Seven years later when he started looking for full-time work, he faced a problem: All his old contacts and job references were seven to 12 years old.

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Sure enough, when Sinn Fein leaders arrived for the first full-fledged talks on Monday morning, they faced a collection of empty chairs.

ECONOMIST: Northern Ireland

And then as the financial crisis hit with its full force, America faced a hard and once unimaginable reality, that two of the Big 3 automakers -- GM and Chrysler -- were on the brink of liquidation.

WHITEHOUSE: President Obama Speaks on the Resurgence of the American Auto Industry | The White House