This has changed not only because of China, India and Brazil having much more weight around the table but also countries in Africa, in the Caribbean, in the Pacific Ocean now have the capacity to negotiate.

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And of course, once you're using a laptop on a table, weight becomes almost immaterial.

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Sasha felt the waiters eying her as she sidled back to the table holding her handbag with its secret weight.

NEWYORKER: Found Objects

Each time we look at the medal table, we are encouraged to believe that we still have the capacity to punch above our weight in the world.

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