Despite the strong start, the team played poorly in May and June and entered the All Star break at 47 – 48, still leading the NL West.

Despite the party's weaknesses, Sinclair gained a high profile as he sought to recall the Midlothian Campaign and once more revitalise the Liberals as the party of a strong foreign policy.

Despite a strong lineup anchored by the potent Lajoie and Shoeless Joe Jackson, poor pitching kept the team below third place for most of the next decade.

Despite the potential for a financially strong owner, Stouffer had some non-baseball related financial setbacks and, consequently, the team was cash-poor.

Despite the comparative obscurity of the kingdom, there were strong connections between Essex and the Kentish kingdom across the river Thames which led to the marriage of King Sledd to Ricula, sister of the king, Aethelbert of Kent.

Despite strong government measures, tension continued to grow, and Carías was ultimately forced to release some prisoners.

Despite the downturn, Hong Kong ’ s economic strengths, including a sound banking system, virtually no public debt, a strong legal system, ample foreign exchange reserves, rigorous anti-corruption measures and close ties with the mainland China, enable it to quickly respond to changing circumstances.

Despite his aping of Fascism, and the strong economic ties with resurgent Nazi Germany, Metaxas followed a policy of neutrality, given Greece's traditionally strong ties to Britain, reinforced by King George II's personal anglophilia.

Despite this, the strong claims made by the doctrine of human rights continue to provoke considerable skepticism and debates about the content, nature and justifications of human rights to this day.

Despite strong Italian influence, Zog refused to completely give in to Italian pressure.

Despite the formal disapproval of religious authority, the segregation of women in Muslim societies and the strong emphasis on male virility leads adolescent males and unmarried young men to seek sexual outlets with boys younger than themselves — in one study in Morocco, with boys in the age-range 7 to 13.

Despite strong economic and cultural ties with Thailand, parts of the border shared by the two countries are indefinite.

Despite coup attempts in 1980, 1983, and 1988, Gayoom's popularity remained strong, allowing him to win three more presidential terms.

Despite achieving independence in 1956, Morocco still has a strong relationship with its former colonizers.

Despite a strong push in the middle of the 2007 season, winning five straight games, the Vikings lost their final two games to finish the season at 8 – 8, missing the playoffs.

Despite its strong Australian showing, and having an American producer ( Peter McIan ), Business as Usual was twice rejected by Columbia's parent company in the United States.

Despite a strong Presbyterian presence on its campus, Occidental cut ties to the church in 1910.

Despite its criticisms, though, realism has strong defenders.

Despite numerous requests by Abdullah bin Jassim — for strong military support, for weapons, and even for a loan — the British were reluctant to become involved in inland affairs and kept him at arm's length.

Despite not selling as well as its predecessor, the album boasted several strong singles, including " Run's House ", " Beats to the Rhyme ", and " Mary Mary.

Despite his pragmatic acceptance of the new power balance in the Pacific after World War II and his strong support for the American alliance, he publicly professed continued admiration for links with Britain, exemplified by his admiration for Queen Elizabeth II, and famously described himself as " British to the bootstraps ".

Despite the global financial crisis, the South Korean economy, helped by timely stimulus measures and strong domestic consumption of products that compensated for a drop in exports, was able to avoid a recession unlike most industrialized economies, posting positive economic growth for two consecutive years of the crisis.

Despite these expansions, some still felt copyright was not a strong enough regime.

Despite the work of the 1400 strong Iraq Survey Group in post-war Iraq, no evidence of actual WMD capability has so far been uncovered ; according to its final report in September 2004.

Despite his apprehensions about his personal safety, Palfrey's reception in New Orleans was more than cordial.

Despite its many faults, the wheellock was a significant improvement over the matchlock in terms of both convenience and safety, since it eliminated the need to keep a smoldering match in proximity to loose gunpowder.

Despite the prescribed safety of GET requests, in practice their handling by the server is not technically limited in any way.

Despite the protection offered by flight in controlled airspace under IFR, the ultimate responsibility for the safety of the aircraft rests with the pilot in command, who can refuse clearances.

Despite these safety improvements, RBMK reactors are still considered one of the most dangerous reactor designs in use.

Despite these findings, as of 2006, the FDA stated its belief that " the levels of benzene found in soft drinks and other beverages to date do not pose a safety concern for consumers ".

" And in a June 2009 article published in the Journal of ECT, Iranian researchers observe that, " Despite the wide consensus over the safety and efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy ( ECT ), it still faces negative publicity and unfavorable attitudes of patients and families.

Despite its promise of nuclear safety, SDI was described by many of its critics ( including Soviet nuclear physicist and later peace activist Andrei Sakharov ) as being even more dangerous than MAD because of these political implications.

Despite the introduction of various safety measures ( back-up power generators, evacuation plans, etc.

Despite the amount of waterfront property and the number of boaters coming from Sunapee, the fire department does not have a public safety diver.

) Despite its menacing look, this prison's safety is minimal: most prisoners escape at will and some of them even have the gall to escape, commit a crime and return to their cell for dinner and sleep.

Despite the protection and safety regulations, the rattan still occasionally causes pain or injury, such as a blow landing where it wasn't intended, i. e. the underarm or other parts that are generally not or difficult to cover with armor.

Despite these safety precautions, the ski racing community is well aware of the inherent risks in Downhill skiing, for it is possible for racers to suffer serious injury or death while practicing or competing.

Despite the brutality Lamb got along well at Christ's Hospital, due in part, perhaps, to the fact that his home was not far distant thus enabling him, unlike many other boys, to return often to the safety of home.

Despite safety features and protective clothing, injuries can still arise from chainsaw use, from the large forces involved in the work, from the fast-moving, sharp chain, or from the vibration and noise of the machinery.

Despite this, Drew Field set a safety record for the Third Air Force in 1945 after 100, 000 flying hours had been completed over a period of 10 months without a fatal incident.

Despite victories over Coventry City, Sheffield Wednesday and Fulham, the club needed four wins out of the last four games to have any hope of safety.

Despite questions about safety, Yan managed to sell a total of 31 high-speed quads in the United States and Canada.

Despite her protests, her father insists ; for her safety as well as that of the Winslow family.

Despite Carreidas's unreasonable behaviour, Tintin and his party finally reach relative safety inside the volcano's crater bowl.

Despite this, there was even an attempt by irate Marillion fans to set fire to the safety curtain during Cardiacs ' performance at the Manchester Apollo show on December 17.

Despite newer anaesthetic agents and delivery techniques, which have led to more rapid onset and recovery from anaesthesia, with greater safety margins, the principles remain.

Despite the improvement in diver safety provided by the more secure attachment of the breathing apparatus to the diver's face, some models of full face mask can fail catastrophically if the faceplate is broken or detached from the skirt, as there is then no way to breathe from the mask.

Despite the increase in size, stiffness, and safety equipment, the car's weight is similar to the previous generation.