Her business won't be subject to the insurance-coverage requirement because of her payroll's size, but she says she doesn't expect the law's changes to bring down her premiums.

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What could Adria have done differently to not bring the firestorm down onto her?

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"Now, Emma, you know enough to bring me down, " she says Armstrong told her after the meeting.

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But if Ms Rousseff has her way, it seems, subsequent meetings will start to bring down the cost of borrowing money in Brazil - and reduce the return on investments in the country.

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But in the short run her unpompous, down-to-earth, jargon-free directness should bring a gust of fresh air to the stale, grey-suited, male-dominated, wheeler-dealing atmosphere of German politics.

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He watched her as she moved around the room, his eyes tracking her as if she were a fly and he was waiting for the right moment to bring down his swatter.

NEWYORKER: The Visitor