement tests, but also have significantly fewer suspensions and expulsions, better school attendance, higher grades, and decreased prevalence of high-risk behaviors such as violence and drug and alcohol use. Additionally, multiple studies show that students who develop emotional bonds with their classmates and with teachers who have high expectations adopt a positive attitude toward academic achievement, learning, and school in general. Students in SEL training also exhibit less disruptive behavior and a greater ability to concentrate in the classroom.
Reiter reports that the program, which has also included lessons in managing emotions for teachers, is having a "major, major impact" on them, as well. "During the day now, they're using a lot of the stress reduction strategies that they learned," she said, tools that can save a teacher's sanity in a situation where "the possibility of burning out is just gigantic."
But what's most important, she says, is that "for the kids, it's really, really working."
Katherine Gustafson wrote this article for YES! Magazine, a national, nonprofit media organization that fuses powerful ideas with practical actions. Katie is a freelance writer and editor with a background in international nonprofit organizations. She is currently blogging on sustainable food at www.change.org.


text:
Windows - CD/DVD Tools
Nero 8 Ultra Edition 8 2 8 0 + Keymaker Included kyle
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Torrent info
Name:Nero 8 Ultra Edition 8 2 8 0 + Keymaker Included kyle
Infohash: 342103737123698F46AF6C41DBB419DD8E3AF931
Total Size: 184.12 MB
Magnet: Magnet Download
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Last Updated: 2015-08-17 19:57:47 (Update Now)
Torrent added: 2008-06-30 03:35:25
Torrent Files List
Nero 8 Ultra Edition 220.127.116.11.txt (Size: 184.12 MB) (Files: 5)
Nero 8 Ultra Edition 126.96.36.199.txt4.57 KB
Nero-126.96.36.199_engl.exe183.65 MB
Plugins Serial.txt0.41 KB
keymaker.exe463.50 KB
nero8.jpg8.31 KB
trackerleech seeds
Torrent description
Install Note:
1. Install Nero 8
2. Open Nero Control Center
3. Go to liscence and enter all the serials in the "First attempt .txt file"
4. Run the crack supplied
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text:
Podcasts : 24 August 2017
by system on Aug.24, 2017, under Podcasts
:Dark Essence Radio
New podcasts today!
- DarkEssenceRadio Cloud Flipper Error
A problem occurred while processing your SoundCloud feed! If you believe you are receiving this message in error, please send me an email and I will investigate it. URL: http://soundcloud.com/darkessenceradio Error Description: Unable to


text:
Gay Amateurs Getting Freaky
The best thing about gay amateur porn is the fact that it's all real! No cameras, no fancy location, no music—just horny amateur people doing what they do best. Anyone can act but whenever I see these homemade gay videos I know for a fact that they are not acting. One of the reasons why I like gay amateur porn is the fact that they are normal people doing something private or something that we only see in porn. The glimmer in their eyes, the realistic moaning and groaning when they are fucking is just priceless. For some people they might shoot an amateur videos just for fun but for some it's like they are inviting you to a new dimension where reality and fantasy collide. Whatever it is, the fact that it's amateur/homemade porn taken by real people tickles my mind and gives me this urge to watch it more. I get so horny whenever I watch gay amateur porn because it gives me this idea that what happens in porn can happen in real life. I think the reason why gay amateur videos are most appealing is because the fucking is real.


