text:
If a Married Lesbian Couple Saves 40 Teens from the Norway Massacre and No One Writes About it, Did it Really Happen?
By this point, most of you have heard about the tragedy in Norway a few weeks ago when a Christian Fundamentalist murdered 77* people and injured another 96. The story has been well-covered by International media and the mainstream press here in the US.
What you probably have not heard about is the married lesbian couple who rescued 40 teenagers during and after the bloody event. Several blogs and gay and lesbian publications are now picking up the story, but the heavy hitters who usually kill for hero stories like this, have remained silent.
The Finnish capital city's largest daily newspaper, Helsingin Sanomat, published this account (translated from Finnish):
Hege Dalen and her spouse, Toril Hansen were near Utöyan having dinner on the opposite shore across from the ill-fated campsite, when they began to hear gunfire and screaming on the island.
"We were eating. Then shooting and then the awful screaming. We saw how the young people ran in panic into the lake," says Dale to HS in an interview.
The couple immediately took action and pushed the boat into Lake Tyrifjorden.
Dalen and Hansen drove the boat to the island, picked up from the water victims in shock in, the young and wounded, and transported them to the opposite shore to the mainland. Between runs they saw that the bullets had hit the right side of the boat.
Since there were so many and not all fit at once aboard, they returned to the island four times.
They were able to rescue 40 young people from the clutches of the killer.
"We did not sleep last night at all. Today, we have been together and talked about the events," Dalen said.
Please share this story and make sure people know the heroism of Hege and Toril.
*Thank you to readers who have provided credible sources as to the actual number of deaths from this tragedy. We originally reported that 92 had been killed, but according to Norwegian sources, the total number is at 77, with many still in the hospital.
Check out our follow-up to this post here: Hege & Toril: Why We Write, which addresses many of your comments and questions about this article.
Please Follow us on Twitter @TalkEquality
Source: talkaboutequality.wordpress.com
- littlelibbers likes this
- chasinndreams reblogged this from civillyunioned
- fuckyeahmosez reblogged this from moll-eephonehome
- overlordleaveshiswife likes this
- youareperfectjustthewayyouare likes this
- marigoldsky reblogged this from zorabioz
- marigoldsky likes this
- zorabioz reblogged this from rapturousenjoymentofgay
- stoogehas6hobos likes this
- rapturousenjoymentofgay reblogged this from civillyunioned
- randomdaisy reblogged this from zing-noir and added:
oh my gooosh this is so wonderful ;o;
- nekomatame reblogged this from loveincolororg
- mastersara reblogged this from civillyunioned
- pandas-eat-pencils reblogged this from moll-eephonehome
- moll-eephonehome reblogged this from chainedtomemory
- chainedtomemory reblogged this from civillyunioned
- rockyhorrorpuppetshow reblogged this from festeringfae
- rockyhorrorpuppetshow likes this
- patoriku reblogged this from loveincolororg
- courtney-coprich reblogged this from liveinlayers
- breezybrice reblogged this from liveinlayers
- land-of-la reblogged this from hereinyourarms33
- devilsdaughter reblogged this from hereinyourarms33
- freezeyourebelscum likes this
- professionallyqueer reblogged this from civillyunioned
- the-release reblogged this from loveincolororg and added:
Get my vote…
- spirited-away reblogged this from bluegreentourmaline
- mister-mascara likes this
- starksilliness reblogged this from diary-stabbing-potter
- lezbe-alyssa reblogged this from hereinyourarms33
- nayapolis reblogged this from hereinyourarms33 and added:
Big ass respect for them.
- nayapolis likes this
- diary-stabbing-potter reblogged this from hereinyourarms33
- hereinyourarms33 reblogged this from loveincolororg
- hereinyourarms33 likes this
- revolucion-en-la-cama likes this
- puddlerat likes this
- bellahugo likes this
- blackboybe likes this
- liveinlayers reblogged this from andyouhavetogivethemhope
- bluegreentourmaline reblogged this from loveincolororg
- zing-noir reblogged this from friedunicorn
- friedunicorn reblogged this from teagenpls
- lifeofaveganpsychstudent reblogged this from loveincolororg
- onecrakinlesbian reblogged this from loveincolororg
- neelysjohn likes this
- peacelove60smusic likes this
- krazyfreak12 reblogged this from loveincolororg
- arianne-c reblogged this from civillyunioned
- miamio reblogged this from loveincolororg
- Show more notes
Civilly Unioned was started to document and comment on issues & culture around all LGBT issues, especially marriage equality and family issues. I welcome, and encourage, any commentary and questions about what I post.
For more information about me, check out the Who's Posting? tab.
Ask me anything Submit


text:
Little Tikes Endless Activity Garden
- In Stock
13 reviews
- Delivery
- Next day delivery available
Your youngster will love playing house with this amazing Little Tikes Activity Garden Centre.
The play centre easily transforms from a closed set into an open play area, with lots of interactive toys to help your child develop their coordination skills.
There's a mirror, ball shaker and a learning clock to teach your little one their numbers. There's also an interactive telephone with 3 different languages and a cute shape sorting mailbox, so your child can play house and improve their speech and motor skills.
A musical piano and working telescope add more fun to the set, along with the ball sorter flowerpot underneath the window frame.
The window and door open and close and the bright colours give it an eye-catching look that your child will love.
With so many great activities they'll be entertained for hours, leaving you to put your feet up and have a well-deserved rest!
Useful info:
- Can be used open or closed
- 2 sided play centre
- Mirror, learning clock and ball shaker
- Clicking bugs and 3 language interactive telephone
- Crawl-through obstacle course and shape-sorter mailbox
- Piano, telescope and ball drop flower pot
- Open and close window shutters and door
- Age from 6 months
- Little Tikes Activity Garden Centre

subset: commoncrawl


text:
How to Promote Your Website – Everything You Need for Success
We already talked about promoting your blog and your website in general, we covered a few things you can do to increase the incoming traffic to your website. SEO is the best way to go in the long run, but there are dozens of different things you can do to get immediate traffic to your […]
Qirina – Promising SEO Tool Defining Web and Key Space
I recently had the pleasure to try out and review a new free web tool called Qirina. We all know that an SEO tool can be very useful; they are used to save time in our SEO projects, so any new tool should be tried out in my opinion, but this one got me by […]
5 Social Sites to Engage Bloggers – Blogging Communities
Networking is a great part of being a blogger, that is a fact every blogger knows. A great part of our traffic comes from networking. A question I once read said – If you are wondering why you have no comments on your blog, think about how many comments you left on other blogs! That […]
SEO Dictionary, Most Used SEO Terms & What They Mean
Since I spent a lot of time in forums explaining what SEO myths are, what some SEO terms mean I decided to create a complete SEO dictionary with explanations, so read carefully. This will be a long list of SEO terms, so if I miss anything feel free to add a comment and let me […]
List of 30 Do Follow Websites to Submit Your Articles
I thought long and hard on how to start the article marketing section, explaining how to write an article is basically what every other site will offer you as their first article marketing opening. But since the last article I posted on Practical SEO was about useful SEO resources I thought it would be a […]
Popular Posts


text:
Choice of Frequency and Vehicle Size in Rail Transport: Implications for Marginal External Costs
AbstractFrequency of services and vehicle size are important policyinstruments of railway companies. Extending Mohring's basic'square root model' for frequencies, we arrive at more generalformulations for frequency, vehicle size and price underalternative regimes of welfare and profit optimisation. It appearsthat in the more refined models the frequency responseof railway companies with respect to changes in passenger volumes isnot far removed from the standard square rootresult. After the formulation of theoretical models we also carry outan empirical analysis where choice of frequency andvehicle size are analysed with special attention paid to the level ofoccupancy rates. It appears that average occupancyrates are low in rail transport. As a result the frequency andvehicle size response of the railway company appears to below. It is estimated that an increase in the number of passengers of1% leads to an increase in the supply of capacity ofabout 0.5 % (a frequency increase of about 0.35% and an increase ofvehicle size of about 0.15% ). This has importantimplications for the environmental costs of railway firms. Given thelow occupancy rate, an additional passenger does notlead to a proportional increase in capacity so that the marginalcosts are lower than the average costs.
Download InfoIf you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
Bibliographic InfoPaper provided by Tinbergen Institute in its series Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers with number 01-109/3.
Date of creation: 20 Nov 2001
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:dgr:uvatin:20010109
Contact details of provider:
Web page: http://www.tinbergen.nl
Related researchKeywords:
This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:
- NEP-ALL-2002-02-10 (All new papers)
- NEP-MIC-2002-02-10 (Microeconomics)
ReferencesNo references listed on IDEAS
You can help add them by filling out this form.
ListsThis item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.
StatisticsAccess and download statistics
CorrectionsWhen requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:dgr:uvatin:20010109. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Antoine Maartens (+31 626 - 160 892)).
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.
If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.


