text:
Customizing your bundle. Please wait...
Items in your bundle
0 items
- Regular price
- Your savings
- Starting at
- No Items Selected
- No Items Selected
Members earn at least SHOP YOUR WAYSM points on this bundle.
Serta Perfect Sleeper Regent Oaks Plush King Mattress Set
The Regent Oaks Gel Plush mattress includes Smart Surface™ with MicroSupport® Gel a combination of Cool Balance® Fabric Technology, anti-microbial Body Loft® Fiber and exclusive MicroSupport® gel-infused Serta® Latex right at the sleep surface. Quilt •Fireblocker® Fiber •Smart Surface™ with Micro Support Gel •Serta® Pillowsoft™ Foam - an extra-soft foam that gently contours the body. Upholstery •Cool Twist™ Gel Memory Foam designed to help move heat away from your body. •2 Layers Serta® Pillowsoft™ Foam. Support System •886 DuoCore™ Individually Wrapped Coil Support System features an increased coil density and a dual-stage coil design to provide consistent comfort and proper back support. •Comfort Last® Construction with BestEdge® Foam Encasement Edge support strengthens mattress edges. Innerspring •Serta's StabL-Base® Double Beam Foundation provides consistent support across the bottom of the mattress and lasting durability
- .
- Prices may vary by location Go
||first catch,cookie catch:[Ljava.lang.StackTraceElement;@16481648,intlCntGrpCkVal:null,intnlShipCkVal:null,cookieCountryVal,
Select 1: Foundations & Box Springs
- QTY:2 - Serta Perfect Sleeper TXL Box Spring, Must order 2 for a king set
- see details
- 2
- QTY:2 - Serta Perfect Sleeper Low Profile Twin Extra Long Box Spring, Must order 2 to complete a King Set
- see details
- 2
||first catch,cookie catch:[Ljava.lang.StackTraceElement;@16481648,intlCntGrpCkVal:null,intnlShipCkVal:null,cookieCountryVal,
Optional: Bed Frames
- Mantua Universal Bed Frame
- see details
- 1
- Mantua Bed Frame King Instamatic
- see details
- 1


text:
UN Security Council to meet Friday after N.Korea launch
UNITED NATIONS — The UN Security Council will meet in emergency session on Friday to discuss the situation in North Korea after Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket, a UN diplomat said Thursday.
The diplomat told Agence France-Presse the 15-member Council would meet "to decide its next step" following the launch, which the United States and several other nations have claimed is in fact a disguised missile test.
Russia's envoy to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin, earlier said that all Council members agreed that a launch would be a "violation" of US sanctions resolutions imposed in 2009 after Pyongyang's last nuclear test.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday warned North Korea that if it were to go ahead with the launch, "we will all be back in the Security Council to take further action."
Clinton said the rocket would violate UN Security Council resolutions banning the communist state from ballistic missile activity.
"There is no doubt that this [launch] would use ballistic missile technology," she said.
Get Inquirer updates while on the go, add us on these apps:
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
To subscribe to the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper in the Philippines, call +63 2 896-6000 for Metro Manila and Metro Cebu or email your subscription request here.
Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer's day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer's Reader's Advocate. Or write The Readers' Advocate:
c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City,Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94

subset: commoncrawl


text:
See All Brands•See All Categories
Items: 0 • $0.00
Tracking•Help•Contact Us
Bora Bora Bar
Bora Bora Bars are delicious whole-food based organic food bars. They are rich in organic coconut, fruit & mixed nuts and are naturally sweetened with organic honey. They provide an excellent source of healthy calories, macro- and micronutrients that are perfect for on the go snacks, pre-workout nutrition or even meal replacements for dieters. Many people love to take Bora Bora Bars to work, on hikes & bike rides and even to arena or sporting events in which healthy food is a rarity.Whole food bars have become increasingly popular because they taste great and still provide quality nutrition without the feeling of eating a processed food bar. Each bar contains whole food chunks of organic nuts and fruit that constantly remind you what you're eating is real. Bora Bora Bars are minimally processed, are low in carbs & sugar and provide natural whole food protein as well as a bunch of incredibly healthy fats. When you first bite into a Bora Bora Bar you can close your eyes and imagine the magical factory in which they are made, a place where organic fruits and nuts come together in perfect harmony to be mysteriously fused together into a Bora Bora Bar. Yeah, they're that good.
Bora Bora Bar
Meaty Brazil nuts, toasted sunflower seeds and crunchy almonds.It's an energy and taste boost.Benefits:-Brazil Nuts may aid in the release of energy from food and help support the immune system.-Sunflower Seeds are packed with healthy fats, protein, fiber, minerals, and phytochemicals. Studies have shown they may promote healthy cholesterol levels.-Almonds have been shown to promote healthy cholesterol levels and are rich in antioxidants.-Gluten Free-No Refined Sugar-non-GMO-Vegan-Kosher
Organic Raisins, Organic Peanuts, Organic Agave Nectar, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Brazil Nuts, Organic Almonds, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Organic Walnuts, Organic Whole Grain Crisp Rice, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Oil.
I love these bars, I just wish they were easier to find.
These have a very strange consistency, but overall good quality ingredients.
Title your review * (150 character max)
Share your opinion * (4000 character max)
How would you rate this?
PLANETARY FORMULAS Stone Free 180 tabs
Our Price $12.39
AMERICAN BODYBUILDING Pure Pro 50 RTD (14.5 fl.oz) Banana Cream 12 cans
Our Price $41.99
AMERICAN BODYBUILDING Pure Pro 50 RTD (14.5 fl.oz) Vanilla Bean 12 cans


text:
About Sam Daley
Designer/Animator/Illustrator from Brisbane Australia.
Sam Daley joined Society6 on April 11, 2012. Verified on April 11, 2012.
To add items to your wishlist, simply click the "Add to Wishlist" link from any product page.
Don't see Wishlist items you've previously added? Create an account or login now on all devices to sync your Wishlist.


text:
The Culmina Estate Winery tasting room is officially open for 2015.
Summerland area wineries — aka the Bottleneck Drive Winery Association — are heading to Vancouver on Thursday, May 28, to raise funds for one of the city's most treasured spaces, VanDusen Botanical Garden.
The annual Yelloweek, celebrating the Champagne of Champagnes Veuve Clicquot, hits Vancouver May 1 to May 7.
The Tap & Barrel offers over 25 BC wines from 50 taps.
The Osoyoos Oyster Festival returns to the South Okanagan, April 22-25.
This month's feature film for Movies at Market shares the struggle of a father passing down his legacy to his son, in Step Up To The Plate (Entres les Bras) on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 3-4.
Barbara Jo's is a Vancouver Institution and the latest from Barbara Jo is an all-season book club in which, as one season evolves into another, you would open your post and find a delicious new book to read.
Dish 'n' Dazzle is on the horizon and if you like Argentine wines and helping the less fortunate, it is time to book your tickets.
You can be among the first to taste the new 2013 Single Vineyard releases and 2014 spring wines at the Meyer Family Vineyards annual release party on Saturday, May 16.
Canadian wine consumption is also projected to jump by 7.8 per to 14.4 litres per adult by 2018.
Clos du Soleil has said good bye to the old honey barn that was home to the winery and before that, artisanal honey production.
Today heralds the Year of the Sheep and through Feb. 22, Andrew Wong and Chef Todd Bright of Wild Rice Market Bistro honour the occasion with dishes that convey wishes for health, riches, children or prosperity. Included are Lamb Turnip Cake (Luo Bo ...
Gavin and Shana Miller of Upper Bench Winery & Creamery will play host to a BCWAS tasting of eight Upper Bench wines and include cheeses pairings from the property on Wednesday, Feb. 18, The 7:30-9:30 p.m. event is at De Dutch Pannekoek House, Vancouver...
Sommelier Bill Sanford of Burrowing Owl Winery will join executive chef Karan Suri on Saturday, Feb. 14 at the Fairmont Vancouver Airport's Globe Restaurant for a four-course dinner with wine pairings for $99 per person.
The House Wine team will be at Legacy Liquor Store for a series of themed, educational, sit-down tastings this winter and spring and you can learn more about your favourite topic without committing to a lengthy wine class.
Winesearch.com is reporting U.S. consumers are buying more wine and they are paying more for it.
The Vancouver International Wine Festival is teaming with bevancouver.com to offer the chance to book your downtown hotel during the festival and receive one free ticket of your choice of four International Festival Tasting events. Australia is the featured...
We need your help to help the kids. On Feb. 22, 2015, you are invited to help us Adopt-a-School and raise $5,000 to fund a food program at a Metro Vancouver school.
New Year's Eve Palais Royale style is the theme at the Rosewood Hotel on Dec. 31, from 9 p.m.-2 a.m.
You can save — until Dec. 31 — $25 on a Vancouver International Wine Festival Gold Pass, which includes access to all six tasting room sessions (four public and two trade tastings), the Gold Pass Tasting Lounge and exclusive Curtain Raiser...
If you and three friends are looking for a Christmas lunch, consider heading to Forage on Robson Street.
Local wineries are finally expanding their wine club offerings.
Cynthia Opsal of Taylor Fladgate ports and Allison Spurrell of Les Amis du Fromage will cover a range of Taylor tawny port including the 10-, 20-, 30-, & 40-year-old labels as well as the 1964 Colheita, a limited-edition, single-harvest port on Tuesday...
The Port Moody Liquor Store will run B.C. Uncorked along with about 40 local and Okanagan wineries and several area restaurants Saturday, Nov. 1 from 7-9:30 p.m.
A new lineup of wine and food cinema begins Friday and Saturday, Oct. 3 and 4, with the acclaimed movie Chef.
There is still time to catch The Fall Mushroom Festival at Siena. As the days shorten and the nights darken, the go-to fall classics involve mushrooms.
Liberty Merchant Company presents its 23rd annual Port & Chocolate Tasting on Thursday Oct. 2, from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Vancouver Rowing Club in Stanley Park.
Richard Goodine, owner of Good Wolfe and Stephanie Morton-Small, export director for Decero Wines of Argentina will play host rto an afternoon asado — translation, an Argentine barbecue brunch — at the Yaletown eatery on Sunday, Sept. 21. ...
The self-proclaimed coolest Okanagan wine festival takes place in Okanagan Falls on Sunday, Sept. 14.
Just a reminder that the 2nd Annual British Columbia Pinot Noir Celebration hosted by Tantalus Vineyards runs August 31.
The Fifth Annual Tomato Festival is on at Provence Mediterranean Grill in Point Grey and Provence Marinaside in Yaletown.
WineAlign award haul bodes well for B.C. wineries.
Time is running out if you want to attend the second annual British Columbia Pinot Noir Celebration at Pino noir on Sunday, Aug, 31.
Just in time the tasebuds of summer, Les Dames d'Escoffier will present Summerdine on Wednesday, Aug. 6, across the region.
Wines of British Columbia is offering a free gourmet spice packet at a dozen Lower Mainland B.C. Liquor Stores throughout July.
Joy Road Catering presents An Evening of Effervescence at Kaleden's Linden Gardens in the South Okanagan on Friday, July 18.
Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Robert Bateman and The Fairmont Empress in Victoria are will join together on Friday, July 11, to raise funds for the Robert Bateman Centre's new nature education program targeted at Grade 3-8 pupils and students across...
They call it when Cork meets Pork in honour of dads.
The House Wine women are supporting a breakthrough research project, developed by B.C. scientists that could revolutionize cancer treatment.


