1.   And as they exit, the outcome will determine much more than which sister will advance to the final.

2.   After almost three months in which he played a largely passive role, the president joined that battle Tuesday night, and its outcome will determine his electoral fate.

3.   But the present battle is about domestic programs, and its outcome will determine the character of the federal government for years to come.

4.   Democrats could be expected to bitterly contest and filibuster moves to keep Carnahan out of the Senate, especially if the outcome determined which party controlled the Senate.

5.   The outcome could determine whether Microsoft maintains its industry dominance.

6.   The outcome will determine when hundreds of thousands of books, songs and movies will be freely available on the Internet or in digital libraries.

7.   The outcome could determine who wins the battle for Conrail -- CSX or hostile bidder Norfolk Southern Corp.

8.   The outcome could determine if the energy crisis ends in months or years.

9.   The outcome could determine the flow of potentially billions of dollars in gaming revenues.

10.   The outcome will also determine whether Republicans will retain control of Congress two years after they ended four decades of Democratic dominance.