text:
Did you ever want to be Barbie? Marry someone like Ken? Well Mac cosmetics has barbie make up - yes it is true. Many girls just wanted to duplicate that fresh faced look that kept Barbie young for so long but they had a hard time doing mac makeup uk just that. Now with the help of Mac make up you can purchase the entire Mac barbie make up collection and make yourself stand out among the wannabes.
Young women and teenage girls are standing in line to purchase this unique line of make up that's specifically from Mac make up. There's an entire color palette that is the essence of Barbie-ness. What little girl didn't secretly dream of growing up to look just like the Barbie dolls she played with? Now she can easily replicate that look of charm and mac makeup uk innocence with just a few strokes of her Mac make up brush and the eyeshadow collection that is designed to knock off your socks.
Don't want to be Barbie? How about something darker and more mysterious? With the Mac Indian collection it is easy to be alluring if you have a more olive skin tone. Mac Indian make up is designed with the exotic woman from India in mind. The stunning collection features such warm and vibrant colors to flatter darker skin tones mac makeup uk . No matter what culture you live in, a woman always wants to show off her best features. Mac make up collections allow a woman to do that easily.
Another great collection from the Mac make up pros is the exclusive bridal line. On the most important day of a woman's life, the bride has to be certain that her make up clearly defines the glowing radiance she feels from within. From flawless concealer to a perfect foundation, the Mac bridal collection will help any woman look and feel her best for mac makeup uk those close ups with her new hubby and his family. A bride can even have a pro make up artist make her look her absolute best for the biggest day of her life.
If you haven't given make up a second thought in a long time you would be well advised to purchase Mac make up and facial products to liven up your face with new color palettes, lipsticks, liners, or twists. Mac make up has a wide spectrum of colors to fit any skin tone and flatter you in the best and worst of lighting. If you're unsure of how to apply the make up


text:
New Hampshire Wood Pellets is a family owned business selling high quality, low ash, hardwood pellets in Rochester, N.H.
As an off-shoot of our family's wood flooring company, our wood pellets are sourced directly from hardwood flooring mills - bringing you the best quality pellets you can buy, while still being competitive with our pricing.
Besides being an affordable way to heat your home or business, wood pellets are a renewable and home-grown source of energy that help reduce our nation's dependence on costly foreign and non-renewable fossil fuels.
We are located just off of Route 202 West in Rochester, New Hampshire (Exit 13 off of the Spaulding turnpike).
Please Call for pricing and availability.
Contact Information


text:
I showed you a while ago how to link your Facebook account with Twitter, so that whenever you posted something to Facebook it would automatically show up on Twitter.
However, I quickly discovered that many of my personal Facebook updates were "TMI" for my Twitter followers, and my business-related tweets were gobbly-gook to my Facebook friends. So I turned off the Facebook-Twitter integration.
Recently I discovered a better (and free) tool for handling Twitter and Facebook integration: TweetDeck
TweetDeck lets you create links to both your Twitter and Facebook accounts, and then lets you identify which service(s) your updates will be sent to. So you can post to just Twitter, or just Facebook, or you can update both Twitter and Facebook in one shot. That's the kind of control I was looking for!
1. Download and install a free copy of TweetDeck if you haven't done so already.
2. Click the Settings button in TweetDeck.
3. Select the Accounts tab and click "Add New Account".
4. Click the "Add Your Facebook Account" link and enter your Facebook account information.
You'll be asked to allow access to your Facebook account, and to allow TweetDeck to publish to your Facebook acount.
5. Type in your tweet like you normally would, and choose both Facebook and Twitter in the "From" section in TweetDeck.
Question: How do I set up a group in Facebook? I'd like to get some conversations going around some health care topics that I'm interested in, and would also like to share what I've found helpful with others.
Answer: (this question is waiting for an answer. If you know the answer, please feel free to use the comment form below and be sure to leave your name and a link to your website, so I can give you credit for your answer)
Twitter is a free service that lets you communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?
I call it "IM for the world", because it lets you post status updates (tweets) that anyone can reply to. People can also choose to follow you, which makes your tweets show up on their Twitter page.
Facebook is another free service that helps you connect and share with the people in your life, but provides a lot more features than Twitter. You can upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people you meet.
Facebook lets you post status updates just like Twitter, and you can link Twitter with Facebook so that your Twitter tweets show up automatically in Facebook (saving you the trouble of having to update your status in 2 different places).
Here's how to link Twitter with Facebook in 5 easy steps:
Click the "Applications" link in the lower left of your Facebook homepage, and then click "Find More" in the popup menu.
You'll see a list of free applications that provide additional functionality to your Facebook account, and Twitter should be listed near the top.
If it's not listed at the top, then enter "Twitter" in the Search Applications field near the top right of your Facebook Applications page.
Click the Twitter image to select the application, and then click "Go to Application".


text:
Kingsoft AntiVirus
- User
- 7.4
- Good
- 333
- Softonic
- 8
- Very good
- Very good
- Your rating:
Your rating has been saved
Oops, something's gone wrong. Try again.
Kingsoft AntiVirus is fully compatible with:
- Windows XP
- Windows Vista
- Windows 7
- Windows 8
You'll also need:
|500 MHz
|Free space:
|Permanent internet connection
Kingsoft AntiVirus is also compatible with
Available languages
- English
Versions of Kingsoft AntiVirus
|Kingsoft AntiVirus 2010.11.6.318 02/12/10
Did you know about a new version? Tell us
I don't want to know about new versions of this program any more - remove it from my favorites
Lightweight anti-virus tool with extra system cleaning tools
Kingsoft AntiVirus is a lightweight, unobtrusive antivirus that protects your system without constantly bugging you with warning messages and desktop notifications.
In Kingsoft AntiVirus you'll find all the basic features you would expect from this kind of tool: real time protection, automatic updates and different types of scan – full, quick and custom. Plus Kingsoft AntiVirus also includes special filters to protect your IM chats and file downloads, and also keep your USB devices safe from viruses.
The interface in Kingsoft AntiVirus is simple and very usable. It features a left sidebar with buttons to the program's diverse areas, including a interesting collection of tools to clean temporary files, free up used space in the hard drive and stop unwanted processes, among other tasks.
Though the scans in Kingsoft AntiVirus were a bit slow, this antivirus really made a good impression on us and – surprisingly enough – it works in perfect harmony with other antivirus and security tools.
Kingsoft AntiVirus is a discreet, effective antivirus that protects your system from viruses, Trojans, spyware and other sorts of malware.
- Real time protection
- Automatic updates
- Light on resources
- Doesn't bug you with tons of messages
- Can work with other securiy apps
- Includes a bunch of useful tools
- Scan speed could be improved
"Quick, simple, online safe guard to my computer!"
- 10
- 10
According to i know, Kingsoft online virus scanner uses Blue core II Antivirus engine, and requires users to use Internet Explorer 6.0 (or later) since it installs an ActiveX component on your system. It means you do not have to install tranditional custom software, only install tiny activeX before the program can be run through web browser.
- 1)quick and efficient scan
- 2)save sources even though i play full-screen game
- 3)compatible with other band of antivirus client
- could it scan my removal computer from my side?
- Views:
- 1,479
- Date:
- 23 Dec 2010
Top Downloads: Generic
Top Downloads
avast! Free...
A free antivirus you can rely on
- AVG AntiVirus Free 2014
- Avira Free Antivirus
- Norton Antivirus
- Kaspersky Anti-Virus
- ...
- 13 Kingsoft AntiVirus
Top Downloads
avast! Free...
A free antivirus you can rely on
- AVG AntiVirus Free 2014
- Avira Free Antivirus
- Quick Heal Anti-Virus
- AVG AntiVirus 2014
- ...
- 13 Kingsoft AntiVirus
Articles Kingsoft AntiVirus
Ten great Windows 7 themes
The built-in desktop themes in Windows 7 are quite attractive, but they are very generic and lack... See more
Spicebird - a potential rival to Outlook?
It might sound like a generic name for a Spice Girl but Spicebird is actually one of the most exciting... See more
Questions and answers Kingsoft AntiVirus
How can I download a 6month free antivirus for my PC
- Status
- Under discussion
- Answers:
- 0 answers
- *****cannot translate without context********
- Answer
How would I download 1 year free antivirus for my PC?
uninstall panda antivirus 2014 issue
Discover alternatives to and add-ons for Kingsoft AntiVirus
Alternatives to Kingsoft AntiVirus
- Softonic
- 8
- 8
- User
- 7.4
- 7.4
Addons for Kingsoft AntiVirus
- Kingsoft AntiVirus doesn't have any addons yet. Would you recommend any to us? Tell us
Searches Kingsoft AntiVirus
king soft antivirus 2014 free download full version
king soft antivirus 2013 free download full version
free download kingsoft antivirus
king antivirus free download
- kingsoft antivirus
- king soft antivirus free download full version
- king antivirus software free download
- kingsoft anti virus
- hack soft
- usb av antivirus update
- update files of kingsoft antivirus
- kingsoft version 5.6
- king soft antivirus 2012 full version
Sponsored links
Other languages Kingsoft AntiVirus
- 金山毒霸 in Chinese (ZH)


text:
Welcome International Customers
We're excited to share our jewelry collection with you!
Just choose your country and currency to personalize your shopping experience.
We're excited to share our jewelry collection with you!
Just choose your country and currency to personalize your shopping experience.
Item#: 832122 NEW!
Get four looks from a necklace that does it all. Imagine the possibilities. This versatile popcorn necklace is crafted with a flexible silicone core that allows it to twist and transform into many different looks. Wear as a Y-necklace, a coiled choker, an Omega-style, or even a coiled bangle bracelet! 1/4" wide with squared edges and a 1/2" faceted bead on each end. 26" long overall. Made in Italy. Clasp-free, textured and polished 18kt yellow gold over sterling silver necklace. video
Details Gift
Box Our 100%
1/4-1/2 inches
18kt 18KT: Karat (abbreviated kt or K) is a unit that indicates the purity of gold in the metal. 18kt is 75% gold. In Europe, 18K yellow gold is most favored and used in jewelry. Gold Over Sterling STERLING SILVER: Also known as "Standard Silver," sterling silver is silver alloyed with other metals to increase the hardness and durability. Generally, sterling is 92.5% silver and 7.5% other metals. Some sterling silver jewelry is plated with 14kt-18kt gold and referred to as "vermeil," or "gold over sterling." Silver
Textured TEXTURED: A unique and varying finish with a tactile surface applied through various techniques, both by hand and with machinery. and Polished POLISHED: A buffed-out finish used to produce a mirror-like shine.
Recently Viewed Items
You May Also Like
18kt Gold Over Sterling Silver Byzantine Necklace
Our Price from: $375.00
18kt Gold Over Sterling Byzantine Bracelet
Our Price from: $235.00
14kt Yellow Gold Over Sterling Silver Oval-Link Bracelet
Our Price from: $295.00
Italian 24kt Yellow Gold Over Sterling Silver Graduated Avolto Omega Necklace
Our Price from: $495.00
Italian Curb-Link Coin Bracelet in 18kt Gold Over Sterling
RSVP from: $225.00
Learn More About: Sterling Silver Textured Finish Polished Finish