text:
Availability: Out of stock
A wonderful tea desk with room for your prized tea gear. This is made from sustainable bamboo. When your tea session is done, simply pull out the plastic drainage basin and rinse away your wastewater.
Once you have a tea desk, you'll never be without one again. It makes tea time 20 times more fun!
The size of this desk is 14 1/4" wide x 10 1/2" deep x 2 3/8" high.
For those about to make tea, we salute you!
Double click on above image to view full picture
© 2014 Mandala Tea | (507) 258-4105


text:
#1 'Here comes the Robert Vadra model of development' says the BJP
Amid Gandhi family's attacks on Narendra Modi over the Gujarat model, BJP on Sunday hit back by bringing out a video and a booklet on alleged land deals of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law by terming it as 'Robert Vadra model of development'.
#2 Mayawati's desperate electoral gambit to woo Muslims
Dalit leader Mayawati surprised many with her statement that Narendra Modi should have tried out his political might in Amethi "since he is a prime ministerial candidate like Rahul Gandhi". The next day, BSP watchers were even more intrigued as she slammed Baba Ramdev for his particularly offensive remarks against Rahul Gandhi.
#3 Six years later, Singur remains a key poll issue
Fear is the key where lies the ghost of Tata Motor's Nano plant off NH2. Not a soul could be seen anywhere near whatever remains of a promise to transform the rich agri-fields into an automobile hub. The dream died in 2008 but it still stinks at the graveyard. "Don't tell anybody you are from the Press. You could be in trouble," advised a portly built man who runs an eatery on the opposite side of the expressway.
#4 BJP deploys 32 thousand men across 1,650 booths in Varanasi
Modi's election office on Sighra Road is a multi-storeyed new building that has now been thrown open to party volunteers who will man the poll machinery of the candidate. The lift has just been installed to reach the third floor, computers are being fixed. Meanwhile, enthusiastic workers are scattered in the spacious halls and the footwear are piled high in the porch.
#5 Lok Sabha Elections 2014: A nightmare called election duty
Pratibha Naithani, professor of political science, St Xavier's College, who was assigned elections duty duting the Mumbai Lok Sabha elections narrates her harrowing experiences.
#6 Nitish Kumar to face heat of fairer sex on liquor shops in Bihar
According to a study conducted by Institute of Human Development, more than half of rural women were suffering domestic violence due to liquor. Nitish Kumar may have brought development to Bihar in terms of improved roads and electricity, but his underestimation of women power and their abhorrence towards liquor may cost him votes amongst fairer sex across the state.
#7 Backroom boys played an important role in BJP's election campaign
BJP managed to have one of the most successful election campaigns in the state as its backroom boys ensured prompt response and dissemination of information to the media as well as its leaders and booth-level committees. The backroom boys included office-bearers manning the media team, a campaign team and a call centre


text:
there was an error communicating with the server.
Oriental Watch-Taiyuan Wangfujing Dept. Store
Rolex Retailer
G/F, Wangfujing Dept. Store
99 Qinxian Street (N)
Xiaodian District
Taiyuan 030006
Shanxi Province
Tel: (0351) 788-7111
Rolex official retailers
Worldwide presence
Only official Rolex retailers are allowed to sell and maintain a Rolex. With the necessary skills, technical know-how and special equipment, they guarantee the authenticity of each and every part of your Rolex, not to mention its reliability over time, helping you make the choice that will last a lifetime.


text:
Atacama Pacific is focused on the exploration for and development of precious metals deposits in Chile. The Company's management team has a long history of inteMore
$1 mil. - $5 mil.in Revenue
10 - 20EmployeesContact people at this company
precious metals explorationMore
MiningMetals & MiningMore
330 Bay Street Suite 1210TorontoOntarioM5H 2S8Canadaview map
(416) 861-8267(416) 861-9116Fax
Pro2015_Iteration5.35[04] SEIDXWK-22


text:
By Cody Leist
WAVERLY — No team could understand Lynchburg-Clay's pain after Saturday's Division III Southeast Sectional Final more than Portsmouth.
That's because the Trojans were on the losing side of a buzzer-beater in last year's sectional tournament. Fast forward to this year as Portsmouth relied on a shot at the horn from Sky Oliver to eliminate the Mustangs 55-53 in Saturday's sectional final at Waverly's Downtown Gymnasium. The Trojans move on to the Feb. 2 district semifinals against No. 2 South Point, a team that defeated Portsmouth earlier this season and a squad that struggled to defeat No. 10 Waverly 37-27 in a sectional final at Jackson.
"It feels really, really great with this group because this time last year, we were feeling like Lynchburg-Clay with (Wheelersburg's) Dylan Miller hitting a big three and beating us," Trojans coach Gene Collins said.
Oliver, whose shot tied him with teammate Ky're Allison for team-high scoring honors, is excited to be moving on to the districts.
"This is our time so this should pretty be fun," Oliver said.
Despite multiple attempts to break the game open, Portsmouth's lead never grew above 10 when Allison's 3-pointer made it a 42-32 affair late in the third and matched before the horn at 44-34 on a field goal by Gage Waits and a pair of Isiaha Lisath's free throws.
In the fourth quarter, Lynchburg-Clay continued to chip away at the lead. Although they had yet to lead at any point in the game, Waits tied the game with 8.3 seconds remaining.
"We made some mistakes, missed some free throws and let them back in," Collins said. "(The Mustangs) kept on making plays."
Out of the Lynchburg-Clay timeout, Collins admitted the goal was to put the ball in Allison's first then Oliver if the sophomore was well-defended. Oliver, who was among a number of Trojans to be under the weather, was charged with the role of hero.
"I wasn't going to take it because I seen Isiaha open in the corner but I figured that I could shoot it," Oliver said.
Oliver admitted he didn't think it was going in when it left his hands.
After connecting on 11 3-pointers in Wednesday's 76-72 semifinal win over West, the Mustangs were held to 3-of-19 shooting from the arc. Waits led all scorers with 26 points.
By moving on, Collins feels his team can do some damage with potentially four games at Ohio University's Convocation Center, where Portsmouth has won eight-straight tournament games at the site.
"We've had a lot of success in The Convo and it's great for this young group to get out of this tough sectional and move on with the other Scioto County teams."
The Trojans are one of three teams from the county, including Valley and Wheelersburg, to advance in Division III. Minford advanced Friday night into the Division II district tournament and more schools in the county could be punching tickets to Athens this week in the Division IV tournament.
Cody Leist can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 294, or on Twitter @CodyLeist.
Lynchburg-Clay 10 12 12 19 — 53
Portsmouth 17 10 17 11 — 55
Lynchburg-Clay — Waits 9-7-26, R. Inman 5-1-11, Pierson 2-2-8, Ahrman 3-0-6, Totals 20-10-53.
Portsmouth — Oliver 7-1-18, Lisath 2-0-5, Alllison 6-5-18, Reynolds 1-4-6, Gibson 2-2-6, Delotell 1-0-2, Totals 19-12-55.
3-Point Goals — 3 (Pierson 2, Waits); Portsmouth 5 (Oliver 3, Lisath, Allison).
Records — Lynchburg-Clay 17-6; Portsmouth 18-4.


