Libya's fate is hard to predict but the economic uncertainties boil down to a hoary question: how much is Saudi Arabia, the linchpin of OPEC, the oil-exporters' cartel, able and willing to pump?

ECONOMIST: The world economy

Barzalona pulled up his mount Grand Vent and Bronze Cannon suffered a similar fate on the hard ground.

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The Clinton administration is fully aware that the fate of these hard-to-employ welfare recipients will determine much of the success of welfare reform.

ECONOMIST: The muddled maths of welfare-to-work | The

"We worked so hard to put ourselves in position and control our fate, " he said.

WSJ: Kobe Bryant's Season Likely Over With Injury

We worked so hard to put ourselves in position and control our fate.

WSJ: Kobe Bryant's Season Likely Over With Injury

While this is often true, everyone can cite instances of people who have money due to fate and circumstance, not because of hard work and perseverance.

FORBES: When Is It Not Your Fault?

It is often hard for them to imagine a life outside holy orders, which could be their fate if they alienated the bishop who has a hold over their salary, pension and private life.

ECONOMIST: The Catholic church in America

If it seems hard to imagine the electronic payments business today without Western Union, just remember the fate of Eastman Kodak, which made those easy-to-use, point and shoot cameras that many of us used for our first forays into photography, or Blockbuster, which briefly reigned over home entertainment as the place to pick up a video or DVD for the weekend.

FORBES: Connect

You know, sometimes if you just study hard, keep your nose clean, and stay away from the pirate cable TV business, fate will do you a solid.

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