1.   Except for a rise in gold prices immediately following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August, it was bleak year for precious metals.

2.   A fitting end for a bleak year in mutual-fund land.

3.   But depending on what happens Saturday at the Houston Astrodome, a footnote may be added, one to be savored as a bright spot in a bleak year.

4.   However, Dale Jacobson, a survey statistician, said the margin of error could put the figure on par with several other bleak years.

5.   It was a bleak year financially for the record industry, but musically it was far from dormant.

6.   There have been bleak years.

7.   This year began as the bleakest of many bleak years for an institution that was once called Big Labor.

8.   We felt the picture was too bleak this year to win and it could be worse next year.

9.   Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa of Hong Kong tried to put a positive spin on what threatens to be another bleak year.

10.   In a bleak year for the Phillies, that leaves the hometown crowd with the bare minimum of one person to root for, reliever Ricky Bottalico.