Shirley Williams - someone who is still an active member of his own party - is also an inspiration.

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"When people walk into a room where they don't know anyone or feel insecure, they reach into their bags and start staring at the screen, " says Ms. Smith, who is an active after-the-party tweeter.

WSJ: Social Media Etiquette at Parties: When Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Are the Guests

He may also alienate a key element of his political constituency without which neither he nor his Republican party will fare well in future elections: the active-duty military and the millions of others in and out of uniform National Guard and Reserve personnel, veterans, defense contractors, their employees and unions, and other patriotic Americans who once formed the Reagan defense coalition.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center for Security Policy | Message to the President From an Admirer: You Made a Mistake on Vieques

Just as important, Mr Nader's appeal to them points up a nebulous but profound problem facing the vice-president: after two terms, a party's most active, and often most extreme, supporters become harder to enthuse.

ECONOMIST: Praying for a break | The

Behind the scenes, however, there have been some active goings-on: if Mr Beilin's party is able to form Israel's next government, a document containing the basic ingredients of a final agreement will be at its disposal.

ECONOMIST: Peacemakers 2

Neither Johnson Controls-Saft, nor any of its subsidiaries, are an active party to the legal action.

FORBES: Battery Battle Brews for Johnson Controls, Saft

Some waved copies of an old photograph showing union chief Hocine Abbasi shaking hands with the ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali as proof that remnants of the former RCD ruling party were still active.

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