text:
Sign up for Yardbarker's daily Top 10 newsletter, the Morning Bark! Customize to get news on your favorite sports and teams.
Celtics Live Blog: Paul Pierce, C's Aim to Spur Themselves Back Into Winning Form Against San Antonio
Found November 21, 2012 on NESN.com:
PLAYERS: Paul Pierce
TEAMS: Boston Celtics
TEAMS: Boston Celtics
8 a.m. ET: Two teams coming off discouraging losses will meet at the TD Garden for what could be an ill-tempered matchup. The Celtics return home fresh off an embarrassing loss to the Pistons on Sunday, while the Spurs visit after suffering a loss to the Clippers that left coach Gregg Popovish embarrassed and enraged. Few teams pride themselves on consistent, professional effort like the Celtics and Spurs, and few teams failed to live up to that example like those two teams in their previous games. In other words, everybody should be ready to go in this one. Join us for updates and analysis from the TD Garden during the game, which tips off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Original Story: http://nesn.com/2012/11/celtics-live-...
Comments are closed.
What do you think?To leave a comment, you can:
Don't worry Celtics fans: Reinforcements are coming
The good and bad of Courtney Lee's early-season struggles
Rondo The Silent Killer: YOUR 2012-2013 NBA MVP
NBA to Air D-League Games on YouTube
Jason Terry: It's All About the Footwork
Darko Milicic's Time With Celtics 'Most Likely' Finished, Team in 'No Rush' to Add Another Big Man
Boston Celtics News from Around the Web: Daily Links for Tuesday, 11/20
Your Morning Dump… Where I'm thankful there's room for improvement defensively
Why Didn't the Boston Celtics Try and Sign Tim Duncan
Rajon Rondo, Celtics Take Championship Odds to First True Test Against Oklahoma City
Kenyon Martin Talk May Be Premature As Celtics Are In No Hurry to Fill Darko Milicici's Roster Spot
Boston and San Antonio: Two of a Kind
5 things to watch: Spurs vs. Celtics
Top 10 Assists of the Week
Lakers fans are really cool. Like, really really cool.
Celtics News
Delivered to your inbox
You'll also receive Yardbarker's daily Top 10, featuring the best sports stories from around the web. Customize your newsletter to get articles on your favorite sports and teams. And the best part? It's free!
Follow us on Twitter
|Latest Rumors
|Best of Yardbarker
These Crazy Childhood Stories About Weird Friends And Families Will Make You Never Want To Have Kids
Today's Best Stuff
For Bloggers
Join the Yardbarker Network for more promotion, traffic, and money.
Company Info
What is Yardbarker?
Yardbarker is the largest network of sports blogs and pro athlete blogs on the web. This site is the hub of the Yardbarker Network, where our editors and algorithms curate the best sports content from our network and beyond.


text:
December 30, 2013 — This talk covers customizing the Dashboard, global settings, custom menus, and more. Plus tips on little known settings that affect your SEO.
Blog at WordPress.com •
Contact Us •
Powered by VideoPress
An Production
Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.
Join 11,887 other followers


text:
New York » Anheuser Busch InBev's U.S. arm is buying craft brewer Blue Point Brewing Co.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
|Join the Discussion
|Post a Comment
Blue Point makes more than 40 craft beers, including Toasted Lager, Hoptical Illusion, Blueberry Ale and seasonal brands, among others. Founded in 1998, it's the 34th largest craft brewery in the U.S.
Anheuser Busch said Wednesday that the deal will bring additional resources to Blue Point's operations, allowing it to meet growing consumer demand for its brands. Anheuser-Busch said it plans to invest in Blue Point to help grow its operational capabilities over the next few years.
Blue Point will continue to be based in Patchogue, N.Y.
The deal is expected to close early in the second quarter.
Copyright 2014 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


