In finance, standards can take years to define as working groups from banks, securities firms and depositories meet repeatedly to hash out what needs to be in a message and ways to make it machine-readable so the communication can be handled by computers with straight-through processing (STP) and not require any expensive, time-consuming and error-inducing human intervention.

FORBES: Connect

But in as much as the American left is now a coalition of groups that define themselves as the victims of social and economic forces, and in as much as its leaders encourage people to feel helpless and aggrieved, he thinks they make America a glummer place.

ECONOMIST: Why conservatives are happier than liberals

Instead of getting lumped into prefab categories of consumer, you essentially create your own custom categories that by definition create groups that you know define you (and your friends) best: biking buddies, fellow gardeners, iPhone enthusiasts.

FORBES: Take That, Facebook: Google+ = Social Ad Targeting

Development groups are nervous about attempts to define a hierarchy of global problems with population at the peak.

BBC: Harrabin's Notes: Population overload?

Civil-rights groups have also complained about amendments that define "family" as a married man and woman and their children, outlaw some kinds of political advertising, and allow the government to prohibit homeless people from living on city streets.

WSJ: Hungary Amends Laws, in Snub to EU, U.S.

The emergence of successful Aboriginal performance groups, such as the Bangarra Dance Theatre, has also forced Australians to re-define their cultural boundaries beyond their narrowly derivative Anglo-Celtic roots.

ECONOMIST: The wizards of Oz come of age

In the coming years, many of the most interesting online games will be produced not by large teams of developers at big-name corporations, but instead by smaller, independent groups of developers who allow their customers to be partners in creating the IP that comes to define the in-game experience.

FORBES: Online Games And Crowdsourced Creativity: The Next Frontier In Intellectual Property

How are groups like Pax Europa to discuss such issues if not allowed to speak to the language and doctrines that define them?

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy