Yet piece by piece, and given the inevitable ups, downs and lacunas (a show five times the size would still only graze the surface of the talent that's out there), the individual choices are strong.

"Retirees thinking about heading down this road should make sure they have both the financial resources, and the time horizon, to ride out the inevitable ups and downs of a start-up," said Mr. Freedman, the author.

The basic plot of a Burroughs story is often complicated by the inevitable ups and downs of the lovers' courtship, obstacles that are finally overcome though not always in a completely happy way.

And Breeze's heart sank still lower as she reflected that if they were really penniless, an artistic career with its inevitable ups and downs would be quite out of the question.

The difficulty in sustaining its intensity through the inevitable ups and downs of governing shows the vulnerability in this model of twenty-first-century, Internet-based politics.

If you are willing to ride out the inevitable ups and downs in the market cycle for a decade or so, the chances are that you will be able to cash out at a handsome profit.

Does the fact that these phenomena are increasingly common not imply a return to the previous authoritarian regime rather than the inevitable ups and downs of a transition towards democracy?

If nothing else, Mr. Harlin is now able to view his life as narrative, with its inevitable ups and downs.

These two factors let him ride through the inevitable ups and downs of small stocks by keeping him focused on the long term.

Ms. Midler says she has finally gained confidence that her stardom can survive the inevitable ups and downs of life in the limelight.