text:
Poverty Reduction Blog Tag: Economic Growth
What a difference a paved road makes
Posted on July 8, 2014 by Alison Wallace, Development Specialist
MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso ends on July 31. This story is part of a series of blogs and stories that highlights the accomplishments of this compact through the voices of the people who will benefit most from MCC's investments in Burkina Faso. Read the stories and learn more about the Burkina Faso compact.
Kiribina is a village that lies along the upgraded 31-mile road between Banfora and Sindou in southwestern Burkina Faso. Assétou Hilou lives in this tree-lined village, where she has two rice fields and a small sheep-raising business which she uses to support her four young children.
Prior to the Millennium Challenge Corporation's five-year, $480.9 million compact with Burkina Faso, Hilou and her neighbors had limited access to Banfora, the regional capital. The road would flood during the rainy season, making certain parts dangerous to traverse and others entirely inaccessible. During the dry season, the dust-covered road was in poor shape, causing expensive motorcycle and vehicle damage and contributing to breakdowns of the taxi van that she would take to the nearby market.
But access to Banfora is critical for people living in Kiribina: Not only does it have the largest marketplace for miles, it also has the best schools and health centers. When the road became inaccessible, Assétou was simply unable to meet her family's basic needs for part of the year.
But the MCC road investment has changed that.
Since the construction, Hilou has been able to make the journey to Banfora on a regular basis. She can plan her market days carefully based on the best moment to sell her goods. She has better access to the resources that Banfora offers—resources she said will benefit her family. In total, the road will reach 190,000 of Hilou's neighbors along the length of the road segment.
"I used to sell rice only in the local market where I got a low price," she said. "Now, I sell in Banfora where I can sell the rice for more money, even in the rainy season."
The Banfora-Sindou Road is only part of MCC's $194.1 million Roads Project, which also involves the construction of two additional national roads and the upgrade of rural roads in the southwest of the country, significantly increasing connectivity in this key agricultural region.
Hilou is not just excited about earning more money; because her house is near the road, she is also happy that the dust from vehicles driving by has decreased. And she is not alone in her excitement for the new road—many others in villages along the road noted that they were thrilled for an easier route to market, more regular access to essential social services, the ability to travel more easily during the rainy season and the reduction in dust and mud that has come with a paved road.
Traffic safety signs people can relate to
Posted on July 1, 2014 by Alison Wallace, Development Specialist
MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso ends on July 31. This story is part of a series of blogs and stories that highlights the accomplishments of this compact through the voices of the people who will benefit most from MCC's investments in Burkina Faso. Read the stories and learn more about the Burkina Faso compact.
As anyone who has worked with Kateri Clement, MCC's resident country director in Burkina Faso, can attest, some of her best ideas come while traveling in the field. During a recent trip, we passed one of MCC's traditional branded signs for the compact's Roads Project and Kateri said, "I like the branded signs that we have on the road, but we can do better. Could we get an artist to design some signs to mark the road that MCC just funded?"
And so it began. Within a month, the team at MCA-Burkina Faso had launched a competition and opened it to the project beneficiaries living along the road in six municipalities in northwestern Burkina Faso. The challenge was to come up with a message that would encourage driver and pedestrian safety. Each municipality was to submit drawings with potential road-safety messages, and the winning designs would be turned into professionally produced signs.
Submissions came pouring in, and the topics ranged from warnings to drivers to obey speed limits and avoid reckless driving and alcohol to messages aimed at pedestrians with warnings to watch where they walk and keep a safe distance from the road when selling produce.
After a three-week design collection period, the municipalities' mayors delivered the best entries in Ouagadougou, where judges from MCC, MCA-Burkina Faso and the National Road Safety Organization chose the designs that best incorporated messaging and quality artwork. The second- and third-place winners were both from the municipality of Bomborokuy, whose designs warn drivers against talking on a cell phone while driving and exceeding vehicle weight limits. The community earned two professionally produced road signs replicating the drawings, as well as school supplies for students.
Dédougou took home first prize—not only school supplies, but three large signs to be placed along the road to warn drivers not to drive too fast and to limit the number of passengers to the recommended number for the vehicle.
At the inaugural ceremony—attended by MCC Senior Advisor Cassandra Butts and Managing Director Alicia Phillips Mandaville—the mayor of Dédougou proudly accepted the prizes on behalf of her community. Cheers rang out when the sign was first unveiled, and construction workers installed the sign in the town of Nouna later that afternoon.
What began as an idea on a routine drive in the field, ended in an activity that fostered broad community participation and put a spotlight on the message that adherence to simple rules for traffic safety can save lives. Today, the residents along the MCC Road Project can be proud that they became a small part of the road construction, putting the final pieces together so that their neighbors can have easier and safer access to markets.
Resettlement means opportunity for all
Posted on July 1, 2014 by Scott Fontaine, Corporate Copywriter-Editor
MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso ends on July 31. This story is part of a series of blogs and stories that highlights the accomplishments of this compact through the voices of the people who will benefit most from MCC's investments in Burkina Faso. Read the stories and learn more about the Burkina Faso compact.
The start of Burkina Faso's rainy season used to bring a sense of unease for Assonsi Karama.
Rain would leak through the straw roof of his house and cause his mud-brick walls to fall apart. Everything in the house would get soaked, and Karama often resorted to starting a fire inside the house to dry everything out.
"It rains, and I sleep well," the 35-year-old farmer said. "There's no problem."
Karama's family was one of 16 that received new housing in the village of Diarabakoko in southwest Burkina Faso to make way for road construction as part of MCC's five-year, $480.9 million compact.
The $194 million Roads Project is paving 170 miles of primary roads in western Burkina Faso to help improve access to markets, reduce travel times and vehicle operating costs and ultimately boost household incomes.
On my visit earlier this year to Diarabakoko, Karama gave me and an MCC colleague a tour of the village. As we walked past women stirring porridge over open fires and chickens pecking at the ground, we saw the new homes—sturdy structures with concrete walls and metal roofs—standing in stark contrast to the town's usual mud-and-straw huts. On the outskirts of the village were newly built latrines and hand pumps for drawing groundwater. These investments demonstrate MCC's high standards for compensation designed to improve the quality of life for those persons affected by its projects.
Karama's father and the village elder, 79-year-old Massefa Karama, said the new homes were one of the best changes the community has seen in his lifetime.
His son wants him to carry a message.
"When we bury him, he'll tell our ancestors that they missed these new houses," Assonsi Karama said. "They missed a huge event."
Water resource management: a new form of life insurance
Posted on June 23, 2014 by Alison Wallace, Development Specialist
MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso ends on July 31. This story is part of a series of blogs and stories that highlights the accomplishments of this compact through the voices of the people who will benefit most from MCC's investments in Burkina Faso. Read the stories and learn more about the Burkina Faso compact.
The average American uses 100 gallons of water per day. In Burkina Faso, water is scarce, and the majority of the population cannot afford to waste a drop. Farmers depend on it to water their crops and nourish their livestock; families depend on it to wash clothes, cook and bathe; and everyone requires drinking water to live.
When there is not enough water and the water is poorly managed, the population is more susceptible to the consequences of droughts, floods, regional overpopulation, environmental degradation and pollution, as well as water-use conflicts.
While water is scarce, there is a way to manage water resources so that everyone has enough. And the Millennium Challenge Corporation is helping the Government of Burkina Faso do just that through investments in integrated water resource management. The Government of Burkina Faso – with MCC assistance – is drafting Water Resource Management Plans for two water basins. The plans are designed so that people will have reliable access to water while maintaining environmental standards that protect the surrounding ecosystems.
And through investments in Local Water Committees, MCC is working to ensure that everyone has a voice.
Ambroise Coulibaly, president of the Satiri Local Water Committee which is responsible for water resource management in 16 villages, says the training that his committee members have received has been a valuable tool. "Before we learned about integrated water resource management, there were a lot of conflicts between gardeners and herders. But with the training that our committee has received, we can now go out and teach the population how to share those resources."
MCC has helped put in place 10 local water committees that work with residents to determine water needs at the sub-basin level. Through representatives, residents' needs are then brought to the attention of the water basin committees where they are integrated into the basin planning documents. On April 30, 2014, the third revision of the Water Resource Management Plan for the Mouhoun Basin was completed by its water agency, and plans are now in place for the national government to approve the plan by July 31. Combined with user and polluter fees, government approval of the plan will make it operational. At the conference, a sign hung over the doorway which read, Water is life. Water resource management is life insurance. And nothing could better explain the goal of the Water Resource Management Plans.
Ambroise agrees that the plan will make a difference.
"The passing of the Water Resource Management Plan will solidify behavior change in many people because there will be rules on the books," he said. "Everyone will know their roles, begin caring for the environment, and people will start seeing conflicts go away."
One herder's plump cows signal improvement in Burkina Faso
Posted on June 23, 2014 by Scott Fontaine, Corporate Copywriter-Editor
MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso ends on July 31. This story is part of a series of blogs and stories that highlights the accomplishments of this compact through the voices of the people who will benefit most from MCC's investments in Burkina Faso. Read the stories and learn more about the Burkina Faso compact.
Aboubacari Tall has a different approach to raising his cattle.
His neighbors' herds roam free, but Tall has built a wooden stable just outside his home in northern Burkina Faso.
His neighbors' herds reproduce naturally, but Tall selects his best cows to undergo artificial insemination, producing a stronger herd.
And his neighbors' cows feed on whatever grass they can find. Tall, however, wades into a nearby stream to uproot wild vegetation, dry it, and feed his cows on a schedule—a feed mixture for which he is the top contender in his region for a national award.
The hard work is paying off. While many other cows in the region sport loose skin and visible ribcages, Tall's seven dairy cows are plump and appear healthy.
The difference, he said, is because MCC-funded agricultural agents taught him better ways to take care of his herd.
"Before, I did everything in the traditional way," said Tall, a father of five children. "The cows just roamed in the fields behind my house. Now I'm using new techniques, and I'm making more money."
Tall received training on improved livestock techniques as part of MCC's five-year, $480.9 million compact with Burkina Faso. The $142 million Agriculture Development Project is helping Burkinabé better manage irrigation and water resources, diversify agriculture and improve access to rural finance.
Cattle breeders have already started seeing changes since the beginning of the project. Monitoring data indicates the average weight of their cows jumped from 213 pounds in 2008 to 549 pounds in 2013.
And because of the MCC-funded training, improved techniques and receiving a cow with better genetics, Tall is expecting more than double his daily milk production—a boost that would net Tall another $6 each day, he said.
Tall also collects the cow manure and sells it to his neighbors for fertilizer—a practice that has earned him almost $550 over the past 18 months.
Agricultural agents taught Tall the value of stabling a herd, investing in better feed and using selective breeding. The latter holds great promise for cattle producers in the region, said Stephane Tuina, a veterinarian who trains local farmers on behalf of MCC.
"Before this project, no one in the region knew about artificial insemination," he said. "But it can be very effective, and people are beginning to learn. [Tall] is really setting the example for his community."
And Tall's neighbors are noticing. One of his cows recently gave birth to twins—traditionally a sign of good luck to come for Tall and his community.
Better poultry means a better life for a family in northern Burkina Faso
Posted on June 23, 2014 by Scott Fontaine, Corporate Copywriter-Editor
MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso ends on July 31. This story is part of a series of blogs and stories to be published during the month of June that highlights the accomplishments of this compact through the voices of the people who will benefit most from MCC's investments in Burkina Faso. Read the stories and learn more about the Burkina Faso compact.
MCC helped Missita Déme build a henhouse behind her mud-brick home in northern Burkina Faso and trained her on better ways to raise chickens.
Her chickens grew bigger and stayed healthier. Her business grew, and she plowed the profits back into her poultry operation by investing in building separate housing for her chicks and a quarantine area for sick animals. Soon afterwards, she added a third henhouse—this one for chickens ready for sale.
"Life is better," she said, "and I'm not done yet."
Déme is an early success of the Agriculture Development Project, part of Burkina Faso's $480.9 million compact with MCC, which focuses in part on helping livestock producers practice techniques that aim to increase value through improved animal husbandry techniques.
In the 20 months since Déme attended her first training, she has sold nearly 200 improved variety chickens. The hens are selling for as much as $4.25 each, while roosters are selling for more than $5.25.
In addition to her training, MCC provided an incentive kit containing cement for walls, roofing material, vaccinations against deadly Newcastle disease, and an improved-variety rooster. MCC initially planned to provide 350 such kits to producers from the area, but they proved so popular that the program was expanded to another 188 producers, said Stephane Tuina, a veterinarian who works on implementing the project.
Veterinarians and extension agents provide training on improved breeding and flock management, and they follow up in person to answer questions. The Burkinabé government's animal resources agency will continue providing training after the compact ends in July.
"Since she started working [with chickens], the extra income has really helped support our family," said Déme's husband, Yacouba Sanogo, who helped his wife build the three houses. "We can pay bills more easily and really help our kids."
The couple's five children all attend school, and they have purchased bikes they can ride to classes each day. The couple recently purchased two sheep for breeding, and they want to plant more valuable crops on land they own outside their village. Additional revenue from her poultry operation also allows them to pay for a visit to a health clinic if a family member falls ill.
"Things are changing for us and our community," she said. "We're giving our children a better future."
Dangerous roads can be made safer with new tools
Posted on June 18, 2014 by Uven Chong, Research Analyst
Good roads are critical to fighting poverty because they enable the reliable movement of people, goods, and services. But in many of the world's poorest countries, those roads also play a role in a growing health epidemic: road traffic fatalities.
Consider this problem by the numbers:
- In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)—with per-capita incomes below $12,616—the number of motor vehicles per capita has increased 58 percent and the road density has increased 53 percent between 2000 and 2009.
- At the same time, LMICs claim 92 percent of global road traffic fatalities.
At MCC, we recognize the significance of these dangerous trends and seek to evaluate safety costs as part of an effort to mitigate road accidents. We put our heads together with road construction experts within MCC and external transportation agencies to look for a quantitative method that estimates potential safety impacts from our road projects. As part of our research, we turned to the Crash Modification Factors database, a collection of results from a variety of road studies that tells us what happens to accident rates when a road's design is changed by including such features as wider lanes or pedestrian bridges. Our plan is to test and eventually implement this tool in MCC compacts that involve road construction so we can tackle the high number of road fatalities in our partner countries.
The other side of the coin when it comes to road safety is budget efficiency. We've improved efficiencies in our road construction projects by adopting data envelopment analysis, a management tool which compares projects against one another. At MCC, this tool helps us identify our best-performing contracts as well as the potential causes of inefficiencies, and it creates construction progress benchmarks that will continue to be refined as they inform future road projects.
Road safety and cost changes represent common challenges being tackled in the broader development community. The United Nations acknowledges the prevalence of road fatalities in low- and middle-income countries and declared a Decade of Action for Road Safety for 2011-2020. The World Bank also notes the importance of cost changes and established a database to track the costs of road projects.
By constantly seeking and developing new methods, we are making progress that will improve not only MCC's projects and the development sector as a whole, but also will make a difference in people's lives.
Proof of progress: Burkina Faso's women on the path to growth
Posted on June 16, 2014 by Cassandra Q. Butts, MCC Senior Advisor
MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso ends on July 31. This story is part of a series of blogs and stories to be published during the month of June that highlights the accomplishments of this compact through the voices of the people who will benefit most from MCC's investments in Burkina Faso. Read the stories and learn more about the Burkina Faso compact.
As I looked at the faces in the market, I recognized Clarisse Belemou's and Sata Seri's from the previous night's dinner. Clarisse stood to speak on behalf of the vendors who had come to the nearly completed Dî market to meet with me and with my colleague, Alicia Phillips Mandaville, during our trip earlier this month to the Sourou Valley in Burkina Faso. Clarisse explained that the market stalls were much improved now, with metal roofing and cement floors replacing straw roofing and dirt floors. This upgrade, she said, will enable women to keep their products fresh longer and sell them during the rainy season without worrying about flooded market stalls.