text:
Cause Gary Won't Park It
When Gary and Jill Castro of Carpinteria, California, picked up a rough '71 Chevy Stepside pickup from their son-in-law, they never envisioned that it would ever end up as nice as the truck you see before you. What started as a modest attempt to breathe new life into the old workhorse soon snowballed as many of these projects oftentimes do. Gary was kind enough to tell us the story firsthand, so we'll let him take it from here.
"On September 12, 2006 we drove our '71 down to Alan Palmer's Palmer Paint and Custom in Camarillo, California, and left it with Alan to start the long, and I do mean long, and detailed work of a full-blown, off-the-frame, completely disassembled, starting-from-scratch restoration.
"The first step was to disassemble every part of the body, fenders, doors, hood, bed, and cab from the frame; inspect for rust; and repair the areas as needed. Major rust was located in the driprails, which were completely cut out of the cab. This process was the major problem in preparing the body for paint. A new '68 Chevy hood, grille, and front fenders replaced the original ones, as did the left rear fender, giving the '71 body a much sleeker appearance.
"While Alan and his crew started the fabricating and reshaping of the body parts, the complete frame was loaded on a flatbed truck and transported about 10 miles away to Scott's Hot Rods in Oxnard for major reconstruction. They started by sandblasting 35 years of crud and dirt off the chassis and boxing the entire frame. A tubular x-member was then welded in for reinforcement and a Scott's Super Slam IFS replaced the stock frontend with Air Ride Technology airbags. Wilwood disc brakes were installed at all four corners and all brake lines, reservoir, and connections were installed out of sight, along the inside of the frame under the floorboards. A chrome rack-and-pinion steering assembly then replaced the big, bulky steering box. While the engine was hoisted off the frame and being disassembled, stainless steel motor mounts, brackets, and all nuts and bolts were replaced to prevent any future rust or corrosion, along with an aluminum gas tank, located under the bed.
"As the frame was being prepared for a black-satin powdercoating, a Positraction unit was installed in the rear along with a pair of Air Ride airbags. We also decided it would be a good time for a motor makeover. Knowing that I wanted an Edelbrock Performance EnduraShine intake manifold with a 600-cfm Performer EnduraShine carburetor, I wanted to find a set of valve covers that were not your everyday chrome covers. After lots of shopping I decided that a pair of custom-welded GM Performance valve covers in matte black with matching air cleaner would contrast perfectly with all the other chrome accessories. A new Comp cam and self-aligning roller rockers were installed as well as a Zoop's serpentine chrome pulley setup. A call was then made to Rewarder Headers who came down and fitted a custom set of headers to the Flowmaster 50 mufflers. The entire exhaust was then ceramic coated to prevent rust and contrast with the satin-black frame. Upon completion of the chassis and motor, about 12 weeks, everything was reassembled and transported back to Palmer Paint and Custom.
"The firewall had to be modified for the engine position, as did the floorboards to accommodate the transmission. The bed also had to be altered for a better fit of the ash boards and stainless steel runners. Doors, fenders, hood, bed, tailgate, front bumper, grille, and roll pan were all then reassembled, realigned, refitted, and readjusted. Once assembled and aligned, it was then carefully taken apart so that each piece could be block-sanded and prepared for paint.
