Beeplog.com - FREE Blogs Create own Blog    Next Blog   

whoyg2176

whoyg2176



Wednesday, 21. December 2011

Jumping Castle Hire for a party

By whoyg2176, 10:27

Jumping castles and bounce houses come in a variety of sizes and colour schemes, so it can be a daunting task to choose the right one. Phone around for Jumping Castle Hire businesses to advice and prices so you can decide freely.

Consider the size of a jumping castle or bounce house you want to get. Big ones are a lot of fun to play in, of course, but they cost more and you might not have the space to set them up. Rather than make a mistake and end up not being able to use the jumping castle you hired out, make sure to measure the dimensions of the area where you intend to set it up. Most Jumping Castle Hire places should be able to advise you for measuring the height of the setup area, should you be holding it indoors or small outdoor areas.

Colours are mainly aesthetic choices, and choosing the right one is mostly for ambience or personal preferences. Ask the kids what their favorite colours are, and ask for a jumping castle featuring those colours. Not all colour combinations are available though. On the other hand, you can also get castles with licensed prints from various kids' TV and movie franchises. If you are having a theme party from one of those franchises, then you could consider matching the bouncy castle to it.

Availability can be an issue, especially with popular items. Make sure to call Jumping Castle Hire companies early to check if the one you want will be available at the time you want it. Barring any sudden malfunctions, They should deliver the items on time at the specified location and date.

Jumping castles are great because they are colourful, portable, and for the most part safe. They are made from tough, tear resistant materials, made airtight for inflation purposes. Deflating them makes them much easier to store and transfer to the site where it is to be inflated. Because they are supported by air, which is compressible, the resulting surfaces provide elastic footing and soft impact absorption.

What is the use of bounce house

By whoyg2176, 10:25
People use bounce houses for different purposes. Early in their history, bounce houses could only be rented. However, today, they are affordable enough that some families purchase them for personal use at home. In addition to daily use at home, some people also rent out larger structures to use for birthday parties and other celebrations. Party venues have also sprung up that offer numerous types and sizes of bounce houses all located in one place. Parents can rent these venues for their child's birthday party. Festivals and fairs also use bounce houses as a means of entertainment for children.

How to Start an Inflatable Bouncer Business

By whoyg2176, 10:24

1:Purchase an Inflatable Bouncer: To start your inflatable bouncer business you will first need to purchase a bouncer. Some of the inflatable bouncer manufacturers are Bouncer Land (bouncerland.com), Magic Jump (magicjump.com) and Ninja Jump (ninjajump.com) For your first bouncer, it is best to choose a universal pattern for any event such as a multi-colored castle. Choose non-gender specific colors so that you can service both boys and girls parties. Bouncers can cost between $1,800 and $5,000 to purchase - but a plain castle should run you about $2,500.

2:Insurance: Before you can operate, you will need insurance coverage for your bouncer. You can visit pangoinflatable.com  to find a qualified bounce insurance agent. Before any booking you will have the customer sign a release as well as agree to a list of rules.

3:Website: The next thing you will want to do is build a website that will attract both kids and adults who are in search of inflatable bouncers in your area. Also, you should list your bouncer business on Google, Yahoo and MSN.

4:Advertising: You can make a magnetic sign and put it on your car or truck advertising your inflatable bouncer company. You should also make business cards and put them at any party shop, day care or other location that has many children.

5:First Booking: Your first inflatable bouncer booking will be exciting. Make sure you have tons of extension cord in case the customers outlet is far from the bouncer location. Typically, bouncers are booked in 6 hour blocks and rates vary all across the United States but an average rate would be $150 to $175 for 6 hours.

Thursday, 10. November 2011

inflatable bouncer

By whoyg2176, 03:35
Owning a business that sells or rents inflatable bouncers is a lucrative way to make money. These have become popular throughout the years. Many people will rent or purchase them to use at birthday parties and carnivals. It is a great way to entertain children for hours at a time.

It is important to keep your investments intact and to keep from having to replace or buy a new one anytime one of yours have become punctured. Each one are made with durable material - but rocks, sticks, and other debris can puncture through it and cause either a slow or major leak. Learn how you can repair it so you don't have to spend hundreds in replacing it.

