11.   More times than I can count, some public-relations type has bent my ear with what he thinks is the story of the century.

12.   Most of those years, Raymond Johnson nagged every Olympic figure whose ear he could bend trying to make a place for softball in the Games.

13.   Rallied by the boardwalk issue, they bent the ears of everyone from Rep. Charles Schumer to the deputy commissioner of the DEC.

14.   President Clinton had his ear bent.

15.   Since joining the Dodgers a little more than a week ago, Daly has bent the ear of general manager Kevin Malone about everything the club needs to do.

16.   When new pads are installed, the quieting compound is used and the ears are bent anyway.

17.   Internal Revenue Service workers will bend your ear with tax advice at the wee-est of wee hours.