But Ms. Messinger has hardly dented the city's political consciousness with her other major issue: the city's high unemployment rate.

The change in the mainstream P.L.O. position, the declared willingness to live in peace with Israel, has hardly dented that skepticism.

But the enforcement efforts have hardly dented the drug trade because, many here say, poverty is not the only cause.

In fact, I have hardly dented it.

Empty as a pauper's purse in there, and the bed hardly dented.

This hardly dented traffic to the company's Internet site.

But the campaign has hardly dented the mall's bustling commerce.

Another problem is that the economic boom has hardly dented the nation's unemployment rate, which remains close to 20 percent.

But the spectacular economic growth of recent years has hardly dented the devastating unemployment rate in a country that has one of Europe's fastest-growing populations.

On arrival, you'll know you're in Kham, China's 'Develop the West' campaign having hardly dented the Tibetan culture here.