MCC also financed construction of a 5,500-acre irrigation project in the Sourou Valley, and Sata added that women are now planting higher-value crops on the land—cabbage, cucumbers, potatoes, okra, and watermelons—and earning more money. In both the Sourou Valley and Comoé province, more than 7,600 women received training in agricultural production. Another 900 received instruction on improved techniques for breeding chickens. And now, these women will have a newly constructed market where they can sell their diverse products.
In addition, by the end of MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso on July 31, nearly 2,200 women will have received parcels of irrigated land secured in the form of leases or titles. For the first time, another 400 will have their names on leases for parcels in previously constructed irrigated perimeters. This includes Bintou Drabou, whom I met and personally presented with her long-awaited land title.
In all these ways, women are benefiting from MCC's investment in Burkina Faso.
During the dinner, the women shared their produce for us to eat and their thoughts on how MCC's investment also changed their lives in unmeasurable yet just as meaningful ways.
Saybata Ky, the leader of women's cooperatives in the Dî perimeter, noted that with rights to their separate plots of land, women now earn enough money to purchase their own clothing and contribute to their families. They no longer ask their husbands for money every time they want to make a purchase, giving the women in Dî a newfound sense of independence.
When my MCC colleague Alicia spoke at the dinner, she said, "You know, I come to countries and I meet with a lot of leaders, a lot of people with high positions in the government. But the most important people I've met are the women who shared dinner with me tonight."
I could not have said it better myself.
Country ownership at work in Burkina Faso
Posted on June 6, 2014 by Alison Wallace, Development Specialist
MCC's five-year compact with Burkina Faso ends on July 31. This story is part of a series of blogs and stories to be published during the month of June that highlights the accomplishments of this compact through the voices of the people who will benefit most from MCC's investments in Burkina Faso. Read the stories and learn more about the Burkina Faso compact.
Last week, I joined MCC's Cassandra Butts and Alicia Phillips Mandaville along with senior officials of the Government of Burkina Faso at ceremonies to inaugurate an 89-mile road and a 5,535-acre irrigated perimeter—two important projects funded by MCC's five-year, $480.9 million compact.
More than 1,000 Burkinabé also attended each event; many of them wore shirts emblazoned with the MCC and MCA-Burkina Faso logos. They cheered as speakers discussed the accomplishments the compact has already delivered and that should make a real difference in many communities.
I have lived in Burkina Faso for four years—first as a Peace Corps volunteer and then as a member of the MCC Resident Country Mission—and I have always been struck by how much this country has embraced MCC and its approach to development.
Whether discussing the compact with women beneficiaries of the compact's Agriculture Development Project or in a meeting with the MCA-Burkina Faso's Board of Directors, the country's ownership is evident.
The Government of Burkina Faso adhered to the commitments established in the compact. Prime Minister Luc-Adolphe Tiao has held seven cabinet meetings to discuss compact activities since taking office just three years ago, and he has also visited project sites on numerous occasions to discuss the need for contractors to complete the work before the compact ends on July 31. The MCA Board—comprising public officials and representatives of civil society and the private sector—has held 47 meetings to provide oversight of the compact. The government's cooperation has been truly instrumental in achieving results from the compact.
And in speaking with beneficiaries in Dî—where MCC helped build a new irrigation perimeter and train farmers—it is clear that many are feeling the results. The traditional singer in one of the villages says that before the compact, she received contributions for her singing in coins. Since the construction of the perimeter, she now receives bills—something she credits to residents having more disposable income.
It is humbling to enter a village to celebrate a compact achievement and hear blessings in Dioula—a language I remember from my Peace Corps days—as a show of genuine gratitude directed at the American people. But I am not the only one who recognizes the excitement felt by residents. The MCA project directors and managers know better than I about the long-term potential of the MCC investment in this small country, and I look forward to seeing that potential realized in the years ahead.
Delivering value for the American people
Posted on May 28, 2014 by Dana J. Hyde , Chief Executive Officer
Last Friday afternoon, as most of us were preparing to observe our Memorial Day traditions, I was officially sworn in as MCC's next CEO. As someone who has admired MCC's work for some time, I am honored and excited to be here. And as someone from a small town in eastern Oregon, I can tell you that the chance to lead this groundbreaking organization is truly a dream come true.
It's also an incredible opportunity to make other people's dreams come true too. MCC is doing that by helping to create meaningful livelihoods that allow families and communities around the world to pull themselves out of poverty, thrive and grow. And it's not just our overseas partners who benefit. Strong and stable markets around the world, that respect the rule of law and good governance, are places where U.S. companies can do business and trade, creating opportunities here at home as well.
I want the American people to always get their money's worth from everything MCC does on their behalf. That means collaborating with key stakeholders, federal agencies and private sector partners to maximize our impact here and abroad. That means deepening MCC's commitments to transparency, rigorous analysis and data-based decision-making through our distinct approach to global development. That means investing in learning and continuously improving as we take stock of what does and does not work. In these ways, we can build upon MCC's business-like approach to development and chart a course for the agency's second decade and continued success.
In the days and weeks ahead, I look forward to meeting and talking with the many people and groups who follow our work and share our goals. Let's begin a conversation on how we can come together to make our efforts as effective, sustainable and impactful as possible for both the world's poor and the American people.
Banking on the future in Ghana
Posted on May 5, 2014 by Forrest McKennie, Director of Finance, Investment and Trade
For a rural bank, switching from paper to computerized transaction processing and record keeping isn't just a leap forward in technology. It also cuts costs, improves security and more quickly puts money in the hands of customers.
As part of the recently completed five-year, $547 million compact with Ghana, MCC helped digitize over 600 branches of 130 banks in remote communities throughout the country through the Ghana Compact I Rural Development Project's Financial Services Activity. MCC's $27 million investment in this particular activity provided the necessary infrastructure to enable internal transaction processing and reporting. In addition, the investment funded the installation of satellite dishes and rented satellite space to help banks improve headquarters-to-branch communications, communicate electronically with the national regulator and connect to the country's payments grid.
MCC also funded the creation of a central data center at the national regulator and a remote disaster recovery site to ensure records and other data wouldn't be lost.
Many of these banks serve farming communities, the core group who benefit from Ghana's MCC compact. Bank customers have already seen the average time needed for a check to clear drop from seven days to two, and banks can offer a wider range of services including handling direct remittances and wire transfers.
The Government of Ghana can also more effectively distribute pensions and payments for the goods it purchases from farmers, like cocoa.
MCC's investments are a win for the banks, too. Before, a disaster could wipe out most of their records, but the new system includes redundancies that more effectively protect data. Banks can also now more effectively access centralized information like credit reporting.
Strengthening rural financial institutions to provide services that complement agriculture and agribusiness is an important step in helping these farming communities across Ghana reduce constraints to economic growth and reduce poverty. By increasing access to more efficient finance, MCC is partnering with Ghanaians on ways to more effectively manage their money now and plan for the future.
Celebrations in Mozambique: It's not just about the goods
Posted on May 5, 2014 by Tom Haslett, Program Officer
Last month, President Armando Guebuza led inaugural ceremonies to celebrate four infrastructure projects in Nampula province: a rehabilitated dam in the booming city of Nacala, an improved water supply system in the city of Nampula and two rehabilitated roads that total 157 miles and form a vital part of Northern Mozambique's transportation network—all major efforts of the country's five-year, $507 million compact and a symbol of MCC and a partner country working together to achieve common goals.
These investments will benefit almost 1.3 million people in the region through reduced transportation costs, better access to employment and economic opportunities, increased supply of reliable water, reduced costs to access clean and safe water, and improved health benefits through reduced water-borne diseases.
Local communities celebrated these achievements under sunny skies at a program that included speeches, singing, dancing, and tree-blessing ceremonies. The enthusiasm and joy on display during these events made it easy to forget the hard work required to make these major infrastructure projects a reality. It's worth recognizing that the Mozambique Compact—which ended in September 2013—saw more challenges than most, from a slow startup to implementation challenges that delayed work. But whenever an obstacle arose, dedicated efforts from the teams at MCA-Mozambique (the local organization implementing the compact) and MCC were essential to pushing forward to fulfill the compact's goals.
As a result of these coordinated efforts, the Nacala Dam was completed on time and a final push brought the Nampula water supply system and the two roads to near completion. MCC is prohibited from spending funds on projects after five years—but the Government of Mozambique stepped in and spent $25 million of its own money to complete these projects after the compact ended. This represents a substantial commitment that clearly demonstrated the government's dedication to realizing the compact's promise for the Mozambican people.
So when President Guebuza, U.S. Ambassador Doug Griffiths, MCC Resident Country Director Steve Marma, and the staff of MCA-Mozambique gathered to inaugurate the projects, they weren't just celebrating new infrastructure. They were also celebrating a partnership—and that's what the MCC model is all about.
MCC paves the way after Typhoon Haiyan
Posted on April 28, 2014 by Kumar Ranganathan, MCC Senior Director/Practice Lead, Water, Irrigation and Sanitation
"Rise, Philippines" is a special three-part blog series that takes a look back at the crushing blow dealt by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, the resiliency of Filipinos and MCC's continuing work in promoting poverty reduction in the Philippines through economic growth. Learn how MCC is helping with recovery and read about the status of our compact.
When Typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines last November, MCC-funded work was already underway on a major road project on Samar Island.
We all witnessed the devastation that one of the strongest typhoons on record had on Samar and other eastern islands. Buildings were torn apart, bridges were knocked down and roads crumpled like ribbon. But I am proud that the 12-mile stretch of road that MCC-funded contractors had completed withstood the damage, and MCC is working with its compact partners to accelerate construction and provide a vital lifeline to the island.
MCC included the Secondary National Roads Development Project as part of its five-year, $433.9 million compact with the Philippines to help improve the lives of people in Samar by reducing transportation costs and improving access to markets and social services. The project's 136 miles of coastal and mountainous roads and 62 bridges will expand commerce and ultimately increase incomes on Samar Island.
We expected the road would be vital to the region; we just didn't realize it would happen so quickly.
Shortly after the typhoon struck land, MCC and MCA-Philippines collaborated to accelerate the project schedule to ensure the road's timely completion as a way to directly support and facilitate other ongoing aid and reconstruction efforts in Eastern Samar. MCC-funded contractors voluntarily made their equipment and materials available to clear the roads in Samar so that food, water and medicine were brought to the people quickly to prevent further devastation and loss of lives.
We can credit the road's survival to strong design and measures to climate-proof it. The region experiences the landfall of about nine typhoons per year, and MCC used the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change model during design to predict project risks and climate proof the road where possible.
Some of the key climate-proofing measures included developing project-specific design criteria for drainage infrastructure and sea level variations, improving hydraulic capacity and embankment protection at bridges, improving drainage and culvert capacity to fit within the roadway corridor, roadway pavement and shoulder design to withstand flooding, improving closed drainage systems, and stabilizing slopes in mountainous areas.
Because of careful planning and risk management, MCC helped build a road that withstood one of the strongest typhoons in history and will play a vital role in the region's recovery. This is an accomplishment in which Americans and Filipinos alike should take pride.
Reflections from Tacloban
Posted on April 28, 2014 by John Polk, Acting Resident Country Director, MCC Philippines
"Rise, Philippines" is a special three-part blog series that takes a look back at the crushing blow dealt by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, the resiliency of Filipinos and MCC's continuing work in promoting poverty reduction in the Philippines through economic growth. Learn how MCC is helping with recovery and read about the status of our compact.
I remember my first trip to Tacloban and Samar about three years ago, particularly the scenery as the plane made its swooping approach for landing at the airport. The colors stood out to me: vibrant green fields and mountains, silver and rusted-red tin roofs dotting the landscape, a sea that treads a fine line between blue and turquoise. The colors are tranquil and deep, portraying a benevolent and humble neighbor to the chaotic Tacloban cityscape.
As the plane descended on my most recent trip to visit the Philippines Compact's Samar Road investment a few weeks ago, I was struck once again by the colors as we landed in Tacloban. This time however, much of the vibrant green had turned brown: Stubs of tree trunks and barren limbs dotted inundated fields, once radiant with productive promise but now scattered with salted ponds from the stagnant remnants of a storm surge of historic proportions. The turquoise sea, with the stories of storm surge in every account of Typhoon Haiyan—the storm that devastated parts of the Philippines in November and killed more than 6,000 people—appeared now more like a wolf in sheep's clothing.
But the most prominent color of this visit was blue. Not sky blue, or the semi-blue of the sea, no, nothing natural; it was a bright, Lego kind of blue, something manufactured by machines. In many places, this blue took the place of the shiny silver or rusted-red roofs of before. In others, it formed all four walls of makeshift homes. In another, it spanned the mangled steel joists of a covered basketball court, providing shade from the hot sun as sandal-clad school kids chucked up three-pointers during an afternoon game.
Many structures in Tacloban that once housed a family, a business, dreams have been reduced to their basic elements—stripped and rusted steel, wooden beams and columns, rock rubble. As a stark contrast to these remnants that were installed with every intention of lasting forever, the -prevalent blue tarps will have surpassed their use if they are still up a year from now. They have aided in providing some relief and protection from the harsh elements of nature for more than 431,000 households that needed emergency shelter, but ebbing and flowing in the breeze, their temporary relief can't be disguised.
Their presence, however, is an enduring reminder of the multinational effort that ramped up in the months after the typhoon to help a neighbor in need.
Upon landing and making our way along the highway to visit the Samar Road, I realized that while the blue tarps stood out most prominently due to their color, their number paled in comparison to the innumerable white and tan tents and tarps that appeared around every bend with logos of all kinds on them. Shiny, brand-new SUVs with logos plastered on their doors are conspicuous recent additions to the normal traffic of buses and motorized tricycles that we would see along the road during previous trips. In fact, logos seem to be everywhere. All of these logos—whether on the newly built child-friendly safe-havens, the temporary schools or on vehicles carrying personnel and supplies to areas affected by the typhoon—represent the attention and presence of groups from other areas of the Philippines or from international partners. It is overwhelming to think that something from almost every corner of the globe is represented in those few hundred kilometers from Tacloban to Guiuan, where a few months ago the same roads were as remote and removed as any I had ever been on.
Tarps and tents—whether blue, tan or white—are not what this country needs for the long haul. Residents of Leyte and Samar need investment in permanence; materials, structures, and even policies and institutions that are meant to last. Built upon solid foundations, they will hopefully become the legacy of the reconstruction effort. It is heartening to know that MCC and MCA-Philippines experienced almost no interruption in compact investments in many of the areas hardest hit by the typhoon.
Compact partners have worked together to help clear debris along the Samar Road and from nearby communities. They have collaborated with local organizations and international donors to reinforce vigilance against human trafficking—historically, a large percentage of victims of human trafficking in the Philippines have come from Samar and now that population will be even more vulnerable as many social safety nets were washed away by the storm. A massive tree re-planting effort will soon begin, supplemented by an agreement by several government agencies.
There are many relief and reconstruction activities underway in Tacloban, Leyte and Samar. As with any effort so diverse and involving so many different entities, it is difficult to see organization in all of these moving efforts, but yet, I see progress. Communities are moving forward. Children have returned to playgrounds. Families have picked up the pieces and are putting them back into place.
As the plane took off for my return to Manila, the blue tarps faded away but the images and emotion of this trip will remain forever. Passing through billowy white clouds, and seeing sun-glistened waves below, I was reminded that every storm will pass and the gifts we share will see us through.
A Wave of Serenity
helps us
weather the
offers us
a ray of light
when darkness
to help
Now a
new surge.
A giant wave
like none before.
Advancing forward.
No stopping
this surge
of faith,
Philippines on the rise
Posted on April 28, 2014 by Andres B. Saracho, Communications Director, MCA-Philippines
"Rise, Philippines" is a special three-part blog series that takes a look back at the crushing blow dealt by Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, the resiliency of Filipinos and MCC's continuing work in promoting poverty reduction in the Philippines through economic growth. Learn how MCC is helping with recovery and read about the status of our compact.
Days before Typhoon Haiyan made its first landfall in the Philippines, my colleagues and I at MCA-Philippines were as terrified and scared as every Filipino at the thought of being on the receiving end of the strongest typhoon in history to hit land. What we did not imagine was how Haiyan would wreak havoc in areas along its path.