"Once the cab was finished with the painting process, it was put in the "bubble room," a clear plastic tent-like structure that protects the painted cars from all the shop dust created by the sanding and grinding on other projects. At this point, the American Autowire wiring harness was unpacked. I have never seen anything more complex in my life. There were dozens of different colored wires, connectors, fuses, and panels that needed to be connected to gauges, headlights, taillights, electric doors, electric windows, electric cooling fans, Air Ride suspension control panel, speakers, stereo, brake lights, dome light, turnindicators, high beam/low beam, and everything else that needs a spark. It was also time to install the new stainless steel radiator with twin electric fans and custom-made stainless steel radiator hoses.
"While the cab and front end were in the "bubble," the bed was being prepared for the new ash wood, stainless steel strips, and bolts. The ash wood strips were sanded, marine lacquer applied, then resanded. This process was repeated several times until the finish was like glass. New crossmembers were welded into place and then the wood slats and metal runners were bolted in. Hidden spring-loaded latches were installed inside the tailgate and rear fenders, leaving the outside completely smooth.
"With the bed finished, the next project was the custom front bumper. A new 1968 Chevy pickup bumper was purchased and the chrome was sanded off and all the boltholes filled and ground smooth. The bolts were then welded to the inside of the bumper and the bumper was painted the color of the body. The result was a completely smooth, wraparound bumper.
"Once painted, it was time for some serious decisions to be made in regards to the upholstery and interior. Jill and I went to Custom Interiors in Camarillo and spoke with the owner, Jose Villacorta, and told him what we wanted. Jill picked out the colors and material from his samples and with some recommendations and suggestions from Jose, Jill decided on a full bone-and-cream German leather interior with dark beige Mercedes wool carpet. A Chevy Suburban seat frame was modified to fit the cab before being completely reshaped with foam by Jose. The dash, door panels, armrests, quarter-panels, and fold-down seat divider were all handmade and then covered. After about three weeks, the results were fantastic. The interior turned out just the way we wanted, with the style and stitching similar to our Yukon, as we were looking for both class and comfort.
"The truck was then returned to Alan who realized he had only two weeks to left until the Carpinteria Rods & Roses car show, which was the completion date. The next step was to align the frontend. It was during this process that it was discovered that the upper control arms were too short and new ones needed to be made, which were quickly ordered from Scott's Hot Rods. Upon arrival, it was discovered that the new arms were not the right size either, so a third set was then ordered and fitted. In the meantime it was determined that the lines and hoses for the power steering were also incorrect and needed attention. With one week until Rods & Roses, things were looking grim. The disc brakes were also giving Alan grief but until the truck's suspension was put back together, these problems could not be corrected. The deadline for the Rods & Roses show looming, the outcome looked even grimmer. Two days before the show, Alan called and said everything was put back together and ready just in time for the show.
"The truck was delivered late in the afternoon on the day before the show and it was beautiful! It looked great, sounded great, and everyone breathed a little easier now that it was here and in show condition. The next morning Alan transported his custom 1971 Blazer up and we drove both trucks over to the show and had a great day. Our truck won two awards and was the talk of the town for days."


