Word: variants
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...obsession. From his first success (Picnic at Hanging Rock) to his last (Witness), Weir has been at pains to dislocate rationality, placing representatives of Western "civilization" in primitive contexts, where their normal habits of mind and behavior can only mislead them. Doubtless he saw Allie as a bracing variant on his favorite sort of central figure. Perhaps Weir saw in this sacred monster the makings of dark comedy; Allie is a compendium of the cliches of liberaloid social criticism, rich in potential self-parody. For besides creating an Eden for his family, Allie has another, grander dream: the construction...
...everyone will agree with this, but for the sake of argument let us stipulate that homosexuality and other variant forms of sex are distasteful and should generally be discouraged. Let us also stipulate that the kind of pornography that flourishes in most cities is also distasteful and to be discouraged. Now even if this were all true -- and a majority of Americans think it is -- does it mean that the forces of law and government should proclaim such sexual activities illegal and threaten all offenders with prison terms? More generally, does it mean that the permissiveness of the past...
...trigger the production of antibodies that protect the individual against AIDS; most AIDS patients have antibodies that, for some unknown reason, fail to protect them. And in light of the changeability of the AIDS virus, the vaccine would have to offer immunity against an almost infinite array of variant strains. No virus has presented vaccine makers with more formidable challenges. But given the lightning pace of discovery, says Essex, "we will likely know within a year or two whether or not a vaccine will be feasible...
...power of positive TV thinking is especially evident in the "faith message" or "prosperity Gospel," a major Pentecostal variant in the 1980s. Its chief exponent is Kenneth Copeland, 49, platform maestro of the bustling Eagle Mountain Chapel outside Fort Worth. Urging viewers to give a tenth of their income to the Lord, Copeland asks himself rhetorically, "Well, Brother Copeland, are you tithing to get?" His answer: "Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times yes! I want to get healed, I want to get well, I want to get money, I want to get prosperous!" Other advocates include Frederick Price...
...source of this opposition? This isn't as patently obvious a question as it first sounds. The most common rationale I've heard for not giving the President an honorary is that "he's not worthy of one." In answer to the query "Why?," I usually hear some variant of the theme "he's an enemy of higher education" (read "he's tried to cut student aid"). Never mind that Reagan is the premier politician of our times, with more practical knowledge of politics than any Harvard undergraduate Gov concentrator--he's still "unworthy" of a degree...