So Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president Annapolis was intended to strengthen against the rejectionists of Hamas, returns to Ramallah with little to show except the promise of a year of bi-weekly meetings with Ehud Olmert.

ECONOMIST: The Annapolis peace summit

That year Congress, by large bi-partisan majorities, passed the Civil Rights Restoration Act, which reversed a bunch of Supreme Court decisions handed down by a court with a then-new conservative majority.

NPR: High Court Sets Limits On Sex Discrimination Suits

But the year-old Fall 2011 Agenda and earlier bi-annual iterations still provide insight.

FORBES: President Obama's Hidden Tax

India host this year's tournament in November and December but were thought to be opposed to the bi-annual event, believing it was played too frequently.

BBC: SPORT | Cricket | International Teams | India | India plan Champions Trophy talks

It has been a grand year for Japanese films, and they don't come much grander than Hana-bi, a poetic, violent masterpiece from Kitano "Beat" Takeshi, and Princess Mononoke, a superb animation by Miyazaki Hayao.

CNN: OT ONLY DID HONG

Earlier this year (February 2011) Modern Survey interviewed 1, 000 working adults as part of their bi-annual report titled, Employee Engagement in the U.S. Workforce.

FORBES: Does Your Work Live?

Mr Pullar is autistic and bi-polar, with severe learning difficulties, and when he was 18, he spent almost a year at Winterbourne View from July 2009.

BBC: Winterbourne View: Autism society wants punch probe

As well as the national groups, called "convivia, " the Salon del Gusto is an intoxicating showcase of food and wine held bi-annually, and another global networking event for foodies, Terra Madre, which took place last year, attracted 8, 000 food producers, cooks and even academics.

CNN: Skip the fast food and go slow