Morgan's Levee scored his maiden victory winning the Tremont July 22 but made a dismal return finishing last in the Futurity.

For shareholders, that is bad news, given that most mergers of the recent past are already producing dismal returns.

Voters in most of the 108 districts gave the Communists dismal returns, ranging from 25 percent down to 5 percent or lower.

Yet paradoxically, for all the fears of corporations sneaking into agriculture, dismal returns are the best protection family farms have.

Yet after months of dismal returns and the recent market jitters, hedge fund investors say they are grateful for some positive signs.

Of course, an extended period of dismal returns during any point in your career can inflict damage.

One obvious downside is that it has invited media scrutiny of the dismal returns in the post-dot-com years.

But the mini-series has also provided CBS with a welcome burst of spectacular ratings after a season and a half of dismal returns.

But economic woes in Asia also contributed to the dismal returns.

Gold funds produced dismal returns in the late 1990's, and there are few left devoted to the category.