However, midfielder Gennaro Gattuso will play as he seeks to get back in shape after missing much of the season following knee surgery.

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Meanwhile, in France, women are toughing it out with free all-day childcare, per-child tax benefits and allowances, four-month paid maternity leaves and a state-paid personal trainer to get back in shape after childbirth.

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The private sector will invest money in projects and get it back in the shape of tolls, user fees, premium pricing or even tax breaks.

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He undoes everything I'm trying to do to get your pipes back in shape.

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Gorman is under pressure to get the firm back in shape following several disappointing quarters.

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The Eagles wanted the second year for same reason Vick did not want it: they wanted to get the benefit of a Michael Vick who was hopefully back in shape and acclimated to football after a long time away.

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"His back was in really bad shape and he couldn't get into the Olympics, and that was the last thing he really worked hard at, " Ms. Herlihy said.

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On the opposite side you find athletes like 19-year-old Kenyan Pamela Jelimo who, having been thrust into sporting superstardom in her home country after winning 800m gold in Beijing, had a tough winter and is only just beginning to get back into shape.

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Children of the current generation will be poorer for it if they never get to linger over a vast paper map and then try in vain to fold it back into its original shape.

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