1.   All this deterioration takes place despite exercising from two to six hours a day while in space.

2.   Charismatic was gallant in defeat, pressing the early pace and staying on gamely for third place despite sustaining a cracked bone in his left front ankle.

3.   Dale Earnhardt Jr. took third place despite spinning out on his second qualifying lap, which is typically the faster of the two.

4.   Even in Florida, where the Panthers are in first place despite the absence of high-scoring Pavel Bure.

5.   In this upside-down fairy tale, the world is, for the most part, an ugly place despite its physical beauty.

6.   Moreover, those gains have taken place despite worsening troubles in Indonesia, leading some economists to talk of a decoupling of regional markets.

7.   No one is going to Ducks games and the Phoenix Coyotes are in first place despite playing through an epic soap opera that threatens to undo the team.

8.   Taking advantage of a depleted Big Eight, Iowa State coach Tim Floyd has the Cyclones in second place despite losing four starters....

9.   Strict water restrictions are still in place despite metro Atlanta having a rare rain surplus for the year.

10.   The rebound in domestic funds took place despite a weak U.S. dollar.