Inflate the bouncer so that you can determine where the leak is coming from. It is best to do this in sections if the bouncer will allow you to. There is a lot of ground to cover. Try to do this before you go rent it out to make sure that all parts of the tent are in good shape. That way if you find a leak you can fix it before you send it off to be used.

When it is fully inflated look and listen for the source of the puncture. If the leak is slow you might not be able to find it easily this way. The next best thing would be for you to place water inside of the tent. Pour in tap water and some soap. You will know immediately where the leak is.

Use a felt tip to mark the leak. Take out the puncture repair kit and apply solvent to the plastic patch. Apply the patch to the edge of the tent so that the hole is sealed completely. Apply more adhesive to the outside of the patch and allow it to dry.

When the patch is dried pour more soapy water inside of the tent. If there are any more bubbles being released than you did not seal it properly or you have found another leak. Try to keep it inflated overnight to make sure that it is sealed properly.

Hot bounce house

By whoyg2176, 03:30

Kids like to bounce and use on the moon bounce! Is there anything the actual sensation of going up and down that simply gets a child, and also some older people chuckle! Subsequently, the moon bounce or rebound of the buildings are so well known in the party baby, birthday celebrations of youngsters, or even a party or event. We are while the company's operations.

Bounce house rental philadelphia can be obtained at party rental providers to keep and clean these devices accurately. Our moon bounces are wiped clean and disinfected upon each rental, and our supply of rebounds remains to be increasing. Were fully covered and a moon bounce rental provider qualified. Bounce to the CCM that can take care of your snacks and drinks requires. Our popcorn machine, snow cone apparat and cotton candy machine is an excellent accomplishment. Each piece of equipment incorporates enough provides for 30 men and women!

Bounce Party gives you service all over the miami. We're going to go the spot where you want Silly Games and rides are what we do and that we perform the best parties. felt staff will almost certainly transpire, the moon bounce installation instruction and properly deal with the equipment. We won't go away until you are content with the operation of our moon bounces! If the operator needs to shell out is $ 12/hr. schooled operator have to be all the time. We could do to suit your needs, that! Call us today to developed the next event or party.

New supplier of domestic jumping castles

By whoyg2176, 03:30

Jump City is excited to announce that from early August 2009 we will distributing the Blast Zone range of inflatable bouncers, water slides and jumping castles. Although we have been selling the Happy Hop range since October 2005, we have regrettably decided to stop selling this range for a number of reasons. Jump City has always prided itself of supplying a quality product with excellent customer support and strongly believe we will be able to achieve this much better with the Blast Zone product.

The Blast Zone range of inflatables is a significant step up for us in supplying customers with domestic bouncy castles and is sure to take the Australian market by storm. The quality of manufacture is second to none in the non-commercial bouncer range, incorporating commercial quality materials and stitching in key impact areas of the inflatable. While we'll be looking at a 10-20% price increase on our previous range, we believe the product quality is at least 100% better. The Blast Zone range includes visually attractive inflatables with themed designs including pirates, rainforests, space, crocodiles and sharks! There will be different sizes and designs to suit a wide variety of tastes, backyards and budgets.

How to repair the inflatable Bouncers

By whoyg2176, 03:29
Owning a business that sells or rents inflatable bouncers is a lucrative way to make money. These have become popular throughout the years. Many people will rent or purchase them to use at birthday parties and carnivals. It is a great way to entertain children for hours at a time.

It is important to keep your investments intact and to keep from having to replace or buy a new one anytime one of yours have become punctured. Each one are made with durable material - but rocks, sticks, and other debris can puncture through it and cause either a slow or major leak. Learn how you can repair it so you don't have to spend hundreds in replacing it.

Inflate the bouncer so that you can determine where the leak is coming from. It is best to do this in sections if the bouncer will allow you to. There is a lot of ground to cover. Try to do this before you go rent it out to make sure that all parts of the tent are in good shape. That way if you find a leak you can fix it before you send it off to be used.

When it is fully inflated look and listen for the source of the puncture. If the leak is slow you might not be able to find it easily this way. The next best thing would be for you to place water inside of the tent. Pour in tap water and some soap. You will know immediately where the leak is.

