1.   Profits dipped slightly last year.

2.   Although sales dipped slightly last month, it was from a record in June.

3.   Although death rates started to dip slightly last year, the rate of new cases has risen implacably for decades.

4.   Although new-car sales rose slightly last week, Japanese and luxury models were responsible.

5.   Another report showed that the number of new filings for jobless claims rose slightly last week.

6.   Behind the rosy editorials that support affirmative action, the number of African-American newspaper journalists declined slightly last year.

7.   Although death rates dipped slightly last year, the rate of new cases has risen implacably for decades.

8.   But Dutch emissions of carbon dioxide actually increased slightly last year, largely because of increased economic growth.

9.   Cherry Coke sales slumped slightly last year, according to Beverage Digest Editor and Publisher John Sicher.

10.   Cola production rose slightly last year only because it was the hottest summer on record.