Even when a business, breaking the pattern, attaches a value to its customers' wasted time, it's chintzy.

FORBES: Hurry Up And Wait

Yet even as Mr Cabral's administration seems to be breaking this pattern, there are signs of it resurfacing elsewhere.

ECONOMIST: Brazil

The market had just over-shot the measured move from another head and shoulders pattern, and was breaking hard to new lows again.

FORBES: How Technical Analysis Has Given Great Trading Cues All Year Long

Last quarter, China's economy grew at a pace of 7.9%, slightly better than analyst expectations and breaking a pattern of seven straight quarters of decline.

CNN: China's economy grows 7.8% for 2012, better than expected

But teachers' unions have offered the proposals a mixed welcome, with little support for breaking up the current pattern of holidays.

BBC: You are in: Education

The metals have been on a big run higher over the last few weeks, breaking their descending wedge pattern to the upside.

FORBES: Don't Expect The World From Ben Bernanke

Breaking from the historical pattern, financials remain laggards in this rebound.

WSJ: The Stocks the Dow Forgot

Also, stocks will typically consolidate after advancing 20% to 25%, so instead of waiting out the consolidation, I take advantage by reallocating my 20% profit to another stock that is breaking out from a consolidation period or base pattern.

FORBES: Mimic Buffett, Lynch And O'Neil With Rules-Driven Investing