Modest loans to the world's poorest so they can invest in enterprises close to home have proved a winning development strategy, an effort decidedly short on success stories.

But it is no longer cheap - and palm-fringed beaches, tropical languor and all that goes with them are in decidedly short supply.

After a decidedly short moment of reflection, he takes the latter and leaves his friend to be taken by Rurales.

There, he has come up decidedly short.

And that required fax machines and elements from the asteroid mines, both of which were in decidedly short supply.

Sending chief executives to jail may indeed send a powerful message, albeit one that is decidedly short term.

The temple is long since abandoned, worship of the Sender of Eight being a decidedly short term prospect.

But since the Iranians are decidedly short of money, and the Indians short of credit, it is unclear who would pay for it.

One recent workshop, though, ended on a note decidedly short on diversity: with participants praying to Jesus.

It is spacious but, for the moment, decidedly short on seating.