Use a felt tip to mark the leak. Take out the puncture repair kit and apply solvent to the plastic patch. Apply the patch to the edge of the tent so that the hole is sealed completely. Apply more adhesive to the outside of the patch and allow it to dry.

When the patch is dried pour more soapy water inside of the tent. If there are any more bubbles being released than you did not seal it properly or you have found another leak. Try to keep it inflated overnight to make sure that it is sealed properly.

Saturday, 13. November 2010

Pearl Jewelry - The Story of Pearl Hunters

By whoyg2176, 04:33
As long as pearl jewelry have been known to people, they have been a highly sought commodity for their beauty. It's only in recent times however that the industry has taken the hunt for the perfect pearl to a whole different level. Today, the shiny orbs that we see on in display in jewelry stores have actually almost always been grown in farms. That's a far cry from the dangerous extraction and collection methods used before the invention of modern technology. In the past, not more than 100 years ago, the only way to retrieve pearls was by diving in lakes, floods and the ocean to pick them up, one at the time. The unfortunate divers who'se job it was to do this, were often poor and lured by the relative large sums they could get. The diver would sometimes have to dive as deep as 100 feet on one single breath of air. In order to preserve air and to stay submerged the longest, the divers would hold on to heavy stones on the way down. Naturally, this dangerous activity was reserved for the desperate or the powerless - in many cases slaves or extremely poor peasents. Today, this method is all but obsolete in most places of the world. The cheaper cultured pearls have become popular and are many times the only pearls available to the consumer. There are however still a few isolated areas that practice this old art of pearl diving. Some of the finest natural pearl speciments come from the gulf of Bahrain. Here, divers still risk their health to retrieve what are considered the top of the crop in the world. In fact, Bahrain wants no part of the sale of cultured pearls, banned from trade. Bahrain is one of the few places on earth that does an active job in trying to preserve the natural habitat and waters from pollution. It's an interesting story and one that continues to fascinate buyers around the world. Somehow, the beauty of the pearl grows when it's been retrieved from the depth of the ocean.

Buying Pearl Jewelry Without Being Ripped Off

By whoyg2176, 04:30
Buying pearl jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you're considering a gift of pearl jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here's some information to help you get the best quality pearl jewelry for your money, whether you're shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online. Pearls Natural or real pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks. Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with human intervention; that is, an irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to grow. Imitation pearls are man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials. Because natural pearls are very rare, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls, because they are made by oysters or mollusks, usually are more expensive than imitation pears. A cultured pearl's value is largely based on its size, usually stated in millimeters, and the quality of its nacre coating, which give it luster. Jewelers should tell your if the pearls are cultured or imitation. Some black, bronze, gold, purple, blue and orange pearls, whether natural or cultured, occur that way in nature; some, however, are dyed through various processes. Jewelers should tell you whether the colored pearls are naturally colored, dyed or irradiated. Clams, oysters, mussels and many other mollusks with limy shells are known to produce pearls. But very few kinds yield gem pearls of jeweler's quality. The pearl is an abnormal growth of mother-of-pearl, or nacre, imbedded in the soft bodies of these shellfish. It is built up, layer upon layer, in the same way as nacre is added to the lining of the growing shell and always has the same color and luster. For example, over the country, hundreds of good-sized pearls are found each year in the oysters we eat. Unfortunately these have no commercial value regardless of whether they have been cooked or not because they are dull opaque white or purple like the shell of the parent oyster. In recent times almost all pearls of gem quality come from the oriental pearl oyster which has a bright shimmering translucent nacre. A pearl starts growing when some irritating foreign substance such as a sand grain, bit of mud, parasite or other object becomes lodged in the shell-producing gland called the mantle. Pearls formed in the soft flesh where nacre can be added on all sides are most likely to be spherical and the most highly prized. By far the great majority are flattened or variously distorted and have little value. Size, color, luster and freedom from flaws are other essential qualities. Unlike other gems, such as diamonds, pearls have an average life of only about 50 years. In time the small amount of water in a pearl's make-up is lost and its surface cracks. Because they are mostly lime, necklaces which are worn often are injured by the acid secretions of the human skin.