text:
Get some tips from the UK's leading chefs on how to cook tasty food on a budget
Another generous donation @Tesco for Hailsham #Foodbank in #GMBMealAppeal - #everycanhelps !... Read more
... Read more
1096 people have received at least three days emergency food from Hailsham foodbank during the last 12 months. Rising... Read more
The Trussell Trust foodbank network works in partnership with local churches and organisations to bring foodbanks to communities across the UK. There are now over 400 foodbanks in the network. Find out about our national network here.
Read real stories of lives changed by the foodbank
Tue 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
Fri 2.00 pm to 4.00 pm
For enquiries contact us on
07474 671350
Asda, Hailsham
Tesco, Hailsham
Waitrose, Hailsham
The Link, George Street, Hailsham
Lloyds Bank, Hailsham
The Information Centre, Herstmonceux
We rely on food donations to feed local people in crisis. Please give in-date non-perishable food.
Our current needs are:
Tinned vegetables
Tinned custard
UHT fruit juice
Tinned sponge puddings
Grantulated sugar - 500g & 1kg
Toilet Rolls
Charitable trusts and business supporters help make what we do possible. Find out who our partners are and how you can become one. Read more
The foodbank is run in partnership with local churches led by Crosslink Trust (Hailsham Churches Together).
The foodbank network is part of The Trussell Trust, a Christian charity committed to community action against poverty and marginalisation in the UK and Bulgaria
Registered Charity Number 1041018 | Registered in England & Wales


text:
News from WTOP
News from the AP
Mike Causey
Shows & Panels
Shows & Panels
- Agency of the Month
- Business of Government Hour
- The CFO Agenda: Delivering value from financial transparency and audit efforts in the public and private sector
- Cloud-Driven Data Insights in Government
- CXO Surveys
- Disaster Resilience for America
- Federal News Countdown
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Reimagining the Next Generation of Government
Shows & Panels
- AFCEA Answers
- American Readiness: Renewable Power and Efficiency Technologies
- Ask the CIO
- The Business Case for Cloud Computing in Government
- Cloud-Driven Data Insights in Government
- Connecting the Dots: Digital Authentication in Government
- Data-Centric Approaches to Government in the Cloud
- Delivering the Digital Government Mission
- Federal Executive Forum
- Federal News Radio's National Cyber Security Awareness Month Special Panel Discussion
- Federal Tech Talk
- The Future of Government Data Centers
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- Industrialized, Interoperable and Insight-driven Federal Health Panel
- Innovation and Tech Superiority through Acquisition Reform
- Mitigating Insider Threats in Virtual & Cloud Environments
- Moving Agency Applications to the Cloud with PaaS
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Security in the Age of Targeted Attacks
- Air Traffic Management Transformation Report
- The Business of Cloud
- Cloud First Report
- Data Driven Cloud Series
- Disaster Resilience for America
- General Dynamics IT Enterprise Center
- Gov Cloud Minute
- Government in Technology Series
- Homeland Security Cybersecurity Market Report
- The Intersection: Where Technology Meets Transformation
- Modern Mission Critical Series
- National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- The New IP for Federal IT
- The Social Platform Solution for the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Technology Insights
- The Cyber Security Report
- The Next Generation Cyber Security Experts
Shows & Panels
- Cloud-Driven Data Insights in Government
- Disaster Resilience for America
- F-35 Lightning II Program
- Government Perspectives on Mobility and the Cloud
- On DoD
- Pentagon Solutions
- Reducing Risk in the Cloud
- Reimagining the Next Generation of Government
- Transforming Business Operations at the Defense Department
Search Result
Search Tags: Kate Ryan
Republicans, spanish-speakers needed in Mont. Co. elections
Some local officials don't want your vote. Instead, they need you to show up and serve as an elections judge, and they'll pay you to do it.
Tags: Montgomery County , Montgomery County Board of Elections ,
Bike shop owner's online petition calls for crackdown on laws
Who in the world wants more red light and speed cameras in their neighborhood? Erik Kugler wants more. Kugler's one of the owners of Bicycle Space, a shop on I Street in Northwest D.C.
Tags: road safety ,
North Potomac man charged in roommate's death
Twenty-seven-year-old Tomas Mo-Choc was stabbed in the chest Wednesday night by his roommate, police say. Carlos Tiul, 29, is charged with first-degree murder.
Tags: crime , North Potomac , Montgomery County ,
Clowns, heckling meet MoCo budget approval
Clowns outside, and heckling inside. This was not your average Montgomery County Council meeting.
Tags: Montgomery County ,
Rockville woman tased, robbed
Two men used a taser to rob a woman, and police are searching for the suspects.
Tags: Rockville , Montgomery County ,
Children to undergo rabies shots following Md. dog attack
The children bitten and scratched in a dog attack at a school bus stop in Clinton, Md. last week will have to get shots to prevent rabies.
Tags: Prince George's County ,
Riders and leaders working to increase cyclist safety
While the surge in bicycling in D.C. is apparent from the miles of bike lanes that have appeared and the implementation of Capital Bikeshare, biking as transportation is also growing in the suburbs.
Tags: bicyclist , bicycling , Washington Area Bicyclist Association
Cuts, higher taxes as MoCo grapples with $300M budget gap
Montgomery County residents will pay a little more in property taxes, but they won't lose as much as originally outlined in earlier versions of the county budget.
Tags: Montgomery County Council ,
Montgomery Council preserves funding for Viagra
When it comes to the Montgomery County budget, size matters. The size of the budget shortfall, that is.
Tags: Montgomery County Council ,
Driver in triple fatal wreck posts bond
Kevin Coffay, 20, posted bond and returned to his Rockville home one day after appearing for a bond review hearing in the fatal crash that killed three of his friends.
Tags: Haeley N. McGuire , Kevin Coffay , Charles Nardella , John Hoover , Spencer Datt , Olney-Laytonsville Road ,


text:
Although there are two other drugs on the market, maraviroc and T-20, which also prevent the virus from entering cells, they don't target fusion peptides. That makes this trial the first time that scientists have seen that fusion peptides are a worthwhile target in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
And given that fusion peptides also provide a point of entry for many other viruses, from measles to Ebola and hepatitis B and C, scientists theorize that the strategy could be turned against these illnesses as well.
The 18 patients with HIV in this small phase I/II trial took either 0.5, 1.5 or 5 grams of VIR-576 a day for 10 days via injection.
Those taking the highest dose saw a 95 percent reduction in their average viral load, the amount of HIV in the blood, without developing severe adverse effects.
"They were getting results that are similar to maraviroc and T-20 and certainly comparable to what's seen with intracellular drugs," Horberg said.
But the same factors that have limited the use of maraviroc and T-20 are also likely to get in the way here as well, namely the cost and the fact that they must be given by injection (because of the large size of the molecule), he warned.
The needle-vs-pill hurdle is something patients and doctors have to contend with in many settings, not just HIV, Horberg said. For example, "we all know that insulin works great [in diabetic patients] but the hard part is convincing patients to actually take it."
Hoping to get around the problem, the researchers are now searching for a smaller molecule to do the same job.
"The next big step is to use the structure of VIR-576 and its viral target (the fusion peptide) to generate small molecule inhibitors that act by the same mechanism but are orally available," Kirchhoff said. "We will start to test the first compounds next year, but how long it will take such drugs make it to the market is impossible to say."
"The bottom line is, yes
|Copyright©2010 ScoutNews,LLC.
All rights reserved


text:
Superhero superstar
La Jolla resident Jim Lee has risen to the top of the comics world
The rest of the year, this 5-foot-4 artist has to be faster than a speeding sketch pad, able to leap continents in a single red-eye flight. He commutes twice a week to the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, then spends four days a month at DC's corporate fortress in Manhattan.
He's a central player in the crusade to translate comics into film — next up: "Green Lantern" with Ryan Reynolds, June 2011 — and is point man for DC's online game and digital-comic campaigns. Converse wants to make Superman sneakers? Call Lee. Pottery Barn crafts comics-inspired furniture for kids? Sounds like another job for Super Artist.
"Jim does everything," said Marv Wolfman, a veteran comic book writer. "He is one of the very best artists in the industry — and has been for years."
Lee first came to Comic-Con in 1987 as a rookie penciler. He enjoyed the conference and loved San Diego, a city he had never seen before. By Comic-Con 1989, he had moved here.
His is a classic American tale, if not a rags-to-riches yarn. Lee was born in Seoul, South Korea, where his father was an anesthesiologist and his mother an avowed enemy of comics. The boy lost several collections to her diligent housekeeping, and neither parent encouraged his passion for these disreputable publications. Lee was 5 when his family immigrated to the United States. They settled in St. Louis, where his father again practiced medicine, a noble and lucrative profession both parents encouraged their son to embrace.
"This is a very common Asian story," Lee said. "You meet any Korean kid who emigrated when young or was born here and they all have exactly the same story of parents being so pushy."
From prep school, Lee entered Princeton University as a psychology major. Medicine was his eventual goal; he even spent one summer as a nurse's intern in a German hospital. But by his junior year, Lee was eager to return to his childhood passion. He took a few art classes at Princeton, finished work on his psychology degree, then moved back to St. Louis.
In his old bedroom, the college graduate set up a drawing table and began sketching cartoon characters.
"I'm sure my parents thought I was crazy. They had dropped 65 grand on my education and I'm in the house, drawing in my underwear."
He drew an entire 20-page comic book, made photocopies, then mailed packets to 45 comic book companies. Forty-two ignored the unsolicited manuscripts. The other three responded with boilerplate rejection notes. But one of those form letters included two handwritten lines: "Looks good. Keep at it." It was signed by Dick Giordano, the head of DC's editorial department.
Encouraged, Lee traveled to New York for a comics convention. He shopped his portfolio to artists, editors and finally a Marvel executive who liked what he saw.
That was in 1987. Lee quickly moved from "Alpha Flight," a comic featuring a Canadian superhero team, to "Punisher War Journal." This violent saga of a vigilante taught Lee to handle weapons with respect. Readers complained if he missed the fine points of an AK-47 or a KA-BAR knife.


