Word: downrightness
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...love of actual risk, as opposed to the idea of risk, or the illusion of risk, is rare in human beings. In politicians it is downright freakish. But McCain has it, and it affects his political life in all sorts of ways, big and small. One small but revealing example: his speech announcing his presidential candidacy contained a line that began "I have passed from a young man to an old one in the service of my country." It was a throwaway line, a line McCain couldn't have cared less about. If the speechwriter had just discreetly crossed...
...They describe their various techniques for handling inquiries. From rude to downright wrathful, Harvard Natalies want revenge. "I write obnoxious replies to all the e-mails, which will probably get me killed one of these days," Natalie V. MacLean '03 penned to the group. "In a few of them I failed to mention I wasn't Natalie Portman, probably crushing their little hearts even more...
...speeches, Levin likes to tell listeners about a game that H.G. Wells invented called Cheat the Prophet. Here's how to play: gather the smartest group of futurists you can find, ask them to describe the future, proceed to go out and undertake everything the futurists consider unthinkable or downright laughable. That's been Levin's career--and Case's. For decades the idea that every home in America would be wired with cable--or connected to a subscription online service--seemed unreasonable and even laughable in many minds...
...messed up anyway, because Jesus was born 2,004 years ago. They celebrated because the most famous odometer mankind has ever created was displaying three zeroes in a row. It's exciting enough when it happens to your own car; when it happens to the world, it makes you downright giddy...
They keep trying. More than 4,000 people thronged to the school's parking lot on a chilly Thursday night for a long-planned concert, held to thank all the hospitals, churches, police and others who have helped Columbine recover. Despite the Internet threat, the mood was downright jolly. Principal Frank DeAngelis bunny-hopped with Snoopy. The crowd rocked when the band sang Noel to the tune of YMCA. Tim McLoone, president of Holiday Express, the concert's headline act, announced, "At 6:30 this morning they told me school was canceled. Do these people ever have a normal, dull...