Word: downplayed
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...surrounding buildings, the crowd howled, "Biermann, Biermann"-referring to Poet-Balladeer Wolf Biermann, one of many dissident East German artists and intellectuals who have been forced into exile (TIME, Oct. 3). More menacingly, the rioters began to chant, "Russians out! Russians out!" East German officials were unable to downplay the riot, which was seen by some Western diplomats. Eyewitnesses reported that one policeman was stabbed to death and another killed when rioters beat him on the head with a beer crate during the three-hour melee. At least 200 young people were injured, and 700 others were held by police...
Belarus salesmen downplay the origin of the tractors (though it is hardly a secret: name plates, partly in Cyrillic lettering, identify them as MADE IN THE U.S.S.R.) and often counsel reluctant customers that "it's better to trade than to shoot." Nonetheless, Chambers admits that some farmers simply refuse to consider buying "Commie tractors." Others find that practical considerations outweigh ideology. At prices typically ranging from $4,600 to $12,000, Belarus' line of five models undersells its American rivals by anywhere from 15% to 20% or more. The Soviet tractors, made in plants in Minsk, Kharkov, Lipetsk...
...last March, and warm ones with four key Arab leaders: Egypt's Anwar Sadat, Syria's Hafez Assad, Jordan's King Hussein and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Fahd. Despite serious and perhaps insurmountable policy differences with Israel, Administration officials are doing their best to downplay the prospect of a clash between Carter and Begin. "There will be significant differences of opinion," says one official involved with the advanced planning, "but they are not going to be throwing chairs at each other...
...only one officer in a patrol car instead of two. Letteri would like the department to reduce each officer's shift from eight hours to six and to increase shift overlaps--a move he says would allow the police to offer a more adequate level of protection. The officers downplay their own interests in asking for the change; as one said, "We don't give a shit about this increased workload on us--we're not cry-babies. But how the hell are we going to be able to do a decent job with so few guys...
During the fracas, CB Fan Johnny Bench used radio jargon to downplay the importance of short wave in baseball. Said Bench: "It still comes down to the fact that someone has to throw the ball, someone has to hit it, and someone has to catch it. Do you copy, good buddy?" In the 1976 World Series, the Cincinnati Reds proved that they throw and hit and catch well enough to be copied into baseball lore...