On that fateful Friday, Nov. 8, 2013, work in Manila was suspended. At home, I was glued to the television from early morning until night, watching newscasts on the supertyphoon ravaging Eastern Visayas . The sound of howling winds and the sight of rising floods in familiar areas in Leyte—where MCA-Philippines is implementing a range of small-scale, community-driven infrastructure projects—sent chills down my spine. My thoughts were with the colleagues, friends and acquaintances in Tacloban and nearby towns.
On the morning of Nov. 9, I woke up to the horrific television views of the devastation that befell Tacloban. It was inconceivable, unimaginable. We have seen and experienced many typhoons in the past, especially within the past three years with more and stronger typhoons. None, however, equaled the magnitude of the destruction that Haiyan brought to our country.
When we returned to the office on Nov. 11, we immediately mobilized a team to assess the situation in our project areas and the impact on our road project. The plan was put on hold, however, as Eastern Visayas remained isolated and inaccessible. Food was becoming scarce. Communication lines were cut off, and the airport was totally unusable for commercial flights.
We learned that our road contractors quickly responded to calls of assistance by deploying their trucks and heavy equipment to Tacloban and the towns of Eastern Samar for road-clearing operations. Contractors also lent their trucks to local governments or provided fuel to other vehicles to pick up and deliver relief goods to the region's devastated areas.
On Nov. 13, MCA-Philippines issued a statement of solidarity and support for the typhoon victims. Our call was simple: Bangon, Pilipinas! or "Rise, Philippines!"
We launched our own campaign to solicit donations from MCA-Philippines employees and the public. We set up donation boxes in our office lobby for clothes, bedding, towels, and toys. We decided to forgo our annual Christmas party, opting for a simple dinner instead. The money that was supposed to have been spent for the party was donated to our two drivers at the project site as well as to road contractors and employees of our partner agencies, the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. The in-kind donations were sent to the Department of Social Welfare and Development's regional office for the typhoon victims in Tacloban.
On Dec. 8, exactly a month after Haiyan hit the Philippines, I flew to our road project site in Eastern Samar to get stories for a feature in a local magazine. My heart bled from what I saw. The images were more horrific than what appeared on TV. What I saw looked like scenes from war movies. Dreadful. Heartbreaking. After my return to Manila, I had to be debriefed—a form of therapy to help me cope with the trauma I witnessed personally during my trip to Leyte and Eastern Samar.
The Filipino people will be forever grateful for the international community's assistance . The quick response by the United States to ferry survivors out of Tacloban, the pouring in of relief goods to evacuation centers, the arrival of medical teams from all over the world, and the deluge of financial pledges from international organizations and individuals gave a flicker of hope to the hungry, the homeless and even the dying among those who survived the onslaught of Typhoon Haiyan.
Many are still hungry, with their source of livelihood swept away by the floods. Many are still homeless, with only tents protecting them from the elements of nature. But Filipinos are more than resilient. We are survivors who can weather even the strongest supertyphoon. When I visited Eastern Visayas, I saw a few houses being rebuilt. Trees are beginning to turn green again. People's confidence is still shaken, but they are slowly recovering from their catastrophic experience.
In the province of Aklan in Central Visayas, which I visited on Feb. 25, 2014, a health station in Barangay Ochando in the municipality of New Washington still stands strong despite the destruction Haiyan hailed on other nearby structures. The MCC-funded health station was completed less than a year earlier. When Haiyan was ravaging New Washington, at least 12 families used the health station as an evacuation station, with a few of them in need of temporary shelter staying there for weeks afterward..
In nearby Barangay Pinamuk-an, the chair of the Barangay Sub-Project Monitoring Committee that supervised the construction of the day care center recalled that her family was one of 15 families that sought refuge in the facility. Many other health stations, day care centers and school buildings proved their strength—and the high quality put into them by the community—at the height of the supertyphoon.
For us at MCA-Philippines, the need to finish the compact projects has become even more significant to help rebuild the areas devastated by Haiyan. We have shown that, through the compact projects, we can make a difference in the lives of our fellow Filipinos for their reconstruction and rehabilitation and, eventual recovery toward economic growth.
When no service is the best service: Natural beauty and economic growth thrive in Namibia.
Posted on April 23, 2014 by Andrew Ladson, MCC Department of Congressional and Public Affairs
Protecting a country's natural resources can lead to new opportunities for economic growth. The people of the ≠Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy in Namibia are using the Millennium Challenge Corporation's investment to bring these opportunities to life. Grootberg Lodge is part of the Ecotourism Development in Conservancies Project of MCC's $304.4 million compact with Namibia.
No service. It's a familiar modern harbinger of imminent frustration. When this message replaces the reassuring presence of three to five bars in the upper left hand corner of a phone's display, the mental gymnastics of letting go of email, texts and having the Internet at immediate command begin. But for guests of Grootberg Lodge, located in the ≠Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy on the Etkendeka Plateau of Namibia's Kunene region, this message is a reminder that they're exactly where they want to be.
Established in July 1998 through the Namibian Ministry of Environment and Tourism, ≠Khoadi-//Hôas Conservancy benefits its more than 3,000 residents with programs that take advantage of the region's extraordinary natural beauty and wildlife. The conservancy's innovative approach to addressing such challenges as human-wildlife conflict and rare species poaching has made a remarkable difference in the area. The conservancy makes life better for residents by helping them no longer view wildlife as a nuisance or threat and by generating revenue through ecotourism. Grootberg (which means Big Mountain) Lodge—wholly owned by the conservancy's residents—is a big part of what is making the difference.
Renovated and expanded in 2012 by Millennium Challenge Account-Namibia (MCA-Namibia), the local organization managing the implementation of Namibia's MCC compact, the lodge offers guests a wide range of ecotourism activities--including black rhino and elephant tracking, visits to the Himba people (an ancient tribe of nomadic herders) and guided walks through the plateaus overlooking the Klip River Valley—all provided by employees from the local community. Over 95 percent of the lodge's employees are conservancy and community residents, and their employment provides a livelihood much different from subsistence livestock farming or odd jobs. For employees like Susanna !Hoages and Otniel ''Areseb, that employment has blossomed into careers.
Susanna !Hoages, 27, began her employment at Grootberg in 2006 as a waitress, with the lodge providing on-the-job training. After taking an interest in the "back of the house" activities in the kitchen, management transferred Susanna in 2009 to another lodge to serve as an assistant chef trainee. Excelling in this role, Susanna was sent to the Namibian Institute of Culinary Education before returning to Grootberg Lodge to serve as food and beverage manager. Susanna appreciates the difference the lodge has made in her life and that of the community at large.
"Employment at Grootberg Lodge is one of my benefits… as well as [for] the community as a whole and my family. I'm working, I'm earning money… the lodge is earning money—which is a benefit to the community. This money that is produced or the profits that [are] coming into the lodge, it's shared with the community."
Otniel ''Areseb, 48, helped build Grootgerg Lodge. In November 2004, he was literally in the trenches, digging the paths for the plumbing pipes that serve the 16 lodge chalets, main building and staff quarters.
Upon its opening in June 2005, Otniel was employed as a bartender and later promoted to project manager for maintenance. Otniel now serves as floor manager, which means he is responsible for managing the staff that attends to guests in the main building and restaurant—a role critical to guests' perceptions of their experience at the lodge. A consistently high level of service is Otniel's continuing goal:
"We have many guests who are here three, four times. This is what we want to see with our service."
"No service" might be welcome when escaping the modern grind, but while visiting Grootberg Lodge, it will be confined to a phone's display during a rhino tracking expedition or a plateau walk (yes, there is wifi in the main lodge). For lodge staff, continuing to raise the service bar for themselves and the lodge is the best way to ensure the benefits for the community's economic prosperity will continue to grow.
Addressing Zambia's social and economic truths: a key to water and sanitation for the urban poor
Posted on March 28, 2014 by Michelle Adato, Director, Social and Gender Assessment, Department of Compact Operations
MCC is marking World Water Day with a blog series on our investments in the delivery of clean water, effective sanitation services and long-term solutions that help build economic growth. This is the seventh and final blog in the series.
The Millennium Challenge Corporation's $354.7 million compact in Zambia will build water, sanitation and drainage infrastructure in greater Lusaka's poor communities. The challenge, though, is ensuring that the projected benefits reach the poor. Recognizing that this means addressing the complex social dimensions in those vulnerable communities, MCC is putting great effort and resources into a holistic approach to these projects.
MCC's Lusaka Water Supply, Sanitation, and Drainage (LWSSD) project must address not only the engineering complexities of building water and sewer networks in dense, under-planned neighborhoods, but also the social and economic complexities of getting people connected, keeping them connected and bringing about the behavior changes necessary to enable and sustain the intended benefits.
The cases of the "white elephants," as referred to by one Zambian water and sanitation regulator – where water or sewer networks are built but lie unused because people do not connect or stay connected – happen because not enough focus is placed on the importance of social dimensions of planning for water and sanitation service delivery.
A global literature review commissioned by MCC found that the rate of household network connections is significantly increased when infrastructure is combined with well-designed and executed information and education campaigns that address the why and how of connecting, accompanied by policies that make connections affordable, such as pre-financing and permitting repayment over time. A tariff structure that addresses affordability and social equity principles is also important.
The LWSSD project involves mostly infrastructure but is also strengthened on the institutional side with initiatives that improve the long-term ability of the Lusaka Water and Sewerage Company to manage aspects of service planning and delivery. Some of these aspects include developing policies and planning tools that ensure the integration of social and gender inclusion across the utility, and improving the utility's capacity to design and implement information and education campaigns on connecting and staying connected; household water management; care and maintenance of facilities; hygiene; keeping drains clean and safe; and employment opportunities in the sector. The goal is to support the utility in adopting best-practices, so that Zambia's most vulnerable populations can access affordable services and be able to rely on these services into the future.
While the challenges are immense, the ultimate ability of the infrastructure project in Zambia to meet its objectives is dependent on addressing these social dimensions.
In Malawi, one hand helps the other to improve land use and boost economic opportunities
Posted on March 28, 2014 by Ben Campbell, Director, Environmental and Social Assessment, Department of Compact Operations
MCC is marking World Water Day with a blog series on our investments in the delivery of clean water, effective sanitation services and long-term solutions that help build economic growth. This is the sixth in the series.
Population pressures in Malawi have pushed poor and vulnerable farmers up the steep hillsides where they scratch out a living growing maize. Having grown up an Iowa farm boy, I would have never contemplated planting corn on such steep slopes—but of course, we were nowhere near as desperate for land or production as the farmers in Malawi.
Unfortunately, there is a knock-on effect to the poverty-driven hillside planting: Tons of topsoil sediment makes its way into the Shire River, where it flows into and fills the head ponds, damaging the hydroelectric plants. The topsoil's rich nutrients feed invasive weed blooms which get caught in the turbines, leading to power blackouts all over the country.
The effect represents a real long-term threat to MCC's Malawi Compact, which includes the rehabilitation of the hydroelectric plant on the Shire River and an upgrade of the electric grid through much of southern and central Malawi.
In response, the project on which we are working in partnership with the Malawians seeks long-term financing to promote better land-use practices in the Upper and Middle Shire Basin, the source of much of the soil runoff. Working with private and government-owned companies, we aim to establish an environmental trust.
These downstream companies that make up the trust—including sugarcane producers, bottlers, water utilities, and the electric company—are affected by the same sediment as the hydroelectric plant. Individually, there is little they can do. Together, though, they can contribute the money needed to provide grants to local non-government and community-based organizations which, in turn, can help farmers improve their methods through conservation agriculture, forestry and soil erosion techniques.
For the farmers, the use of one or all of these practices should lead to improved yields. For the trust companies and the hydroelectric plant, these plans will reduce pressure on the forests and hillsides that are the source of the water.
By linking the land-use interests of the downstream entities with the upstream communities, our project hopes to create long-term funding to support these efforts, even after MCC has left.
The Nacala Dam: delivering more water to a rapidly expanding area of Mozambique
Posted on March 28, 2014 by Evan Freund, Deputy Resident Country Director, Mozambique
MCC is marking World Water Day this week with a blog series on our investments in the delivery of clean water, effective sanitation services and long-term solutions that help build economic growth. This is the fifth in the series.
Nacala, home to Mozambique's deep water port and access point for trade through much of east and southern Africa, is a city whose rapid growth punctuates the entire country's challenges with access to a clean and reliable water source.
In the towns and villages surrounding Nacala, and in the city itself, the lack of an element so vital for daily life and commerce is a considerable constraint to economic growth.
The road to Nacala's port is cluttered with new and expanding businesses – many of which are voracious water consumers – and the coast is increasingly crowded with large container ships, transporting the world's goods into, and out of, the region. The region's growth is evident at every turn in Nacala.
The MCC-funded expansion and rehabilitation of the aging, inefficient and undersized bulk water supply dam in Nacala – the principal source of Nacala's water – was an ambitious and technically complex plan which, in part, helps the city meet the growing demand for water. The project also embodied many of the very best characteristics of the MCC model and the necessary characteristics of good project execution: broad engagement and involvement with community entities and people who have a stake in the project's success, a planning process that included participation by public and private organizations, and country-led solutions.
Piecing together a collaborative and productive partnership between multiple beneficiaries and participants at the international, national and local levels over a three year period prior to construction was critical to ensuring the safe and timely completion of the project. But it was not without its secondary challenges. The announced promise of more water led to understandable expectations of immediate results, especially among the project's intended beneficiaries. It was important to explain in clear language that considerable front end work on the project would avoid problems on the back end.
So, led by MCA-Mozambique, countless technical meetings, outreach and educational awareness workshops and discussions took place from 2008 to 2011 in order to ensure a project as technically complex and large as this could go forward with as few problems as possible… and that everyone at each level understood what it was going to take.
With a lot of hard work and a little luck, a tight two-year construction period proceeded smoothly and one of MCC's most technically sophisticated – and one of Mozambique's most high profile – projects was delivered as planned. The end result is an expanded dam (from 17 to 19 meters) and a reservoir with increased capacity (4.2 million to 6.6 million cubic meters) that now provide a stable foundation for Nacala's continued development.
Water, sanitation and hygiene services for everyone in water-scarce Cabo Verde
Posted on March 27, 2014 by Joana Brito, Deputy Resident Country Director, Cabo Verde
MCC is marking World Water Day this week with a blog series on our investments in the delivery of clean water, effective sanitation services and long-term solutions that help build economic growth. This is the fourth in the series.
How do you take a fragmented, poorly run water and sanitation utility in an extremely dry country like Cabo Verde and make it run efficiently enough to bring high-quality service to a half million people?
This question is moving toward a real solution through the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Project, part of Cabo Verde's second compact with MCC. At the start of the project's design, inefficiencies at the utility level were bad enough to pose significant barriers to economic growth. The problems needed to be tackled aggressively and reforms put in place if people were to benefit from a water utility at all.
The WASH Project aims to sustain the long-term delivery of services and goods through a three-pronged strategy: first, motivating reforms at national policy and regulatory agencies so real change can take place; second, operating utilities more efficiently through best commercial practices; and third, improving the quality and reach of the water and sanitation infrastructure through an accountable system for integrated water resource management.
There are about 19 small utilities spread throughout 22 municipalities of the nine inhabited islands of Cabo Verde, each serving a few thousand people in a population of a half million people. These small utilities, called SAASs, suffer from significant bureaucratic interference by municipal authorities, are over-staffed, have a shortage of technically qualified staff, and are not financially sustainable.
The proposed approaches will make the utilities more efficient and more financially sustainable. These include:
• Grouping nine of the small operators of the island of Santiago, Cabo Verde's biggest island, into a single corporatized, commercially run operator shielded from political interference;
• Improving operations and management by adopting business practices used by commercial entities; and
• Extending service coverage by decreasing the loss of water through leaky pipes and pumps and making sure the most vulnerable people get service.
This, coupled with a strong public information campaign, will increase awareness of the health benefits of better water and sanitation services as well as hygiene practices. Together, it will prompt consumer willingness to pay for good service.
By focusing on transforming the utilities and the way they do business now, the people of Cabo Verde will enjoy increased access to water and sanitation, with reliable service and improved quality… keys for healthy living.
- September 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008


