She ate her yogurt but felt too awkward to go back out and throw the empty cup into the garbage, so she left it on the floor by her mattress, where it toppled over under the weight of the spoon.

NEWYORKER: Temporary

She took the empty yogurt cup and spoon to the kitchen area.

NEWYORKER: Temporary

Madrid, in danger of finishing the season empty-handed after losing the King's Cup final and crashing out of the Champions League, went behind after just two minutes when Valdo put the visitors ahead.

CNN: Ronaldo injury adds to Real's woes

The waiter came back to make sure the cup was empty, then returned with seven minutes remaining and again with four minutes to go.

FORBES: Bitters And Seltzer: A Hangover Remedy That Actually Works

So whether you see the blossoms or the vomit, a half full cup of sake or a half empty can of beer, the future of Japan is in the hands of the Japanese, not the New Economy gurus we read about in TIME, Newsweek and Fortune.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Letter from Japan: Economic Binge

Many critics still point to the empty stands that greeted Africa's top footballers when South Africa hosted the African Cup of Nations finals in 1996 as a factor which could count against a successful bid.

BBC: South Africa's World Cup dream

Hungary will be forced to play its World Cup qualifying match against Romania in an empty stadium after the Court of Arbitration for Sport dismissed an appeal by the Hungarian Football Federation on Tuesday.

WSJ: FIFA's Empty-Stadium

At the scene a man with a big forehead, gray hair, a flat nose, and a few missing teeth lay on the sidewalk, next to a stack of books and an empty coffee-cup.

FORBES: Santa Arrived Too Late

One night I dreamed of an angel: I walked into a huge, empty bar and saw him sitting in a corner with his elbows on the table and a cup of milky coffee in front of him.

NEWYORKER: Clara