The breakfasts, the lunches and the dinners, the endless speeches and the private seminars, the industry forums and the business commissions: all have represented a ruthless determination to achieve that.

ECONOMIST: Tony Blair��s business affair

He was also one of the prime movers behind the New Economic Partnership for Africa (Nepad) - a vision of transforming Africa which resulted in endless speeches and meetings around the continent but little else.

BBC: Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade's rise and rule

But behind the glitz and the glamour, behind the gongs and the speeches, behind the seemingly endless parade of beards, lies a highly-competitive international movie business, in which the stakes are high, there is no time for losers and second chances are rare (hence the 'phew and thanks' nature of Ben Affleck's speech).

BBC: A Bafta bruising for the Brits?

Several current and past justices have noted the seemingly endless preparation work, reviewing past cases, speeches and other aspects of professional life.

CNN: Sotomayor's confirmation hearing starts Monday

The endless, loud, bitter, accusatory political ads, commercials, and speeches will come to an end.

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