11.   Goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who made the crucial save in the shootout against China in the World Cup final, had a prior commitment.

12.   He had a prior commitment then and the next two times she asked.

13.   He skipped the Rochester debate, saying he had a prior commitment to chair a budget hearing in Queens.

14.   Hearst restated its prior commitment that all employees will be offered continued employment.

15.   If not for a prior commitment to be training in Puerto Rico, Fox would have been featured in an upcoming issue of Self magazine.

16.   Linder said a prior commitment in Athens, Ga., will force him to miss the fund raiser.

17.   Linder said a prior commitment in Athens, Ga., will force him to miss the fund-raiser.

18.   Officials at Morgan Stanley said they would have no problem selling the bonds and had lined up commitments prior to the auction to cover the sale.

19.   One other Miami Valley Democrat was invited -- Montgomery County Party Chairman Dennis Lieberman -- but he said he had a prior commitment.

20.   Please note, the artist formerly known as Prince was approached and had to decline due to prior commitments.