1.   Arizona Senator John McCain bustled from town hall to town hall, continuing the string of local meetings with voters that are the foundation of his campaign here.

2.   Assault was her third, and he too, looked as though he would continue the string of bad luck.

3.   Bank shares surged after Chase and Chemical announced the largest U.S. bank merger agreement ever, continuing a string of bank combinations.

4.   But as the alliance continued its string of successes against the Taliban regime Tuesday, it was clear that change would come slowly to towns like Dashti Qala.

5.   But skeptics question whether EMC can continue its string of successful quarters indefinitely.

6.   Continuing its string of small acquisitions in contiguous banking markets, UMB Financial Corp. has agreed to acquire Oklahoma City-based First Sooner Bancshares Inc.

7.   Davis continued a string of eight consecutive winnable outings from starting pitchers.

8.   It was not enough that IBM continued its string of double-digit earnings gains in the quarter, despite its sales problems.

9.   It would also continue a string of big acquisitions for the company.

10.   Just this week, Triton Energy Ltd., a Dallas firm, said it found a major oil deposit in Colombia, continuing its string of successes.