text:
You will see an additional shipping charge added to your order of either $10, $20 or $25.
The fee assessed is based upon the size of the product. Oversize items are excluded from shipping promotions.
- The bilious green and gray Franken Baby is made of 100% latex
- Item Dimensions: H" x L" x D"- 21.25x14.3x14"
- Item Weight - 0.5kg
Customers most agreed on the following attributes:
Comments about Monster Baby:
This was a birthday gift and they loved it
Comments about Monster Baby:
Love him.he was the 3rd one I bought.
Comments about Monster Baby:
I put it in the grandkids toy box I keep in the closet. It was the first thing our grandson grabbed when he opened the toy box. He wasn't afraid of it just interested in it. We will use it for Halloween. We have other Zombie babies also.
Comments about Monster Baby:
I haven't used this for Halloween yet, but I am looking forward to all the options I have to use this! I have some other zombie babies, and think this will be a great addition to my collection of outside decorations...with an added twist to the theme! I'm very much going to enjoy it!
Comments about Monster Baby:
This zombie baby is a must-have. I bought this and the Monster Baby (http://www.spirithalloween.com/product/Franken-Baby/) and they make the perfect pair. It makes really creepy sounds and the eyes light up. I'll display it on a side table or in my entryway. You won't be disappointed!
[1 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Comments about Monster Baby:
Frankenstein baby was purchased for our Haunted Daycare on 10-31-14, but I like it so much I'm keeping it out as a year-round decoration.
Comments about Monster Baby:
I love monster baby because it looks scary.i am going to leave this prop all year.i use this prop for my halloween party and the children get scared.monster baby is one of the best 2012 zombie baby's.when people go to my house they get so scared.thanks to spirit halloween because they make good props.next year I am going to put it in my hunted house.go buy monster baby because its a good prop.
[0 of 1 customers found this review helpful]
Comments about Monster Baby:
He goes great in my laboratory! My laboratory is really big and I put him on a high shelf with a Bleeding Skull Fountain. He is just about the best thing in my Laboratory/Butcher Shope and he would also go great in a Zombie baby Playground. I also have Wolf Baby, so all I need is the Vampire baby and I'll have the whole set! I heard one of the workers said that they will have three more classic monster babies next year!
[2 of 2 customers found this review helpful]
Comments about Monster Baby:
I bought this little guy because I love Frankenstein. He is my favorite of the classic monsters. I was impressed with the size of this guy, and the colors. I display him on my bookshelf next to Freddy and Michael Myers.
- All deliveries are pending approval and merchandise availability.
- Delivery time includes 24-48 business hours for processing.
- Orders are processed Monday-Friday.
- Our carriers DO NOT require a signature… If you are not home, the package will be left at your address.
- Orders are NOT processed or shipped on Saturdays, Sundays, or holidays.
- Second Day and Overnight orders must be in before 12 PM EST to ship out same business day.
- Second Day and Overnight orders placed after 12 PM EST will ship the following business day.
- Second Day and Overnight orders are delivered Monday-Friday. They are NOT delivered Saturday or Sunday.
- Watch for e-mails from us. Check your spam folder, as our e-mails do sometimes end up there! We may need additional information to process your order.
- We will gladly accept products for returns within 14 days from when you received your purchase. We accept returns that don't appear to be worn, are in new condition, and are in their original packaging. Read More >>


text:
To use this site your browser needs to accept cookies. Please enable the 'Accept cookies' setting and try again.
Welcome to Clarion Collection Hotel Tapto, a unique hotel gem in Ostermalm and just a stone's throw from Stockholm Stadion. A quiet but central location. Shopping and attractions await you, and we offer a mid-afternoon snack and an evening meal. Welcome!
Center of Stockholm
Read more
Evening meal
Meeting room
Our services
You haven't chosen any favorites
Please provide your name.
Please provide a valid e-mail.
Please provide a personal message.
Some fields needs correction. Please review the form.
Thank you.
E-mail with shared hotels was sent.
You are about to change language. If you are logged on to My page, or have initiated a booking you will automatically return to the start page and your information will not be saved.
Become a member today and get our best offers and hotelprices.
Fill in activation code
Sign in to see your reservations, to make a booking with bonuspoint or with a corporate agreement, or cancel a booking.
Please fill in your email or Nordic Choice Club number and password.
You will soon be redirected to My page. Please wait.
Sign in was not successful - please try again
A new password has been sent to
We can send a new password to you via email or SMS
Invalid phone number. Please try again.
Invalid email. Please try again.
Do you have a booking code? Enter it here. If you want to do a booking with bonus points or a corporate agreement, please sign in.
The booking code is added.


text:
composting toilet report
View Single Post
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 888
Thanks: 0
Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post
Rep Power:
Originally Posted by
I've used this computer fan in the head and also in a compost/biofilter system on some pet cages. It should last ~ 2 years continuous duty in this humidity.
Sail Delmarva: "A Bathroom Fan": or "No Blog Could be Complete Without a Tale of Head Repairs"
Solar vents would certainly work, but $$$.... In my case, I already have enough panels. Screen the outlet for
Part of my interest in composting heads comes from my interest in biofilters for odors, some processing several thousand cfm of wastewater, refinery, or sanitary stink. I've built many. It is simple to build an animal cage, for example, where anything that misses litter boxes falls through and composts, and all of the cage air, along with the sanitary stink, is drawn through a 3- to 6-inch mulch bed, which eats the odor. I believe that is the effect we are actually seeing in some of these "composting heads." We are not really composting the waste, but we are cleaning the stick through biofiltration.
Speaking of biofilters. I built a Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) waste water treatment plant for a 300 unit assisted living community in Maryland about 5 years ago. We have drum screen at the front end in a separate room which stinks unbelievably bad. Our rep in the are suggested pulling the air used for aeration of the bioreactor from the screen room, lowering it's pressure and pulling air in instead of allowing the smell out. The smelly air gets bubbled up through the bioreactor and at the top there is a very slight yeasty smell which we exhaust out of the building through a vent pipe.
After the plant had been running for a couple of months we hosted a luncheon for about 100 wastewater professionals right inside the operating plant, next to the waste tanks! One guy stood up and said in 30 years of working in the industry he had never eaten his lunch in a wastewater plant, let alone serve lunch to 100 people there! Everyone was really impressed with how well this worked. In every other plant I have been in the smell control systems simply don't work, or else cost tons of money to operate.
Gary H. Lucas
View Public Profile
Send a private message to GaryHLucas
Find all posts by GaryHLucas


text:
US Airport Screeners Missed 95% of Weapons, Explosives In Undercover Tests 327
Posted by samzenpus
from the security-theater dept.
from the security-theater dept.
An anonymous reader writes: An internal investigation by the TSA found that 95% of agents testing airport checkpoints were able to bring weapons through. In one case, an alarm sounded, but during the pat down, the screener failed to detect a fake plastic explosive taped to the undercover agent's back. ABC reports: "Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson was apparently so frustrated by the findings he sought a detailed briefing on them last week at TSA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, according to sources. U.S. officials insisted changes have already been made at airports to address vulnerabilities identified by the latest tests. 'Upon learning the initial findings of the Office of Inspector General's report, Secretary Johnson immediately directed TSA to implement a series of actions, several of which are now in place, to address the issues raised in the report,' the DHS said in a written statement to ABC News."


text:
San Diego Chargers
Bolts fans will love showcasing their passion with San Diego Chargers collectibles from Brookstone. Here are team photos, gifts, banners and memorabilia in the classic Chargers colors. Plus other licensed NFL gear for your gameday enjoyment. It's the perfect way to show your team pride.
SAVE Football Dartboards—San Diego Chargers
Was $159.95 Now $150.99
SAVE NFL Elan Bamboo Corkscrew - San Diego Chargers
Was $29.99 Now $24.95


text:
Originally written on Fox Sports | Last updated 11/12/14
A person familiar with the negotiations says the Cleveland Indians have agreed to a one-year contract with free-agent slugger Mark Reynolds. The person spoke Sunday night on condition of anonymity because the agreement is pending a physical. The Indians have been in the market for a veteran first baseman. They spoke with Reynolds' agent at the winter meetings last week in Nashville, Tenn. They also have shown interest in Kevin Youkilis, who is weighing an offer from the New York Yankees. The 28-year-old Reynolds batted .221 with 23 homers and 69 RBIs in 135 games for Baltimore in 2012. He has 181 career homers in six seasons in the majors. Cleveland needs some power in its lineup. Carlos Santana led the Indians with 18 homers last season.
Comments are closed.
What do you think?To leave a comment, you can:
All Sports 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
|Best of Yardbarker
|NFL News
|MLB News
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.
|© 2015 Yardbarker, Inc. All rights reserved. Use of this website (including any and all parts and components) constitutes your acceptance of these Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. (What's New?)


