21.   Creating one would be so costly that only a few companies could afford it.

22.   Companies can afford such direct Internet connections.

23.   Companies can afford to raise wages without raising prices if worker productivity -- the time, effort and cost of providing goods and services -- rises.

24.   Equality declined, Samuelson argues, because profit margins fell and companies could no longer afford to spread money around to make people feel good.

25.   Employers frequently respond to raise requests by agreeing that a worker is doing a good job but claim that the company cannot afford a raise, experts say.

26.   Few companies can afford to be truly paternalistic anymore, even if they wanted to be.

27.   Financially, the company can afford to stay on strike for as long as two years, Kornitzer said.

28.   He said the big cable companies can afford it but smaller players will be left behind.

29.   Hot dog companies can certainly afford high-priced pitchmen.

30.   If a lean HMO program is all the company can afford, the worker can look around for an employer offering better benefits.