text:
Government Affairs Committee
Date: 01/11/2018
Time: 8:00 am - 9:00 am
Location: Show map
Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce
512 NE 3rd Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
512 NE 3rd Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
This important Chamber group reviews and develops public policy positions that are "pro-business and pro-South Florida." Research is involved. The Chamber leadership then takes the positions to elected officials and staff.


text:
StoryPals in Nevada
April 24, 2019, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM (CST)
RRSC created this program to provide additional reading experiences to children ages 3-5, especially those who have limited access to books and reading at home. Volunteers are recruited and trained to use the shared reading technique called dialogic reading. RRSC creates kits containing books, prompts, and instructions. Volunteers are matched with children and they meet once a week during the school day.
Wednesday afternoon volunteers at Central meet with children for twenty minute sessions from 12:20pm-1:20pm and 2pm-3pm.


text:
Friday, February 03, 2012
Estonian recipes: Cocoa Cake with Sour Cream (Kräsupea)
This popped into my mailbox yesterday:
Manu has left a new comment on your post "Tapas, Estonian style":
My name is Manu and I`m looking for a estonian cake recipe... the problem is I don`t know the cake`s name, but it is a chocolate cake,with peaces of sponge cake with french cream.
Do you know any thing similar???
I just love this cake, I will be so thankful if you could help me.
After a moment of confusion, it hit me - Kräsupea, which translates as (someone with) curly hair, though "microphone hair" wouldn't be all wrong either! It's an ever-popular cake on children's birthdays, and I've made it for my two nephews on countless occasions. I don't know the exact origins of the cake, but it's been popular in Estonia since late 1980s or so.
Estonian cocoa and sour cream cake
Serves about 16
The sponge cakes:
4 large eggs
340 g caster sugar (400 ml)
360 g all-purpose flour (600 ml)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
400 g sour cream
3 Tbsp cocoa powder
1 kg sour cream
100 g butter
2 Tbsp fresh cream
3 Tbsp caster sugar
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Line a small baking sheet (a Swiss roll tin is excellent) with a parchment paper, and line a 24 cm springform tin also with parchment paper.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, flour, soda and sour cream until combined. Quickly pour about 2/3 of the mixture onto a small baking sheet.
Now add the cocoa powder to the rest of the mixture, and then pour that into the lined round cake tin.
Place both of the baking tins into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until golden brown (test for doneness with a toothpick - it should come out clean).
Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.
Place the dark cake on a cake tray, spread with a thick layer of sour cream.
Cut the light cake into large cubes, then mix gently with the rest of the sour cream - you don't want to break up the cake cubes. Pile that mixture of cake cubes and sour cream on top of the cocoa base - whether you want a dome or something flatter, is up to you.
To make the glaze, gently melt the butter, pour in the cream, cocoa and sugar. Stir until smooth and then drizzle over the cake. (This is the traditional "chocolate glaze" of the 1980s and 1990s, when proper chocolate was hard to come by. Feel free to substitute with proper melted chocolate glaze).
Leave to stand in the fridge or cool place for about 12 hours before serving.
1 comment:
Hi there,
it's Manu again just to say Thank you so much :)
I love this cake,
thanks thanks thanks
ps: I have curly hair :9
- 2:54 pm, May 07, 2013
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
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Grumpage wrote:You have a broken link on the Burial box story to the SF Chronicle.
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text:
Late winter's dormant (resting) season at the end of February/beginning of March is an ideal time to prune many shrubs and trees. Because limbs and branches are still leaf free, you have the advantage of viewing the form and structure of the shrub or tree and can reshape it more easily.
Q: Can I prune shrubs and trees during late winter?
A: Late winter's dormant (resting) season at the end of February/beginning of March is an ideal time to prune many shrubs and trees. Because limbs and branches are still leaf free, you have the advantage of viewing the form and structure of the shrub or tree and can reshape it more easily. Prune for shape, structure and thinning of crowded branches of deciduous trees, fruit trees and shrubs. It's also a good time to remove dead and broken limbs, especially limbs that could cause a liability by falling on someone else's property or house.
Prune the fruiting plants; grapevines, gooseberries, raspberries, blueberries and currants. Prune holly, barberry, and butterfly bush. Summer-flowering trees such as camellia and crape myrtles that set buds on new growth in spring can be pruned in late February. Spring-flowering shrubs such as lilac, forsythia, and wisteria that set buds the previous fall should be pruned in early summer after they have bloomed.
Note: If you have never pruned trees or shrubs before, or have very little experience pruning, contact a professional to show you the best pruning practices to use or to do your pruning for you.
Q. When I bought my house, there were many crocuses blooming in my garden. Since then, even more crocuses bloom every spring. The tulips I planted bloomed the first year but only produced foliage and two small blooms the next year. Why do some bulbs bloom every year while others are short-lived?
A. Although tulips are considered perennials, many gardeners, including myself, find that some tulip bulbs are short-lived, often flowering for only a couple of years. Bulbs that are "breeded-in" for new color, size and larger flowers tend to do this. Breeders have pretty much left Botanical or Species tulips, which are smaller than hybrid varieties, alone. Darwin hybrids, Emperor Tulips and Kaufmanniana tulips come up year after year.
Some other species bulbs that come back year after year and can multiply are crocuses, grape hyacinths, snowdrops, and squill (Scilla). Other bulbs like Daffodils, will multiply and form dense clumps if you dig them up and divide the bulbs after they flower. Replant these bulbs right away or store until fall.
To ensure that your bulbs stay healthy and long lasting, plant them in a sunny location where the soil is well-drained. If the soil gets too wet, the bulbs will rot. If you need to increase drainage, add compost, peat moss or coir to the soil.
Contact Wicked Local Somerville columnist Judy Eisenberg at firstname.lastname@example.com. Eisenberg has been gardening and consulting professionally with a personal touch for more than 10 years.