Monday, 08. November 2010

Pearl Jewelry - The Story of Pearl Hunters

By whoyg2176, 10:25
As long as pearl jewelry have been known to people, they have been a highly sought commodity for their beauty. It's only in recent times however that the industry has taken the hunt for the perfect pearl to a whole different level. Today, the shiny orbs that we see on in display in jewelry stores have actually almost always been grown in farms. That's a far cry from the dangerous extraction and collection methods used before the invention of modern technology. In the past, not more than 100 years ago, the only way to retrieve pearls was by diving in lakes, floods and the ocean to pick them up, one at the time. The unfortunate divers who'se job it was to do this, were often poor and lured by the relative large sums they could get. The diver would sometimes have to dive as deep as 100 feet on one single breath of air. In order to preserve air and to stay submerged the longest, the divers would hold on to heavy stones on the way down. Naturally, this dangerous activity was reserved for the desperate or the powerless - in many cases slaves or extremely poor peasents. Today, this method is all but obsolete in most places of the world. The cheaper cultured pearls have become popular and are many times the only pearls available to the consumer. There are however still a few isolated areas that practice this old art of pearl diving. Some of the finest natural pearl speciments come from the gulf of Bahrain. Here, divers still risk their health to retrieve what are considered the top of the crop in the world. In fact, Bahrain wants no part of the sale of cultured pearls, banned from trade. Bahrain is one of the few places on earth that does an active job in trying to preserve the natural habitat and waters from pollution. It's an interesting story and one that continues to fascinate buyers around the world. Somehow, the beauty of the pearl grows when it's been retrieved from the depth of the ocean.

Buying Pearl Jewelry Without Being Ripped Off

By whoyg2176, 10:15
Buying pearl jewelry can be fun, exciting and confusing. Whether you're considering a gift of pearl jewelry for someone special or as a treat for yourself, take some time to learn the terms used in the industry. Here's some information to help you get the best quality pearl jewelry for your money, whether you're shopping in a traditional brick and mortar store or online. Pearls Natural or real pearls are made by oysters and other mollusks. Cultured pearls also are grown by mollusks, but with human intervention; that is, an irritant introduced into the shells causes a pearl to grow. Imitation pearls are man-made with glass, plastic, or organic materials. Because natural pearls are very rare, most pearls used in jewelry are either cultured or imitation pearls. Cultured pearls, because they are made by oysters or mollusks, usually are more expensive than imitation pears. A cultured pearl's value is largely based on its size, usually stated in millimeters, and the quality of its nacre coating, which give it luster. Jewelers should tell your if the pearls are cultured or imitation. Some black, bronze, gold, purple, blue and orange pearls, whether natural or cultured, occur that way in nature; some, however, are dyed through various processes. Jewelers should tell you whether the colored pearls are naturally colored, dyed or irradiated. Clams, oysters, mussels and many other mollusks with limy shells are known to produce pearls. But very few kinds yield gem pearls of jeweler's quality. The pearl is an abnormal growth of mother-of-pearl, or nacre, imbedded in the soft bodies of these shellfish. It is built up, layer upon layer, in the same way as nacre is added to the lining of the growing shell and always has the same color and luster. For example, over the country, hundreds of good-sized pearls are found each year in the oysters we eat. Unfortunately these have no commercial value regardless of whether they have been cooked or not because they are dull opaque white or purple like the shell of the parent oyster. In recent times almost all pearls of gem quality come from the oriental pearl oyster which has a bright shimmering translucent nacre. A pearl starts growing when some irritating foreign substance such as a sand grain, bit of mud, parasite or other object becomes lodged in the shell-producing gland called the mantle. Pearls formed in the soft flesh where nacre can be added on all sides are most likely to be spherical and the most highly prized. By far the great majority are flattened or variously distorted and have little value. Size, color, luster and freedom from flaws are other essential qualities. Unlike other gems, such as diamonds, pearls have an average life of only about 50 years. In time the small amount of water in a pearl's make-up is lost and its surface cracks. Because they are mostly lime, necklaces which are worn often are injured by the acid secretions of the human skin.

Thursday, 29. October 2009

Is Afghanistan Impossible for Obama?

By whoyg2176, 08:11
Just over two weeks before a high-stakes runoff for the Afghan presidency, the Obama administration faces mounting pressure to decide on its Afghanistan strategy and whether or not to send more U.S. troops.
Share
New poll finds 47 percent of pearl jewelry Americans say the war has not been worth fighting.

