In time, financiers tend to gain the advantage over their overseers.

ECONOMIST: The banking industry: Three trillion dollars later... | The

When incumbents cannot gain an advantage over challengers by bringing home the pork, they will go for the next best thing enough campaign cash to allow them to outspend their challengers at election time.

FORBES: Why Congress Cannot Operate Without The Bribing Power Of Earmarks

Did steroid users gain a significant advantage over those who played without the aid of performance enhancers?

FORBES: Craig Biggio, Barry Bonds Robbed Of MLB Hall Of Fame Entry

But advanced aerospace and information technologies are now widely diffused in the global economy, so the hope we can gain some long-term advantage over future adversaries in unmanned aircraft technology is unfounded.

FORBES: The Revolution In Unmanned Aircraft Is Overrated

Many countries passed laws forbidding the transmutation of metals, even as their kings secretly patronised alchemy hoping to gain an advantage over other monarchs.

ECONOMIST: The twisted history of alchemy: Alchemists, ancient and modern | The

And it wasn't me trying to bulk up and remain healthy in order to gain a significant advantage over my Norweigian nemesis, who was always trying to pip me to the post.

BBC: Paralympics: The perils of being a blind athlete

Al-Qaeda militants have taken advantage of the upheaval and breakdown of central government in Yemen over the past year to gain ground again.

BBC: 'US drone strike' kills al-Qaeda suspects in Yemen

But over the long haul, we want you to be able to stick with the program and gain the advantage of the returns that markets give you for bearing risk.

FORBES: Does Your Investment Plan Consider Risk?