BRUSSELS Stubbornly low inflation has the European Central Bank worried. But its response essentially just more quantitative easing could backfire, exacerbating imbalances and generating serious financial instability.

Yet Putin may be overplaying the macho card so excessively that it could backfire and contribute to his isolation from Russia s urban and more educated voters. But, even if the tens of thousands of demonstrators are unlikely to threaten the survival of Putin s regime, the Kremlin would be wise to take them seriously.

Waiting and hoping for more favorable conditions could easily backfire. If there is no movement toward peace as new Arab democracies take shape, negative views of Israel and the US will be hardened.

Besides, for this to have happened now is a nice coincidence. Because not an hour ago, while we were on our walk, my dog was startled by a backfire and jumped straight up like a horse bucking.

Barry Schwartz makes a passionate call for practical wisdom as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy. He argues powerfully that rules often fail us, incentives often backfire, and practical, everyday wisdom will help rebuild our world.

They may serve us well as we navigate our daily challenges, but they leave out many details and can backfire when we find ourselves in an environment in which our categorizations and ready made explanations fit less well. The term culture shock refers to situations in which our expectations about people s behavior turn out to be so wrong that we find ourselves jolted by the experience.

Meanwhile, US efforts to stimulate its economy through the Federal Reserve s policy of quantitative easing may backfire. After all, in globalized financial markets, money looks for the best prospects around the world, and these prospects are in Asia, not the US. So the money won t go where it s needed, and much of it will wind up where it s not wanted causing further increases in asset and commodity prices, especially in emerging markets.

Though QE might work in a debtor economy with a flexible financial system like the US, it could backfire in a creditor economy with a conservative financial system. This, rather than the fear that the ECB might end up buying the bonds of untrustworthy governments, is the real argument against QE in the eurozone.

Even seemingly purposeful projects can seriously backfire only a few years ago, Europe s well intentioned efforts to stimulate renewables resulted in a solar energy bubble of macroeconomic proportions. Whereas cutting greenhouse gas emissions is necessary, the current generation of relatively inefficient renewables should not be deployed at the expense of the development of more cost effective technology.

In practice, however, the construction of legal foundations could weaken the Chinese government s operational flexibility when responding to a Taiwanese move toward independence. The law of unintended consequences dictates that this effort to deny ambiguity to Taiwanese activists could backfire, and instead leave mainland leaders without room to maneuver if Taiwan does attempt to revise the status quo.

Recent history provides convincing evidence that policies based on a misrepresenting reality backfire. The Bush administration s response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 declaring a War on Terror and treating criticism as unpatriotic succeeded in gathering public support, yet the results were the exact opposite to what the Bush administration intended, both for itself and the United States.

But you may, you may.

Audience May. AB May what?

They may be corporations, they may be mafiosi, they may be nice NGOs, they may anything, any number of things.

First Mandate (May 1995 May 1999)

Second Mandate (May 1999 May 2003)

It may or may not be true.

May I use this pencil? Yes, you may.

May I use your pencil? Yes, you may.

For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

Members may or may not find my argument convincing.

May.

In light of the assets that may be recovered, may be put into continuous use, or the actual loss thereof may not be proved, they may not be written off.

May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, may he be ruined.

May the hands of Abu Lahab perish, may he be ruined.

that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.

that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.

Every man may see it man may behold it afar off.

Every man may see it man may behold it afar off.

Awareness raising activities during the period May 2005 to May 2006

That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.

That the LORD thy God may shew us the way wherein we may walk, and the thing that we may do.

That ye (mankind) may believe in Allah and His messenger, and may honour Him, and may revere Him, and may glorify Him at early dawn and at the close of day.

That ye (mankind) may believe in Allah and His messenger, and may honour Him, and may revere Him, and may glorify Him at early dawn and at the close of day.

Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot, and its brass may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be consumed.

Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot, and its brass may burn, and that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be consumed.

And I may say, I may not see the church, or hear the word or eat the food their hands may grow.

Now, you may be wondering, you may be wondering why I'm clapping.

Or that he may accept advice, so the advice may benefit him.

Or that he may accept advice, so the advice may benefit him.

Trials started and completed within the third mandate (May 2003 May 2007)

May 2004

May 2005

Limits are imposed on what species of fish may be caught, when each species may be caught and how many may be caught.