I'm wondering if that pattern of events changes the timeline at all here, quickens the need for a decision about how to intervene.

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And that's how a thunderstorm off the coast of India might trigger a pattern of events which led to the weather switch last spring.

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Tracking poll results reflect an overall pattern of campaign events that are unfolding day by day.

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There are always enough intelligence indicators so that once you go back -- knowing the pattern of actual events -- it becomes possible to predict the past with 20-20 hindsight.

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These events indicate an already recognized pattern of misjudgment which spans several years and administrations.

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The study also found a pattern of heavy trading around 14, 000 disclosure events that contained climate change-related information, including press releases and SEC filings.

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"We wish to determine whether those events were indicative of a pattern of behavior by agents or officers of the Secret Service, and need to be addressed systemically, or if they instead constituted an isolated incident warranting action only with respect to the individuals involved, " said the letter from Lieberman and Collins.

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Knowledge of the pattern can also be helpful in preventing an emotional reaction to events.

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But unless future events show this week's tragedy to be part of a growing pattern, there seems little case for rushing to action.

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