11.   How much Koch and company had to do with the rising popularity of recreational Nordic skiing is debatable.

12.   In addition, they agree that the rising popularity of micro-brewery beer should help the company overcome the positioning problems they have had in the past.

13.   In New York, as in other areas of the country, the rising popularity of Ecstasy and other illegal drugs has drawn a police crackdown.

14.   It is the biggest player in the employer-sponsored retirement market and a force in the rising popularity of mutual fund investing.

15.   Laws and regulations have been slow to catch up with its rising popularity.

16.   McCall, who has been considered the leading Democratic contender for governor, recently cited education as one area where Pataki might be vulnerable despite his rising popularity.

17.   Nike and other athletic shoe companies like Reebok International Ltd. have been hurt by the rising popularity of dressier shoes, like Hush Puppies.

18.   Now the actor has parlayed his rising popularity into realizing a long-held dream.

19.   One is the rising popularity of preposterous conspiracy theories.

20.   Rendleman said one reason for the rising popularity is the success Hallmark Cards and American Greetings have had selling gift shopping bags.