Those companies who no longer innovate, die and those companies who accept the sub-standard norm will also die.

FORBES: Scared Stiff In Stocks Like JDSU, EMC And Citigroup

Even with the decline, bullish sentiment is just slightly beyond one standard deviation of its historical norm, making the current reading atypical, but still not an outlier.

FORBES: Investors Favor Energy, Health Care And Tech

The norm is an average, or a standard level.

CNN: To realize your potential, 'dare to be different'

Norm Duke had three consecutive 300s in a standard PBA Tour event in 1996, the PBA said Monday, but the performance didn't count as a 900 series because he ended one round with two perfect games and started the next round with the third.

NPR: North Carolina Man Rolls 1st PBA 900 Series

In the sense of project finance, and over standard time horizons, it is the norm rather than the exception that transport projects do not pay for themselves.

ECONOMIST: Letters

While fans of Manchester United or Liverpool would scorn at the renaming of Old Trafford as the Aon Arena or Anfield as the Standard Chartered Stadium, regular rechristening is the norm for the 18 Bundesliga teams.

CNN: Champions League final is shop window for 'Brand Germany'