Word: norms
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...because dourness is effective politics. In Minnesota, former SNL comic Al Franken hit trouble in his Senate race because of the dark legacy of his past: not drug use or infidelity but a joke he made in 1995 about 60 Minutes' Andy Rooney being a rapist. His opponent, Norm Coleman, and Coleman's surrogates jumped on the joke, accusing Franken of thinking rape is funny...
...office made 70 recommendations to intensify FAA inspections. The NTSB weighed in too, pointing out that a 1988 crash that killed 12 people might not have happened if the FAA had been more meticulous in inspecting the airline and its pilots. Unfortunately, slipshod review of aircraft is the norm, not the exception...
...Beijing's air should vastly improve in the final run-up to the Games. That will be good news for the country's reputation and a successful event. However, the solution is only a quick fix; once the controls are lifted, Beijing will most likely return to its smoggy norm...
...perfect, of course. But they grade on a curve. Partly that's because they generally take a dimmer view of human nature than do their counterparts on the left. When evaluating America, they're more likely to remember that for most of human history, tyranny has been the norm. By that standard, America looks pretty good. Conservatives worry that if Americans don't appreciate--and celebrate--their nation's past accomplishments, they'll assume the country can be easily and dramatically improved. And they'll end up making things worse. But if conservatives believe that America is, comparatively, a great...
...glad-handing and stroking that come naturally to politicians are not the norm for more buttoned-down military officers. They've spent years smartly saluting and being saluted, issuing and carrying out orders. That's probably not the best prep for a role in which persuasion and cajolery are vital. But none of that dims the luster a former general or admiral can bring to a ticket. Officers tend to be mediagenic: slender, ramrod straight and well spoken, especially on foreign policy matters. (Well, there was the exception of the late James Stockdale, Ross Perot's running mate...