One proposes that the pore closes when a plug shaped like a ball and chain obstructs the hole.

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Instead of driving to the ballpark, they tie a ball and chain to each foot and walk to work, because they're scrappy like that.

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SEOUL, South Korea -- If that laptop feels like a ball and chain -- and much too unattractive -- fashionable alternatives are on the way to suit your online needs.

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Government spending is our economic ball and chain.

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All I had in front of me was my ball-and-chain computer, or chores and kids.

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In fact, nothing did happen, but Dr Wang was not convinced that this proved the ball-and-chain hypothesis.

ECONOMIST: Synthetic biology: Expanded vocabulary | The

So, Dr Wang concludes, it looks as though the ball-and-chain model is wrong and the rod model is right.

ECONOMIST: Synthetic biology: Expanded vocabulary | The

Organizers began debating the merits of ball-and-chain lanyards versus fabric ones.

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With trillions of dollars in debt acting as a ball-and-chain for much of Europe, the U.S. and the rest of the developed world, must detoxify their balance sheets before hitting the ground running.

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