text:
- Magazine
- Newsletters
- Multimedia
- Store
- Buyer's Guide
- Events
- Classifieds
- Got A Question?
Articles Tagged with ''interior''
Cleaner cars via a coloring book
A kid-friendly option for teaching the basics of in-vehicle etiquette.Read More
Restore all interiors to their original, brand new appearance
Follow these tips to give every customer a fresh interior, no matter how stubborn the stain.Read More
Do you offer fabric repair and restoration?
One industry expert reveals what it takes to offer this additional service and how it can draw in more customers.Read More


text:
2012 Annual Letter by Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID Administrator
Two years ago, President Barack Obama and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton both called for elevating development within America's foreign policy. Many people in the development community assumed their call to elevate development was about recognizing the importance of the work USAID and others have done for decades. But the President and Secretary's call for elevating development was not a show of gratitude. It was not a reward. It was a challenge. It meant we would have to move past old debates and embrace new opportunities. Over the last two years, we've worked hard to take up the President and the Secretary's call. It hasn't been easy and progress hasn't always come as quickly as we'd like. But throughout this letter I hope to show how key choices and reforms we've made are allowing us to rapidly respond to the demands of our world.
2012 ANNUAL LETTER Cover: A student prepares to answer a question at the USAID supported Mwangaza Tumaini School in the urban settlement of Makuru in Nairobi, Kenya. Morgana Wingard | ONE 1 ELEVATING DEVELOPMENT Two years ago, President Barack Obama and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton both called for elevating development within America's foreign policy. America's world-class defense and diplomatic efforts were long seen as the twin pillars of our nation's presence around the world. But the President and Secretary both believe that the development work our staff does is just as vital to our country's interests and national security as the work of our soldiers and diplomats. Many people in the development community assumed their call to elevate development was about recognizing the importance of the work USAID and others have done for decades. Since our founding 50 years ago, USAID has played a critical role in lowering child deaths by 12 million a year. The Agency was central to efforts that strengthened global agriculture and saved hundreds of millions from hunger and famine. We responded to droughts, earthquakes and floods that imperiled millions. And USAID helped countries cut extreme poverty by more than half. But the President and Secretary's call for elevating development was not a show of gratitude. It was not a reward. It was a challenge. It meant we would have to move past old debates and embrace new opportunities. Elevating development means we have to focus on seizing pivotal opportunities to build resilience to disasters, boost global agricultural production and improve child survival. Elevating development also means we have to continue to improve governance in sites of active conflict like Afghanistan to increase stability, strengthen our national security and deliver lasting results. It means we have to embrace democracy as central to the endeavor of development, especially in the wake of the Arab Spring. And it means we have to partner with companies to profitably invest abroad and strengthen our economic footing at home. Over the last two years, we've worked hard to take up the President and Secretary's call. It hasn't been easy and progress It wasn't enough to do good. In hasn't always come as quickly the face of growing populations, as we'd like. But throughout a changing climate and extreme this letter I hope to show how humanitarian emergencies, we key choices and reforms we've had to prioritize efforts that made are allowing us to rapidly could deliver transformational respond to the demands of results in the future. our world. At a time when droughts are becoming longer and more severe, we need to help communities withstand disasters, not just provide relief after they strike. In Uganda in 2009, a novel safety net program provided financial security ahead of a prolonged drought in exchange for work building roads to the nearest market. The workers were able to persevere through the crisis, while the road they built helped expand access to critical supplies of food. Kaarli Sundsmo | USAID 3 SEIZING PIVOTAL OPPORTUNITIES Last year, the world welcomed its seven billionth citizen. By 2040, it will welcome its ninth. In order to provide for a population that large, we'll have to double global food production, all while a changing climate leads to warmer temperatures, more erratic rains and longer, more vicious droughts. Development is full of competing priorities, but only a few represent significant opportunities. Doing good is not good enough. We must make tough choices to stay focused on the biggest opportunities. Rather than chase the latest fad or jump from priority to priority, we must seize pivotal opportunities that we know can leave behind generational legacies of success: building resilience to disasters, increasing global agricultural productivity to fight hunger and malnutrition and helping countries reap what is known as a demographic dividend. 4 PROVIDING RELIEF, DEVELOPING RESILIENCE Last year, Dr. Jill Biden, Senator Bill Frist and I travelled to Dadaab, Kenya, site of what has now become the largest refugee camp in the world. In 2011, the worst drought in six decades forced more than 290,000 Somalis to seek refuge in neighboring countries. The drought led to suffering throughout Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, a region referred to as the Horn of Africa. Over 13.3 million people were put at grave risk, in need of emergency assistance. In southern Somalia, where 20 years of conflict wore down the country's ability to cope, the drought led to a famine. That meant at least three of every 10 children there were malnourished and two out of every 10,000 people were dying each day. One in five lacked access to basic foods like bread or rice. It's difficult to appreciate what statistics like that actually mean. But a story I heard in Dadaab from a young Somali woman named Habiba brought the harrowing tragedy home. Desperate to escape the famine, she described the 100-mile journey she took to Dadaab on foot with her two children by her side. As she pressed on, her children became too weak to stay on their feet. First she carried one. Then the other needed her support. Eventually the strain became so much that she struggled to continue. She looked at her two children, said a prayer and made the heartbreaking choice to leave one of her children behind. No mother should ever have to face such a choice. Stories like Habiba's are made even more devastating by the fact that things don't have to be this way. While we can't stop catastrophes from occurring, we can do more to help people withstand them, so that they don't shatter development gains or give rise to violence that can set countries back decades. The development community has to expand its focus from relief to resilience--from responding after emergencies strike to preparing communities in advance. In Dadaab, Kenya a young Somali woman explains how she walked over 100 miles on foot with her two children to seek refuge from famine. Anna Gohmann | USAID 6 " The development community has to expand its focus from relief to resilience --- from responding after emergencies strike to preparing communities in advance." Thanks to an early warning system we established years ago, we were able to predict the severe drought in the Horn months in advance. We shipped food ahead of time to storage sites in the region so we could quickly distribute it once crisis struck. We stockpiled vaccines, health supplies and clean water because studying past famines showed us that preventable disease, not hunger, was the leading cause of death among children under five. And we helped communities in Kenya build catchments so they could collect and store as much water as possible before the drought. We also partnered with an insurance firm to pilot cutting edge microinsurance programs that compensated farmers and herders who suffered grave losses. Last October--during the height of the drought-- those programs made payments to over 600 cattle herders who had purchased coverage for their animals earlier that year. And we worked with the Ethiopian government to support a life-saving social safety net. In 2002, drought left 14 million people in Ethiopia in need of emergency aid. From that tragedy grew a government led program supported by the U.S. and other donors designed to provide regular payments and food directly to vulnerable communities. In exchange, recipients do work building community projects like roads, wells and schools. Because of that program, 7.5 million people in Ethiopia were able to withstand last year's drought without seeking emergency food or medical aid. To raise awareness of the crisis and build support for the response here at home, we enlisted universities, companies, communities of faith and celebrities to help launch the FWD campaign, which stands for famine, war and drought-- the three principal elements of the crisis in the Horn. But FWD also represented our call to action. We wanted people to forward the facts about the crisis to their friends and families, share them on Facebook and tweet them to their social networks. CLICK HERE TO ANSWER OUR CALL TO ACTION ABOUT THE CRISIS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA. 7 ASSISTANCE TO THE HORN OF AFRICA Thanks to the hard work of our disaster response and resilience teams and the generosity of millions of Americans, the United States provided lifesaving food aid to 4.6 million people and served as the largest humanitarian donor during the crisis. We helped protect 1.5 million children against preventable diseases like measles and polio and even helped to provide a newly developed vaccine designed to fight pneumonia. The response hasn't been perfect. In the worst hit areas in southern Somalia, humanitarian access was impeded by a group openly affiliated with al Qaeda. It took too long for local governments to recognize the crisis and respond. It was difficult to coordinate relief work between several of the new organizations involved. And transitioning communities from emergency relief to long-term development remains a challenge, especially as droughts are likely to return. But we are taking those lessons to heart as we face another potential weather-related crisis this year in the Sahel--the belt that separates the Sahara Desert from the Savanna. Our teams are now working to connect government efforts early and build resilience in communities that will likely be hit by droughts. 13.3 million WERE AFFECTED BY THE CRISIS IN THE HORN OF AFRICA 7.5 million PEOPLE IN ETHIOPIA WERE ABLE TO WITHSTAND LAST YEAR'S DROUGHT WITHOUT SEEKING EMERGENCY AID BECAUSE OF THE PRODUCTIVE SAFETY NET PROGRAM As a father of three, I still think of the crippling choice Habiba had to make. But I'm heartened by the fact that CHILDREN PROTECTED FROM PREVENTABLE DISEASE our teams are working hard to help others avoid facing a similar moment of desperation. Building resilience to disasters is a major part of that effort. But we must also strengthen food security so that droughts no longer lead to food crises. 4.6 million 1.5 million PEOPLE SUPPLIED WITH FOOD AID BY THE UNITED STATES 8 BOOSTING HARVESTS, FIGHTING POVERTY In 2008, the balance of the world shifted. For the first time in history, more people lived in urban settings than in rural communities, thanks to the rapid growth of cities in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Within those cities are growing slums--informal dwellings that spring up to support the swelling ranks of the urban poor. If you've been to a developing country--or even to some wealthier places--you have seen these slums up close: thin walls, blue tarp roofs and rubble at every turn. The award-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire" painted a vivid portrait of this setting. Because that's the picture of poverty most of us have seen, that's how many of us think the very poor live. But despite the rapid growth of these slums, poverty is by and large a rural phenomenon. The majority of the very poor and hungry are farming families who tend small plots of land. That's especially true in countries like Ethiopia and Tanzania, where three out of every four workers lives on a farm. For most poor people in the world, tending the land is one of the only ways to earn money and feed their families. That's why almost every country that has emerged as a developed economy has done so by increasing the productivity of its farms. Economic growth means agricultural growth in those countries, almost by definition, accounting for more than 25 percent of GDP. If farmers can use better seeds, fertilizer and irrigation to grow and sell more crops, they can boost their incomes while lowering food prices, which account for their largest expense. Unlike Americans, who spend six percent of their income on food, families in countries like Malawi spend nearly 70 percent. When food prices fall here, we may save a few dollars at the grocery store. When they fall in poor rural villages, it changes lives. In fact, just a one percent gain in agricultural production can generate a four percent increase in the purchasing power of the poor. As a result, growth tied to gains in agricultural productivity is up to three times more effective in raising the incomes of the poor than from other sectors. To put it simply: if you care about fighting poverty, then you should care about boosting harvests. 