Nevertheless, some Acehnese cling to the hope that exceptions can be made.

ECONOMIST: Preparing for Aceh��s next battle

The engineers of Silicon Valley may still cling to the hope of finding, at long last, the Next Big Thing a technology so whizzy it makes all those share options valuable again.

ECONOMIST: The tech industry

Optimists cling to the hope that a hung parliament and a realignment on the centre-right would bring that leap about, but for the moment the Lib Dems seem unsure whether they are to the left or the right of Labour.

ECONOMIST: The British election

However, left unchecked, those fears can drive us to cling on to the hope that if we procrastinate long enough, our situation will improve, or our misgivings will magically evaporate and be replaced with newfound clarity and courage.

FORBES: Why You Procrastinate, and How to Stop It. Now.