"Venezuela's clout on OPEC and on world oil prices has been greatly diminished because of its inability to exploit its enormous resources," said Michael Lynch, president of Strategic Energy and Economic Research, a consultancy.
"The percentage of chance diminishes because of it but because you've got a ticket you do have a chance.
If we are fortunate enough to see President Obama sign a bill into law within the next couple of months, rest assured that those whose bottom lines will diminish because of it will not stop at finding ways to gain additional revenues by gouging us.
But this leverage could soon be diminished because of concerns that it has been used too liberally to lock up low-level nonviolent offenders who face punishments that are much more severe than their crimes.
What he has done should not be diminished because of the sport he did it in, a sport which, by the way, requires just as much if not more dedication, strength, commitment, and talent to excel in than any other Olympic sport.
In the long run, the economic reasons for living in Alaska will likely diminish: Because of its geographic isolation and unique climate it is difficult to foresee Alaska as a place that thrives in the modern knowledge economy.
Urban was faced with three tasks: freeing the Kingdom of Sicily, a papal fief, from domination by the Hohenstaufen dynasty of the Holy Roman Empire; reasserting papal influence in Italy, where it had diminished because of Alexander's vacillation on the Sicilian problem; and restoring order in Rome, which suffered such civil unrest that Urban never resided there as pope.
UC officials also stress that the SAT's importance in UC admissions has diminished because of growing concerns about its usefulness and fairness.
Karen Dale, chief executive of Greater Southeast Community Hospital, said that while she was confident the quality of care had not been affected at her hospital, the number of patients it can care for has diminished because of the severe cash squeeze.
