61.   But the economic incentives to open are less strong this year than usual.

62.   But these are the Knicks, who seem to have more pity for the downtrodden this time of year than any social service worker.

63.   But to get so carried away as to suggest that anyone had a better year than Jordan is trying too hard to spread the wealth.

64.   But, security is a tougher sell this year than in the past.

65.   By most estimates, consumers are expected to spend and buy more this year than last.

66.   By some estimates, more people have joined Christian groups in recent years than have joined the Communist Party.

67.   Certainly no one had become better attuned to those vagaries in recent years than Grazer himself, although not for the reasons that have been discussed recently.

68.   China executes more people each year than the rest of the world combined, and the numbers are exceptionally high this year because of a nationwide anti-crime drive.

69.   China executes more people each year than the rest of the world combined, although the exact number is a tightly guarded state secret.

70.   Cigarettes kill more Americans each year than AIDS, alcohol, car accidents, murders, suicides, illegal drugs and fires combined.