9 "To put it simply: if you care about fighting poverty, then you should care about boosting harvests." In 2009, in part because of personal appeals made by President Obama, governments pledged to reinvest in food security. By committing $22 billion to global agriculture, wealthy economies rebuilt political will for the cause and encouraged developing countries to commit more of their own resources. Most critically, that money was directed against plans developed and led by partner countries. That's the framework behind Feed the Future, our food security initiative. In 20 countries, we're investing in the specific crops and regions that countries believe will most rapidly spur economic growth and fight malnutrition. Last year in Haiti, we saw staggering results when we piloted a program designed to intensify rice yields through planting techniques in the areas surrounding Port-au-Prince. Haitian farmers saw their yields increase by almost 120 percent, while lowering their cost of production. The farmers even cut 10 days off their normal harvest. Today that program is being expanded to reach farmers in other development corridors throughout the country. We're also focused on empowering women, because they make up a larger share of smallholder farmers. If we give women the same access to capital as men, we could see yields increase by 30 percent-- enough to feed 150 million more people. Despite the effort to build political will for strengthening food security, we still face challenges. The plans of our partner countries are still underfunded and the money that donors have committed has been slow getting out the door. Perhaps our biggest challenge has been encouraging private sector investment in developing world agriculture. We need companies to sell better seeds and fertilizers to poor farmers, insure them against failure and help get their crops to market. Without those crucial contributions, farmers can't succeed--here in the U.S. or anywhere else. To help support that activity, we worked with J.P. Morgan to drive capital toward East African agribusiness. Along with the Gates, Gatsby and Rockefeller Foundations, we enabled a Kampala-based fund manager to invest $25 million in at least 20 agriculture firms throughout the region, raising incomes for at least a quarter of a million households. The point of these efforts isn't to reshape the world's farms in America's image. It's to help increase farmer income and address the staggering rates of malnutrition that rob children around the world of their potential. If children can't get enough nutrients during the critical 1,000 days before their second birthday, they suffer irreversible limits to their potential and lifetime earnings. To give these children a fair chance at a healthy life, we have to help their communities grow more food. CLICK HERE TO SEE HOW FEED THE FUTURE CAN POTENTIALLY HELP LIFT 18 MILLION PEOPLE OUT OF HUNGER AND POVERTY. 10 REAPING THE DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND If you look at some of the fastest growing countries in Latin America and East Asia today, you'll see a pattern in the age of their populations. The percentage of those who are able to work--usually those between 15 and 64--is much larger than the share of the very young or very old. 15 in birthrates that increased the productive share of their population. Although several African countries are poised to follow in the footsteps of Latin America and East Asia, populations are still rising fast, making Africa the only continent that will double in With more of their populations population by 2050. Liberia and able to work, those nations Niger are growing even faster, increase their economic set to double their populations potential. Along with smart in just 20 years. economic and labor policies, that demographic pattern can Whether those countries reap add as much as two percentage a demographic dividend will points of growth for years. depend on choices made today. 15 children if we support teachers with effective learning plans, rigorous tests and exciting technologies like low-cost e-readers and virtual libraries. Another choice is to expand access to voluntary family planning. By helping couples time and space their births, women can prevent high-risk pregnancies and countries can counter the stresses of overpopulation. But perhaps the most important choice is helping all children live to see their fifth birthday. It may sound counterintuitive that family sizes would decrease if children live longer, but in country after country, we have seen families willingly choose to have fewer children when they know each will have a chance for a healthy life. That phenomenon, known as the demographic dividend, is rooted in decisions those countries made in the `60s and `70s to improve child survival, expand access to voluntary family planning and educate girls. Those efforts led to a fall One choice is to focus on education, especially for girls and young women. Last year, we released a strategy designed to focus our education work on literacy, not just access. By 2015, we think we can improve the reading skills of 100 million 11 LATIN AMERICA FEMALE 65+ 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 15-24 0-14 30% 20% 10% & THE CARIBBEAN MALE EAST ASIA FEMALE 65+ 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 15-24 0-14 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA MALE FEMALE 65+ 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 15-24 0-14 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% MALE 1960 50% 40% Percent of population by age and sex Working Age Population FEMALE 65+ 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 15-24 0-14 30% 20% 10% MALE FEMALE 65+ 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 15-24 0-14 MALE FEMALE 65+ 55-64 45-54 35-44 25-34 15-24 0-14 MALE 2010 50% 40% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Percent of population by age and sex Working Age Population In the 1960s, countries in Latin America and East Asia chose to prioritize child survival, access to voluntary family planning and education. Those efforts led to a fall in birth rates and a rise in the productive share of their population, which added nearly two percent to the GDP growth rates for years. Today, Africa is poised to reap a similar dividend. Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2011). World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision. 12 Celebrating 50 Years of Progress This year marked a special milestone for our Agency as we celebrated our 50th anniversary. Throughout our history, the men and women of USAID have played an extraordinary role in shaping a more peaceful and prosperous world. In celebration of our anniversary, we put together a series of creative infographics that display some of our most exciting and meaningful work--from harnessing mobile phones in the fight against poverty to investing in women and girls. Behind each of these success stories is a team of talented and deeply committed people--from our core staff of Foreign Investments by the Obama Administration and other donors to GAVI have ensured that for the first time, the latest vaccines reach children in the developing world at the same time as they reach children in developed countries. Here, a baby in Nicaragua is receiving protection against rotavirus , a disease that causes diarrhea. Living Proof | ONE 13 Service Nationals to our newly minted classes of Development Leadership Initiative officers, from career staff in Washington to our Foreign Service officers around the globe. Development professionals don't do this work because it's easy, or because it's a path to fame and fortune. They do it because they believe passionately and profoundly in our mission to answer calls for help and support those in need. They travel considerable distances--and sometimes in the face of great danger--in order to make sure that children can live healthy lives; young girls enjoy equal opportunities in life; and countries build the capacity they need to empower their own citizens. I come to work each day honored to lead such a talented, dedicated staff that is willing to take risks to fulfill an incredible mission. CLICK HERE TO VIEW A VIDEO HIGHLIGHTING THE TREMENDOUS WORK OUR AGENCY HAS DONE SINCE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY FOUNDED USAID 50 YEARS AGO. The good news is we have remarkably effective and cheap ways to help children survive. Many children die because they simply can't breathe during their first "golden minute" of birth. Our Helping Babies Breathe partnership is equipping midwives and caregivers with low cost tools that can help newborns take their crucial first breaths. 15 water, sanitation and hygiene. Something as simple as clean water can bring down the 1.5 million child deaths that occur every year from diarrhea. The President's Malaria Initiative is one of the most powerful ways we have to improve child survival. By helping children sleep under bed nets, we have seen an astounding 30 percent drop in child death from all causes. Those children aren't just avoiding malaria; they're staying healthy, freeing doctors to focus on other patients. And the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is ensuring pregnant HIV-positive women have access to medication so they can give birth to an AIDSfree generation. On World AIDS Day, President Obama announced that drops in the cost of a year's supply of AIDS medication--from $1,100 to $335--allow us to provide lifesaving medication to six million people, up from four. Thanks in large part to those initiatives and commitments the U.S. and other donors made to the GAVI Alliance--an organization that has reduced the costs of introducing new vaccines--we are within sight of ending preventable child deaths in a generation. By working closely with countries and continuing our results-oriented investments in global health, we can bring the rate of child mortality in poor countries to the same level it is in rich countries. Development is full of problems we have few ways to solve. Helping a child reach their fifth birthday is not one of them. Our 1,000 Days Partnership is shifting our nutrition efforts to focus on the time between a mother's pregnancy and her child's second birthday. By targeting those in that critical window, we can fight the hidden hunger that robs children of their potential. 15 Last year, we launched WASH for Life, an initiative that will solicit and test new ways to improve access to clean 14 SERBIA LONDON At the GAVI Alliance Summit last year, the world came together to save 4 million lives over the next five years by ensuring that children in the developing world have access to new vaccines that will protect them against pneumonia and diarrhea, the two leading causes of global child death. We continued our commitment to one of the smartest, most effective investments we can make. As a result of a USAID guarantee, Serbia's second largest city issued a $45 million bond to fund critical infrastructure projects. This was the first municipal bond ever issued in the country, and it paved the way for new legislation, dramatically expanding the local capital markets. Three other municipalities have since registered to issue their own bonds. HAITI With the Gates Foundation, we've now helped nearly 800,000 Haitians save money and make safe financial transactions on their mobile phones. In a nation where banks are rare, but cell phones are everywhere, we're catalyzing local wealth creation and expanding opportunity. THE YEAR IN REVIEW GUATEMALA We piloted an innovative research tool called the Women's Empowerment in Agriculture Index to scientifically and rigorously measure the impact of our food security programs on women. Now in use across all Feed the Future countries, the Index helps us measure and understand whether our investments effectively empower women in their businesses and lives. SENEGAL Thanks to the dramatic scale-up of malaria prevention and treatment efforts under the President's Malaria Initiative, we've seen extraordinary results around the world. In Senegal, child mortality declined by 40 percent in five years, largely because preventing children from contracting malaria creates a cascade of other life-saving health benefits. INDIA Thanks to USAID-supported immunization campaigns and a robust surveillance system, India--once the world's epicenter of polio--recently celebrated one year without a single case. Although we have to remain vigilant, global progress in the fight against polio is placing us on the verge of eradicating the disease forever. BANGLADESH With support from Feed the Future, President Obama's global food security initiative, Bangladesh is transforming its agricultural productivity. We've helped more than 400,000 rice farmers increase yields by 15 percent through the more efficient use of fertilizer, leading to the first ever rice surplus in the country's poorest state. 