text: Keratoconus This disorder -- a progressive thinning of the cornea -- is the most common corneal dystrophy in the U.S., affecting one in every 2,000 Americans. It is more prevalent in teenagers and adults in their 20s. Keratoconus arises when the middle of the cornea thins and gradually bulges outward, forming a rounded cone shape. This abnormal curvature changes the cornea's refractive power, producing moderate to severe distortion (astigmatism) and blurriness (nearsightedness) of vision. Keratoconus may also cause swelling and a sight-impairing scarring of the tissue. Studies indicate that keratoconus stems from one of several possible causes: An inherited corneal abnormality. About seven percent of those with the condition have a family history of keratoconus. An eye injury, i.e., excessive eye rubbing or wearing hard contact lenses for many years. Certain eye diseases, such as retinitis pigmentosa, retinopathy of prematurity, and vernal keratoconjunctivitis. Systemic diseases, such as Leber's congenital amaurosis, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, Down syndrome, and osteogenesis imperfecta. Keratoconus usually affects both eyes. At first, people can correct their vision with eyeglasses. But as the astigmatism worsens, they must rely on specially fitted contact lenses to reduce the distortion and provide better vision. Although finding a comfortable contact lens can be an extremely frustrating and difficult process, it is crucial because a poorly fitting lens could further damage the cornea and make wearing a contact lens intolerable. In most cases, the cornea will stabilize after a few years without ever causing severe vision problems. But in about 10 to 20 percent of people with keratoconus, the cornea will eventually become too scarred or will not tolerate a contact lens. If either of these problems occur, a corneal transplant may be needed. This operation is successful in more than 90 percent of those with advanced keratoconus. Several studies have also reported that 80 percent or more of these patients have 20/40 vision or better after the operation. In some people, these abnormal protein fibers can accumulate under the cornea's outer layer -- the epithelium. This can cause erosion of the epithelium. This condition is known as recurrent epithelial erosion. These erosions: (1) Alter the cornea's normal curvature, resulting in temporary vision problems; and (2) Expose the nerves that line the cornea, causing severe pain. Even the involuntary act of blinking can be painful. To ease this pain, a doctor may prescribe eye drops and ointments to reduce the friction on the eroded cornea. In some cases, an eye patch may be used to immobilize the eyelids. With effective care, these erosions usually heal within three days, although occasional sensations of pain may occur for the next six-to-eight weeks. Contact Us Today! 617-523-7900


text:
Troubleshooting Joomla! SEF URLs
Joomla!® lets you use Search Engine Friendly (SEF) URLs for your website, which can help improve your search engine ranking.
Simple changes, such as installing new modules or plugins to the Joomla configuration, can trigger common issues with SEF URLs. You can troubleshoot your Joomla SEF URLs by disabling and then re-enabling them. If you need more information, see Enabling Joomla! Search Engine Friendly URLs.
To Troubleshoot Joomla! SEF URLs
- Make sure your .htaccess file is configured to allow SEF URLs. If you are not sure how to do this, see Rewriting .htaccess Files for SEF URLs in Joomla!
- Log in to your Joomla control panel. (If Joomla is installed on the root level, the admin panel URL is http://coolexample.com/administrator, where coolexample.com is the domain name and directory where you installed Joomla).
- From the Site menu, select Global Configuration.
- In the SEO Settings section, from the Search Engine Friendly URLs, select No, and then click Save.
- In the SEO Settings section, from the Search Engine Friendly URLs, select Yes, and then click Save.


text:
The 2018 Calendar contest is underway! Checkout the awesome photos already posted and submit your own!
Calendar Contest is Underway!
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- 2019 Dan Wesson Forum Calendar $20.00
2018 Dan Wesson Forum Calendar
2017 Dan Wesson Forum Calendar
- DWF Mouse Pad $12.00
- Dan's Club Membership $75.00
Support the DWF!
If you find this site useful, please consider a donation towards site running costs. All contributions are greatly appreciated!
Historical Facts
9/27/71 Serial number 8927 starts Nickel production guns.
Serial # Registry
Serial number data is based on information provided by members of the Dan Wesson Forum. No records are available from the various Dan Wesson companies, and we rely on records/recollections of original purchasers, paperwork retained with the pistol, dated barrel wrappers, etc. to determine an approximate date of manufacture.
Anyone with valid data of this type is asked to complete the Serial Number Registry Form.