text:
Wyo. tribble-naming contest marks Archives Month
Keith Reynolds, an archives specialist at the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center, poses Thursday Oct. 4, 2012, with a tribble from the Star Trek television series in Laramie, Wyo. The headless, legless tribbles first appeared on Star Trek in a 1967 episode. This tribble is part of a collection at the American Heritage Center, which is hosting a "Name the Tribble" contest in recognition of American Archives Month. (AP Photo/Mead Gruver)
CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Anybody who doesn't think this is the cutest little news story of the day must be a Klingon.
The American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming is holding a "Name the Tribble" contest. The idea is to promote American Archives Month and show people that archives aren't just repositories of musty old documents — they can be home to cool stuff, too.
Such as a tribble, a small creature from the Star Trek television series. The American Heritage Center houses items donated by several celebrities including the late Forrest J. Ackerman, a science fiction publisher credited with inventing the term "sci-fi."
Ackerman had no ties to Wyoming but years ago donated many boxes of manuscripts, photographs, movie stills, correspondence, books, movie posters and artifacts including a tribble from the Star Trek set.
"A tribble is a little furball-type thing. It looks like a hairy softball that is very soft and cushy," said Lander journalist Ernie Over, who was Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's personal assistant from 1985 to 1990.
Tribbles have no arms, legs, heads or even eyes. The idea was to mass-produce them as simply as possible, Over said.
In the famous 1967 Star Trek episode that first featured tribbles, the prolific creatures multiplied and overran the Enterprise until Montgomery "Scotty" Scott beamed them onto a Klingon ship.
Ha-ha: Klingons despise tribbles. And tribbles hiss when they encounter Star Trek's best-known bad guys.
Tribbles are sought-after Star Trek souvenirs nowadays. Archivist and Trekkie Keith Reynolds said he couldn't resist running around with the furball when he found it in the Ackerman collection.
"The people who had no idea what it was, they were completely grossed out. They thought it was a toupee," he said. "Or some dead animal."
He said the tribble isn't much to look at, just a tuft of fake fur.
A good tribble name should sum up "tribble-esque qualities," said his co-worker, Rachael Dreyer, organizer of the naming contest.
Entries can be emailed to ahc(at)uwyo.edu, with "Tribble Contest" and your name in the subject line. They also can be posted at the centre's Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/UWAHC
The deadline for entries is Oct. 22.
Contact Mead Gruver at http://twitter.com.meadgruver


