31.   As a result, they have already raised short-term interest rates five times this year.

32.   Assistant Senate GOP leader Don Nickles of Oklahoma also said it is unlikely that there will be time this year for Congress to scrutinize and debate the far-reaching pact.

33.   At issue is whether rates should be raised for the second time this year to weed out inflation.

34.   At the moment Jones expects the Fed to raise rates two or three times this year.

35.   At least two dozen times each year, Death Valley, Calif., is the hottest place in the nation.

36.   At various times this year, news leaked that Bank of Boston was in discussions with CoreStates Financial Corp., Shawmut, and Mellon Bank.

37.   At tax time this year I intend to invest in an SEP-IRA account.

38.   Austin has exceeded acceptable pollution levels three times this year, as measured by revised air quality standards the Environmental Protection Agency issued last month.

39.   Baseball has proposed testing players three times each year and providing treatment programs for first-time offenders and discipline for repeat offenders.

40.   BEACH VOLLEYBALL is an Olympic sport for the first time this year.