11.   As a gun blast signaled the start of the race held at Castaic Lake, we sprinted down a hill toward our mountain bikes.

12.   Above, gyrfalcons sail through the skies, searching for a patch of blue signaling the start of spring.

13.   After a cool dawn, increasing breezes from the south will signal the start of another strong warming trend in the southern Plains.

14.   After the win at Philips Arena, coach Pat Burns questioned that it would signal the start of a turnaround for the struggling Bruins.

15.   Also, the French club Bordeaux ended negotiations for an Obilic player, Ivan Vukomanovic, signaling the start of an informal commercial boycott of the club.

16.   Businesses will see modest increases in their employee health costs this year, possibly signaling the start of a steady climb in their health-care spending.

17.   But most dismissed the notion that the recent drop signaled the start of the long-feared bear market.

18.   Carnival is especially popular in Germany, where it begins in January and lasts several weeks through Ash Wednesday, signaling the start of Lent.

19.   Colder weather, even just cooler weather, signals the start of cooking season.

20.   Economists generally agree that two consecutive quarters of economic slowdown signals the start of a recession.