text:
Benefits of NAC
Posted March 21st, 2010 by DebFL555
Hi, I've been following this forum for several years now. The last time I signed in (about two months ago) I saw a post regarding the usage of NAC (N-Acetyl-Cysteine) to control the urge to pick. I've now been taking 1200 mg of NAC for two months. To my complete surprise (and utter delight!), my picking episodes have almost completely disappeared. My skin is healing and I'm beginning to feel "normal" for the first time in 5 years. This is the only thing I've changed. My life continues to be stressful and I still face many unresolved issues that I'm sure counseling would help me with. However, due to lack of health insurance, counseling is not currently an option. The single change in taking the NAC has literally changed my life. I don't know if it will work the same way on other sufferers, but I think it's worth a try. Please give it a shot. God...I feel human for the first time in ages. I'm even hoping I'll be able to wear tank tops and shorts this summer. Deb
On August 25th, 2011 laflood said:
Deb, Thank goodness I came across your site and your post about NAC. It gives me hope. I've been fighting this disease for some time now and I'm so frustrated and disgusted by it. For me it's my feet and the picking has become out of control. I'm on 3 anti-depressants and, although they work on my depression, none of them address the picking problem. Recently, my doctor recommended NAC and , to be honest, I had my doubts. But after reading your post, I am very hopeful. Thank you. Leslie
Stop Picking with Online Therapy -
- 8 weeks interactive online therapy program
- Evidence based therapy that works
- Get full support from a qualified therapist
- Private and secure communication
- Access anytime, from anywhere, on any device
- Affordable - just a fraction of the cost of traditional therapy


text:
Grilled peaches are a lazy summer chef's dream because they're one of the easiest desserts to throw together in a flash: a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkling of brown sugar and onto the grill they go. And they're so versatile! You can top them with everything from ice cream and fresh basil to goat cheese or sweet balsamic vinegar. This recipe keeps it simple, though, with a simple caramelized glaze of butter, honey, and cinnamon.
Grilled Peaches With Honey Butter Drizzle from St. John's Farmers Market
1. In saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
2. Heat until butter is melted, then dip peach halves in the mixture.
3. Grill peaches until slightly golden.
4. Continue to heat honey butter mixture until thick and caramelized -- about 10 minutes.
5. Drizzle honey butter mixture over the peaches.
What topping do you like to add to your grilled peaches?
Image via mccun934/Flickr
mmm that sounds so delish, I think I may try these soon
I have never grilled peaches before but might have to try now
I have got to try this!
sounds yummy


text:
Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace
Hey there i'm mayu. In this blog i post things i like, from shoes, hats, celebs, bedrooms,all sorts of things.
I would love to travel all around the world and hopefully become a hotel manager someday.Follow me if you like my blog or want me to check out yours. :D
Disclaimer: I own non of the pictures unless stated
Most Expensive Apartment