15 SOUTH SUDAN On July 9, South Sudan celebrated its independence day, and the world welcomed its newest nation. Having played an important part in making this moment possible, we're helping the new nation expand school enrollment rates from 20 to nearly 69 percent, transform the agricultural sector and foster a more attractive environment for private sector investment. HORN OF AFRICA When the worst drought in 60 years placed more than 13.3 million people at risk and in need of support, we responded, delivering lifesaving food aid, vaccinating children and supporting social safety nets for millions of people. Bridging the divide between disaster response, resilience and sustainable development, our teams came together before the crisis to design a groundbreaking strategy focused on helping people withstand the worst effects of the drought. TUNISIA Within weeks of the revolution, we assisted the nation's transition to democracy by helping support an independent elections commission and provide training on electoral procedures. Last year, millions of Tunisians cast their votes in an historic and peaceful election--the first free election of the Arab Spring. AFGHANISTAN Alongside investments in energy and economic growth, we worked closely with the Ministry of Public Health to help the nation achieve the largest decreases in maternal and child mortality in the world over the last decade. Today, basic health services have expanded to reach 64 percent of the country and include more than 22,000 community health workers. In the first demonstrations of the Arab Spring, Tunisians protest against the rule of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in front of the Interior Ministry in Tunis on January 14, 2011. Fethi Belaid | AFP 17 EMBRACING CHALLENGING ROLES The development community has a comfort zone. For decades, it has excelled at responding to crises, fighting hunger and disease and expanding access to education and clean water. But its experience promoting democratic rights, stabilizing and preventing conflict and encouraging private sector investment has been far more mixed. As the events of the last year have shown us, the development landscape is changing and we must change with it. The Arab Spring has ushered in new possibilities to empower the oppressed. Conflict and extreme poverty are increasingly becoming intertwined. And private sector investment in the developing world has outpaced foreign assistance. To respond to these changing tides, the development community must embrace more challenging roles. 18 SUPPORTING DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENTS The defining story of 2011 belongs to Mohammed Bouazizi, the young Tunisian fruit seller who set himself on fire after being humiliated by local police. His powerful story resonated with everyone who heard it, whether it stirred our empathy or called us into the streets. In one act of protest and desperation, he reminded everyone of the power that a single person has to change the world. As the Arab Spring took hold, President Obama made it clear that the pursuit of America's interests would align with America's values. "We have embraced the chance to show that America values the dignity of the street vendor in Tunisia more than the raw power of the dictator," he said. We had a stake "not just in the stability of nations, but in the selfdetermination of individuals." For decades, USAID has been the largest and most active supporter of democracy, human rights and governance work worldwide. We helped citizens in former Soviet states embrace freedom as the Cold War ended and supported several of the major local organizations involved in democracy promotion. But even then, we struggled to emphasize this work throughout our development portfolio. Development professionals can fall victim to defining welfare solely in terms of GDP or mortality. But opportunity doesn't just come from a percentage point of growth or a vaccine; it comes from a free and fair society where people can speak freely, protest and choose their representatives. It comes from checks and balances that ensure economic opportunity is broad-based. As protesters marched in Tunis, filled Tahrir Square and led a revolution in Libya, we acted quickly to put that understanding into practice. In Tunisia, our teams were among the first on the ground, working with the local Red Crescent to provide emergency relief supplies for those displaced by the revolution. After President Ben Ali fled the country, we formed a joint team with the State Department to assess the needs of the new transitional government and its citizens. And we helped support an independent elections commission, provided training on electoral procedures and empowered citizens who embraced new freedoms and actively participated in the political process for the first time in their history. 19 "Opportunity doesn't just come from a vaccine or a percentage point of growth; it comes from a free and fair society where people can speak freely, protest and choose their representatives." I visited Tunisia last July and saw a country full of talented young students and entrepreneurs, eager to turn their national traditions of strong education, religious tolerance and women's rights into the hallmarks of a vibrant democracy. While there, I got one of the best receptions I've ever received, by an assembly of engineers that had studied in America in the `80s and `90s on USAID scholarships, most of them at Big Ten schools. It made me proud of our Agency's legacy that these engineers were now driving a newly free Tunisia's participation in the innovation economy--not just as an Administrator, but as a Michigan alum. In Egypt, as protestors filled Tahrir Square, new reforms we made allowed us to quickly partner with civil society groups formed in the wake of the revolution. We flew in citizens who participated in revolutions in Eastern Europe and Latin America to talk with Egyptians about building political parties and organizing for elections. That support helped educate voters and enlist election observers, ushering in the freest and fairest parliamentary election in Egypt's history. The path of political reform in Egypt will be long. But these elections were an important step towards reforms that place the country's prosperity and future in the hands of its people. In Libya, our response teams rushed to the country's borders to help those fleeing the crisis. We provided health services and food aid to revolutionaries in Benghazi to assist victims of violence. And as the revolution gathered momentum, we focused on supporting independent media outlets and civil society organizations that could help the country overcome four decades of dictatorship. Our work in strengthening democracy, human rights and governance around the world will never be easy. Tyrants will fight desperately to deny the demands of freedom from their people, as we're seeing in Syria today. And even when dictatorships fall, their legacies of corruption and abuse can be hard to break. The fate of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and other countries swept up in this wave of transformation will ultimately depend on the citizens in those countries. There will likely be setbacks, just as there were in Eastern Europe. But we--and the development community more broadly-- must embrace a role that supports those who struggle for dignity and self determination. While we can't deliver democracy tomorrow, we can continue to empower those on the right side of history. 20 WORKING ON THE FRONTLINES Last November, I had the privilege of addressing an audience of cadets, officers and students at West Point. When I told one of our supporters on Capitol Hill I'd be speaking there, he seemed puzzled. What did development have to do with national security? Corps of Engineers to clear rubble and rebuild ports. Collier has said, civil war is essentially development in reverse. Countries that faced violence over a period of 20 years had poverty rates 21 percent higher than those that saw peace. And no country currently in conflict is on pace to meet even one of the Millennium Development Goals. As many stable developing countries transform into prosperous emerging markets, the poorest countries left in the world will increasingly be those plagued by war, violence and instability. If we don't confront the development needs of these states, we will be ignoring the plight of billions. And as we've painfully witnessed, conflicts fueled by despair can quickly cross borders and threaten us here at home. That's why the work our teams are doing in Afghanistan--in These close partnerships are controversial. Many in our community worry that they signal a militarization of development--that humanitarian needs will be overtaken by political or Increasingly, a lot. As conflict military interests. And they threatens people in countries worry the money we spend around the world, development in war zones robs other poor plays an important role in parts of the developing world. building peace and keeping our country safe. Those concerns have merit. But the truth is, the costs Throughout our history, USAID of conflict--developmental, has worked closely with our economic, human--are simply military in conflict and crisis. In too high for the development Colombia, our civilian-military community to ignore. partnership helped establish stability during the country's If you look at most countries successful struggle against with extremely high rates rebels and drug cartels. of poverty, they are either enduring or emerging from And in Haiti, as I described last a civil war or conflict. As the year, we worked with the Army development economist Paul 15 15 21 "The truth is, the costs of conflict --- developmental, economic, human --- are simply too high for the development community to ignore." the face of great risk--is so crucial. Despite frequent setbacks and near-daily violence, we've helped expand primary school enrollment from 750,000 in 2001 to 7 million children today, about a third of whom are girls. We've helped triple access to electricity, increase wheat yields by as much as 70 percent and build or rehabilitate more than 1,100 miles of road. Those are great results and they contribute to our military's ability to responsibly draw down its presence. But our challenge is to ensure those results last. A crucial plank of that effort will be to strengthen the nation's ability to perform one of the most basic functions of government: collecting taxes to fund programs that benefit its people. By centralizing the government's collection systems, we helped quadruple customs revenue and increase tax revenues by 225 percent. Fighting corruption is another important effort. We're using cutting-edge mobile payment programs to get cash off the battlefield. A pilot program showed that paying Afghan police through mobile phones cut so much graft that the officers thought they had received a 30 percent raise. We're now working to shift salaries still paid in cash to a mobile platform, which could save ministries millions of dollars every year. While our work in places like Afghanistan gets attention, development plays just as crucial a role in preventing conflict elsewhere. By working to foster stability and expand opportunity, we can limit the need for future military intervention at far greater cost. Last year, I wrote about South Sudan's referendum for independence. After over two decades of war, a peace agreement between the north and south and the subsequent referendum paved the way for the South Sudanese to fulfill their dreams of self determination. In May, just a month before independence, I traveled with the heads of the British and Norwegian aid agencies to demonstrate our commitment to the country's progress. We met with the nation's leaders and discussed assistance they would need to strengthen their economy and attract investment. As we offered our support, we emphasized the need for them to prioritize economic reforms, loosen burdensome regulations and join international charters to increase transparency-- requests they honored. In December, we held an international engagement conference for the new nation--bringing together more than 20 countries and 100 corporations to help South Sudan expand business opportunities and diversify its economy. This effort must begin in South Sudan's farms and fields, where the land is so fertile and yields so low that productivity could increase by as much as 200 to 300 percent. Despite this potential, stability is still fragile. Over the last several months, terrible bouts of violence have flared up in the region. But USAID, our development partners and our diplomats are working hard to ensure the future of South Sudan remains a story of progress, not strife. Dr. Mo Ibrahim did more to bring mobiles phones to sub-Saharan Africa than anyone else. Here, he speaks at a conference in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, that was hosted by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, which he launched in 2006 to support good governance and great leadership in Africa. Fran�oise Spiekermeier | Mo Ibrahim Foundation 23 ENCOURAGING PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT Twenty years ago, no one thought the mobile phone would become one of the most important development tool in existence, but it has. Today, poor farmers can use text messages to compare prices and get more for what they grow. Community health workers can use phones to collect information and track disease outbreaks in real time. Protestors can use them to document and post videos of electoral violence. And mobile banking can give billions the chance to save money for the first time. 15 15 The startup quickly grew into a billion dollar company, providing mobile phone service to 24 million customers in 14 African countries. Thanks to Dr. Ibrahim and those who've followed in his footsteps, more than four hundred million people in Africa have mobile phones today. Dr. Ibrahim's story shows us how a strong and dynamic private sector can change fortunes quickly. But it also shows the need for the development community to focus much more actively on driving private sector engagement. That can be a tough sell. Many in our community still have a bad taste in their mouths from early corporate activity that caused great harm in poor countries. Sweatshops, infant formula, Bhopal--each are words that conjure images of corporations taking advantage of bad regulations to exploit the poor. As a result, when development agencies do work with the private sector, it's typically centered around charity or corporate social responsibility. When companies want to make philanthropic investments, development agencies step in to help. But we have to get past our mistrust and shift our focus. In a world where foreign direct investment is almost 10 times higher than all official development assistance, we must partner much more closely with the private sector to stay relevant. Today, the best corporations have a much more enlightened understanding of the One of the great entrepreneurs who helped make this reality possible is Mo Ibrahim. In 1998, he founded a company called Celtel with the mission of bringing mobile phones to sub Saharan Africa. 