In an ABC News/Washington Post poll released today, just 31 percent of Americans believe President Obama has a clear plan for dealing with the situation in Afghanistan, while 63 percent think he does not.

Watch George Stephanopoulos' analysis of the poll on World News with Charles Gibson, tonight at 6:30 p.m. ET.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Wednesday that the administration is not concerned by the poll results showing sliding public approval of the President's handling of Afghanistan.
Related
Exclusive: Obama's Numbers Plummet on Afghanistan War Worries
Afghan Prez Accepts He Fell Short in Election
'How Much American Blood?': Byrd Blasts Proposal for Additional Afghan Troops

Gibbs also suggested that "it's possible" the President could make a decision on Afghanistan strategy before the biwa pearl results of the runoff election are final.

But following an hour-long meeting with the President this afternoon to debrief his trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Sen. John Kerry, D.-Mass., suggested deciding on a new strategy before the election is complete could be a mistake.

"I think you really want to know that this has worked and you want to know what kind of government is coming out of it," Kerry said. "I would absolutely counsel the president to wait until the end of the runoff."

Obama has been reviewing U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan with his national security team over the past several weeks. He has indicated any decision about a new strategy depends in large part on having a credible Afghan partner – which is still unresolved with the disputed Afghan election now headed for a akoya pearl runoff.

The administration's delay in settling on a new strategy comes as public support for the war continues to erode.

Karzai's Rival Suggests It May Be Difficult to Hold Runoff in 2 Weeks

By whoyg2176, 08:00
As Afghan and western officials urgently prepare for a planned presidential run-off election, President Hamid Karzai's challenger told ABC News he is open to an "interim" government if conditions cannot be met for a free and fair election by the Nov. 7 runoff date.
Abdullah Abdullah
Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, former Afghan foreign minister who run against President Hamid Karzai in last... Expand
Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, former Afghan foreign minister who run against President Hamid Karzai in last August's vote, smiles as he speaks with journalists after a press conference in Kabul, Afghanistan on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009. President Hamid Karzai's chief political rival agreed Wednesday to take part in the Nov. 7 run-off election, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown in the face of Taliban threats and approaching winter snows. Collapse
(Musadeq Sadeq/AP Photo)

"If it's not possible to go for a second round because of practical reasons, we also need to talk about the solutions for it," Dr. Abdullah Abdullah said. "If we cannot hold it before the winter, then what about the interim period? These are the pearl jewelry scenarios which are ahead of us and we should be ready for it."

He said such an agreement would be an "interim arrangement" to be in place until a runoff could be held in the spring. "That's a scenario that I'm open to talking about," he said.

The runoff date was announced Tuesday after Karzai had threatened to reject a report by international monitors that claimed widespread election vote rigging had accounted for biwa pearl 1.3 million fraudulent votes, including more than 1 million that had been cast for Karzai.
Related
Afghan Prez Accepts He Fell Short in Election
Election Monitor Says 1.3M Afghan Votes Fraudulent
Afghan Pres: Some Fraud in 'Good' Election

Subtracting those votes from Karzai's total put his vote at 49.6 percent, and anything under 50 percent called for a runoff. Karzai agreed to the electoral redo after heavy lobbying by the Obama administration and by face to face encouragement by Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.

Many here are concerned about the huge logistical challenges of pulling off a second national election with only two weeks to prepare. Among the most serious obstacles are the country's fragile security situation, which kept many voters from the polls during the first round on Aug. 20, and the approaching winter, which may cut off some communities due to snow.

There are also concerns that it will be difficult to prevent the widespread fraud that disrupted the first round of voting.

Going into greater detail than he has so far, Abdullah laid out three changes he'd like to see before he would consider the run-off "free and fair."

Abdullah wants guarantees that Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission, which he described as "far from independent," acts fairly. He wants steps to prevent the government "from using state apparatus in favor of the incumbent," which he described as "one of the main problems in the last election."

And Abdullah said improved security is essential for holding a new election.

"My main focus is on…making preparations for the akoya pearl second round. At the same time, I emphasize that the environment should be different. It cannot be under the same rules and procedures and circumstances and conditions," he said.

