Word: shifting
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Dates: during 1990-1990
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Annual "bests" and "mosts" express a human instinct for putting things in order. This year's crop also reflects a shift from a time of ostentation to one of restraint, unease and do-goodism -- plus flashes of camp and cheekiness...
...proposed shift in education policy will aid a radical transformation of Kuwait's economy. As oil is a nonrenewable resource, Kuwait's leaders are eager for their country to develop in new directions. "We can become the Route 128 of the Middle East," says Fawzi al-Sultan, referring to Boston's beltway dotted with high-tech managerial and consulting firms. "We can be the financial brains behind industrial enterprises in the rest of the gulf and in the Arab world at large. As our ancestors were often away as merchant traders, so large numbers of us can be working abroad...
Among the most significant developments has been a major shift in attitude by several international corporations. Companies that in the past had an adversative relationship with conservation groups have begun to take actions that are more than public relations. Following the lead of H.J. Heinz's StarKist Seafood Co., major American tuna canners voluntarily decided to stop buying fish from fleets that carelessly kill dolphins and other marine mammals. McDonald's addressed a major solid-waste problem by switching from polystyrene to paper wrappings for its fast foods. Conoco decided to use double-hulled tankers in an effort to reduce...
While many experts still express skepticism, there has been a definite shift of attitude in the scientific community about the possible health effects of electromagnetic fields, as a recent series in Science magazine made clear. "In the 1970's ((the link)) seemed absurd," the articles concluded. "Now it's a legitimate open question...
Meanwhile, ordinary citizens can exercise what is called prudent avoidance -- doing relatively easy things to minimize a possible risk. This is not the time to sell, tear apart or rebuild a home. But it might make sense to shift a child's bed away from the electric line that brings power to the house. Or to move the telephone answering machine away from the head of the bed. It isn't hard to take a step back from the TV or computer screen, and it could make a big difference in the long...