1.   A balloon popped.

2.   A balloon popped, sounding like a gunshot.

3.   But as if a balloon popped, Koznick again skied off course very early in the first run and the festival atmosphere sagged.

4.   But balloons eventually pop, and the very fact that the news seemed so relentlessly positive was a bit unnerving.

5.   Eventually the balloon pops.

6.   The page is ripped, the balloon has popped.

7.   The party balloons popped after full-bore production schedules by chipmakers met demand that was more tepid than anticipated.

8.   Then, just like that, the balloon popped.

9.   This year, the balloon popped.