Word: harshness
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...Administration's moribund crime bill got some emergency treatment from three influential members of the Congressional Black Caucus who, though still opposed to the measure as it now reads because of its harsh death-penalty provisions, nevertheless agreed to help return the bill to the House floor for further debate. At week's end members of both parties were discussing a deal that would create a sexual-predator task force, make minor revisions in the measure's assault-weapons ban, and slash more than 10% of the bill's $33 billion funding...
Citadel stalwarts were deeply wounded. Said retired Lieut. Colonel T. Nugent Courvoisie, 77, immortalized as the Citadel's harsh taskmaster, the "Bear," in Pat Conroy's best seller The Lords of Discipline, last Wednesday: "That girl says she wants to come in and be one of the boys. But the minute she comes in, the atmosphere changes. She ruins the whole concept of getting everyone together and working on the same team." In fact, there may be some truth to claims by other traditionalists that once Faulkner is in, rather than playing by the Citadel's rules...
...cheerful movie in the series, Runaway Daughters, written by Charlie Haas, provides its own subversive commentary, lightheartedly undercutting a harsh plot about a girl (Julie Bowen) who believes herself pregnant and, in her search for the perpetrator, enlists the daring town rebel (Paul Rudd). How cool is this guy? "I like bein' bored," he mutters. The film also has a nice parody of the hectoring speech every movie parent had to endure in a '50s teen movie. "Do you people ever sit down and talk to your kids?" a righteous detective asks the frazzled moms and dads. "I mean, really...
...debate on Senate Democrats' health care proposal began in earnest with harsh partisan sniping on both sides. Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas) invoked the threat of a filibuster, calling the bill floated by Sen. George Mitchell (D-Maine) "anathema to everything I believe is right for America." This prompted Hillary Rodham Clinton to call Gramm a political opportunist "ranting and raving about socialized medicine." The bill calls for employer mandates as a backup measure and aims to cover 95 percent of the population. No vote is expected before next Wednesday...
Coed bands are creating some of the most interesting music around. Frente!'s debut, Marvin the Album, offers up incongruously ear-caressing melodies on harsh subjects ranging from El Salvador to manic depression. Hole's Live Through This features primal guitar riffs and high-IQ lyrics by Courtney Love (rocker Kurt Cobain's widow). Arrested Development's brand-new CD, Zingalamaduni, is smart, political hip-hop (one song deals with abortion). Says lead rapper Speech: "It's important to get men and women expressing themselves about issues together." Steve Yegelwel of Atlantic/Seed Records, a label with several coed bands, says...