Kerry: General's Plan in Afghanistan Too Ambitious

By whoyg2176, 07:55
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., today said the strategy submitted to the White House by the top American commander in Afghanistan "reaches too far, too fast" and called for a more narrow, modest mission that he pearl jewelry says will eventually enable the U.S. to draw down its military presence there.
PHOTO Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) speaks about Afghanistan at the Council on Foreign Relations
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., speaks about Afghanistan at the Council on Foreign Relations, Oct. 26, 2009, in Washington, D.C. Kerry spoke about his recent visit to Afghanistan and U.S. policy in the region.
(Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

"I believe that, if we redefine our strategy and objectives in order to focus on what is achievable, as well as critical, and empower the Afghans to take control of their own future, we will give all of us the best chance to succeed," he said.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal last month submitted a strategy to the Obama administration that calls for a counter-insurgency strategy and requests tens of thousands of additional troops to carry it out. Kerry said he could support a modest increase in troops in the short term, saying, "Under the right circumstances, if we could be biwa pearl confident that military efforts can be sustained and built on, then I would support the president, should he decide to send some additional troops to regain the initiative."
Related
Gates Behind Afghanistan Troop Surge?
Surge Skeptics: Afghan Problem is Karzai
Afghanistan Surge: 3,000 More U.S. Troops

A Call for Helping Afghanistan to Help Themselves

Speaking before the Council on Foreign Relations today, Kerry called for a sustained civilian commitment to Afghanistan, but said the authority must soon shift to Afghan governance and security institutions.

"The nature of our commitment has to evolve away from U.S. military-dominated effort toward support for Afghan institutions and Afghan answers," Kerry said.

"We need to ask ourselves at every turn, will what we do, will this help the Afghan people take responsibility for their country? And if the answer is no, we probably shouldn't be doing it," he added.

Kerry's remarks come one week after he helped secure Afghan President Hamid Karzai's support for a new election after a watchdog group concluded that thousands of votes he akoya pearl received in the August ballot were fraudulent. Kerry was in the country on a fact-finding trip, but stayed on to help broker the agreement between Karzai and his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah.

Kerry: General's Plan in Afghanistan Too Ambitious

By whoyg2176, 07:47
Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., today said the strategy submitted to the White House by the top American commander in Afghanistan "reaches too far, too fast" and called for a more narrow, modest mission that he pearl jewelry says will eventually enable the U.S. to draw down its military presence there.
PHOTO Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) speaks about Afghanistan at the Council on Foreign Relations
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., speaks about Afghanistan at the Council on Foreign Relations, Oct. 26, 2009, in Washington, D.C. Kerry spoke about his recent visit to Afghanistan and U.S. policy in the region.
(Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

"I believe that, if we redefine our strategy and objectives in order to focus on what is achievable, as well as critical, and empower the Afghans to take control of their own future, we will give all of us the best chance to succeed," he said.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal last month submitted a strategy to the Obama administration that calls for a counter-insurgency strategy and requests tens of thousands of additional troops to carry it out. Kerry said he could support a modest increase in troops in the short term, saying, "Under the right circumstances, if we could be biwa pearl confident that military efforts can be sustained and built on, then I would support the president, should he decide to send some additional troops to regain the initiative."
Related
Gates Behind Afghanistan Troop Surge?
Surge Skeptics: Afghan Problem is Karzai
Afghanistan Surge: 3,000 More U.S. Troops

A Call for Helping Afghanistan to Help Themselves

Speaking before the Council on Foreign Relations today, Kerry called for a sustained civilian commitment to Afghanistan, but said the authority must soon shift to Afghan governance and security institutions.

"The nature of our commitment has to evolve away from U.S. military-dominated effort toward support for Afghan institutions and Afghan answers," Kerry said.

"We need to ask ourselves at every turn, will what we do, will this help the Afghan people take responsibility for their country? And if the answer is no, we probably shouldn't be doing it," he added.

Kerry's remarks come one week after he helped secure Afghan President Hamid Karzai's support for a new election after a watchdog group concluded that thousands of votes he akoya pearl received in the August ballot were fraudulent. Kerry was in the country on a fact-finding trip, but stayed on to help broker the agreement between Karzai and his main challenger, Abdullah Abdullah.