24 Harnessing the Power of Science, Technology & Innovation The growth of mobile phones has once again shown that technology can change what's possible in the developing world. Our community must focus on finding new tools that can dramatically accelerate the progress of the developing world--what I described as bending the curve in last year's letter. That's the spirit behind our Grand Challenges for Development--global competitions that encourage new solutions to intractable development problems. Last year I wrote about Saving Lives at Birth, which attracted more than 600 ideas to help mothers give birth safely in low-resource settings. $ $ 2010 GLOBAL OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE 128.7 billion 1.22 trillion 2010 GLOBAL FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT 11 of 15 interests they share with the development community. And, for good measure, they are subject to far higher standards of transparency and accountability. International charters require them to act responsibly and citizens can use YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to hold them to account when they don't. Our partnership with the private sector must be profitable for companies. Charity and corporate social responsibility--while wellintentioned--will not yield sustainable economic progress that can raise incomes at scale. Only investments that generate real financial returns for corporations and real income for the poor can do that. We need to help companies find profit opportunities abroad, not photo opportunities. Last year, we announced a new partnership with PepsiCo and the World Food Programme designed to do just that. Pepsi will invest in Ethiopia to improve the yields of 30,000 chickpea farmers and integrate them into their supply chain. They'll then use those chickpeas to create a highly nutritious food paste to sell to the World Food Programme, which can use it to save the lives of malnourished children. This isn't charity work. Pepsi will also use those chickpeas to make hummus that it can sell in markets around the world. Profit and development. Those words may sound like an odd combination. But they will increasingly define the future of our field. We are also helping worthy borrowers get access to capital. OF THE UNITED STATES' TOP EXPORT MARKETS ARE CURRENT OR FORMER RECIPIENTS OF U.S. ASSISTANCE 25 We recently launched our second Grand Challenge, All Children Reading, to generate breakthroughs in childhood literacy, whether they are mobile apps that help measure and track student progress or affordable e-readers that bring the world's libraries to mudbrick schools and rural villages. Over 400 innovators--more than half from developing countries--submitted cutting-edge proposals, all with the potential to radically transform the way children learn. We're also increasing our investments in core scientific research and technological innovation at USAID. Last year, our support of AIDS vaccine research led to the isolation of 17 novel antibodies that could each hold the key to ending the pandemic. And we supported the development of drought- and disease-tolerant seeds like maize and groundnut that have the potential to revolutionize African agriculture. This year, we will launch a major new initiative between USAID and world-class universities, designed to encourage far more students and researchers to focus on developing world challenges. Stay tuned. "In a world where foreign direct investment is almost 10 times higher than official development assistance, we must partner much more closely with the private sector to stay relevant." Dr. Ibrahim couldn't secure a loan from a local bank to start Celtel because the bank feared it wouldn't be repaid. In countries throughout the developing world, risk appetites are so low that many good loans simply don't get made. By sharing risk with these banks, we can encourage them to lend to underserved borrowers and put billions of dollars of local wealth to work. That's the idea behind our Development Credit Authority, which I wrote about last year. That team recently founded a new Strategic Transactions Group run by former investment bankers, designed to develop novel deals that can address persistent development challenges from new angles. By strengthening private sector activity in the developing world, we have the potential to enrich not just our partner countries but ourselves. A grant we issued in 1954 in Taiwan led to the creation of a global conglomerate that is now investing in the U.S. Their factories in Delaware, Lousiana and Texas now sell more than $4 billion in goods every year and employ over 2,000 people. President Obama has called on America's workers to double exports by 2015, a goal we are actually outpacing, in part because of growing trade with developing countries. In fact, 11 of our top 15 export markets are current or former recipients of U.S. assistance. As our recovery strengthens, private sector activity abroad and the work USAID does to support it will play an increasingly critical part. CLICK HERE TO VIEW A VIDEO ON THE DEVELOPMENT CREDIT AUTHORITY. In June 2011, Secretary Clinton launched our Feed the Future Initiative in Tanzania at the Mlandizi Farm Women's Cooperative. The cooperative is helping develop Tanzania's southern growth corridor, the region that will hold the key to making sure the country builds its own capacity to fight hunger and poverty. U.S. Department of State 27 BUILDING CAPACITY, NOT DEPENDENCE A decade ago, Afghanistan had one of the worst health care systems on earth. Hospitals and clinics were rare, the country had few doctors or midwives and average life expectancy was just a little over 44 years. writing a contract or signing a check. Not only did we help the Ministry buy medicine and establish clinics, we helped them train doctors, write health protocols and build facilities. woman will now reach the age of 64 and is one-fifth as likely to die during childbirth. Building capacity in a place as difficult to work in as Afghanistan is a real challenge. But as I described earlier, making our results last is a key part of our focus in Afghanistan and around the world. As President Obama said in his speech in Ghana, "By cutting costs that go to Western consultants and administration, we will put more resources in the hands of those who need it, while training people to do more for themselves." That's why we're planning to shift 30 percent of our investments toward local entrepreneurs, NGOs and partner governments by 2015. If we do this in a responsible and focused way, we can leave The partnership paid off A few years ago, we were better than anyone could have faced with a choice: we could hoped. The Ministry--headed continue to rely only on by Dr. Suraya Dalil, a woman contractors and NGOs to build who wasn't even allowed to clinics and deliver care, or we practice medicine under the could start to partner with Taliban's rule--expanded the Afghan Ministry of Public access to basic services from Health, building up its capacity only nine percent of the to provide basic health services. country to 64 percent. Our work with contractors and NGOs was helping to strengthen the provision of health care. But there were few guarantees those results would last without our assistance. So we started to partner directly with the Ministry to help build it into an institution fit to serve its people, a task far harder than Just a few months ago, we learned exactly what that expanded access meant to the Afghan people. Over the last decade, Afghanistan had the largest increase in life expectancy and largest decreases in maternal and child mortality of any country in the world. The average Afghan 28 behind a legacy long after our dollars are spent. Through our Development Innovation Ventures fund, we're supporting a startup in Kenya that is using new technology to convert waste into biogas. Right now, teams dedicated to finding investments are on the ground in places like Cairo, Lima, Nairobi, Bangkok and Dakar. Over the last year, we worked with an NGO in Ethiopia that had been a subcontractor of ours for over 12 years, but never able to partner with us directly. Through that partnership, we were able to train 3,000 caregivers and strengthen their organization. And when we do partner with developing country ministries, it's critical that we do so with great care. Many donors simply write big checks to poor countries and call it development. Not only can that empower corrupt politicians, it can actually undercut a country's motivation to invest in its own people. A study in the British medical journal The Lancet showed that African countries receiving that kind of budget support decreased their own investments in public health systems over time and focused on other priorities. We've designed a rigorous process to ensure the money we invest in government institutions is not lost due to poor financial management or corruption. But our best approach to making sure money is spent responsibly is to increase transparency. Last year, we made some important progress to shed light on our investments and those of our partners. In November 2011, Secretary Clinton and I travelled to the Forum on Aid Effectiveness in South Korea, where she announced that for the first time, the U.S. would become a full member of the International Aid Transparency Initiative. The Initiative is designed to help citizens of any country better track the aid dollars that flow in and out of their countries. American leadership in Busan was critical to increasing the commitment of emerging economies--such as India, China and Brazil--to implement effectiveness principles like transparency in their investments. This trend is becoming increasingly important as emerging markets become assistance donors. Americans can take pride in knowing that the United States is helping people persevere through crisis and overcome poverty, while helping countries build a more peaceful and prosperous future. But they should take comfort in knowing that by building capacity instead of dependence, we not only create lasting progress in developing countries, we help deliver meaningful results for the American people. By strengthening private sector activity in developing countries, we have the potential to enrich not just our partners but ourselves through increased exports and new markets for trade. By strengthening services in countries like Afghanistan, we deliver results that help contain extremism and speed the exit of our troops. And by working to promote democracy in the Arab world and elsewhere, we emphasize our core American values. Those values are what inspire faith-based organizations to fight human trafficking and college students to oversubscribe courses in development in colleges throughout the country. And they are what inspire us-- the staff of USAID--to fulfill our vital mission. Rajiv Shah Administrator U.S. Agency for International Development At the Bas Boen Rural Center for Sustainable Development in Haiti, Florence Sergile describes how improved seeds and the application of fertilizers can help boost crop yields and modernize Haiti's agriculture. A video link between the center and the University of Florida helps connect Haitian farmers to the expertise of U.S. agronomists. Kendra Helmer | USAID @USAID | @rajshah facebook.com/usaid U.S. Agency for International Development 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20523 Tel. (202) 712-5413 Fax (202) 216-3228 www.usaid.gov CLICK HERE TO VIEW THIS LETTER ONLINE. Design by Morgana Wingard