The robot "has leveled the playing field, " says Duke University urologist David Albala, who has done many robot-assisted prostate removals.

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At first, loyalty card programs actually leveled the playing field, with everyone who was willing to sign up receiving the same discounts, but once again, price discrimination finds a way to benefit those with more money.

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Foursquare and the mobile marketing revolution that it has pioneered has leveled the playing field, especially for small businesses who can use the same free platform and, in many cases, far more creatively than the big boys.

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Republicans, conservatives and libertarians, who all suffered from a bad case of technological lag, have leveled the virtual playing field at the same time that social and economic conditions provide fertile grounds for anti-incumbency.

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Since then, he said, the playing field has leveled: The Wayans brothers played "White Chicks" in the film of the same name, and Eddie Murphy has played several ethnicities in his films, including Jewish and Chinese characters.

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First, the global economic playing field is being leveled, and millions of people who were out of the game - from China, India and the former Soviet empire - are now walking onto the field, each dreaming of a house, a car, a toaster and a microwave.

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By urging the industry to develop common standards for the application of streaming video and audio in wireless internet applications and television set-top boxes, Apple stands to at least hold its ground if the playing field is leveled.

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Today the playing field has been leveled for ordinary investors.

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