Q:

CSS same style for a:link a:visited a:hover a:active, really have to write it all out 4 times

Ho ho,
When working with CSS. If the CSS style is the same for a:link a:visited a:hover a:active does one really have to write it out for times. Working with a custom link.
.DT_compare a:link {
    font-family:"Lucida Grande", Arial, sans-serif;
    font-size:11px;
    line-height:14px;
    font-weight:normal;
    font-style:normal;
    color:#EEE;
    text-align:center;
}

Any shortcuts?
Marvellous

A:

Just forget the pseudo-classes, and select only a:
.DT_compare a {
    font-family:"Lucida Grande", Arial, sans-serif;
    font-size:11px;
    line-height:14px;
    font-weight:normal;
    font-style:normal;
    color:#EEE;
    text-align:center;
}

This isn't a very specific selector though; if necessary you can find some other way to increase it so it overrules your a:hover and a:active selectors, or go with whoughton's answer instead and just specify all four of them.
Then again, if your main hyperlink styles apply to a:hover and a:active without anything before them, as long as you place your .DT_compare a rule beneath them it should work fine.

A:

I don't think you can do any shorter than:
.DT_compare a:link,
.DT_compare a:visited,
.DT_compare a:hover,
.DT_compare a:active, {
    font-family:"Lucida Grande", Arial, sans-serif;font-size:11px;line-height:14px;font-weight:normal;font-style:normal;color:#EEE;text-align:center; }

