Word: spinelessness
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...storytellers cue you to wonderment in their adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. Ariel is a mermaid princess with a teenager's yen to travel beyond her world and become part of the forbidden one above. To her father, King Triton of the Mer-people, humans are "spineless, savage, harpooning fish eaters." To Ariel they are skyrockets and sea chanteys and buried treasure -- the thrilling unknown. Then she spies hunky, lonely Prince Eric, and it's impossible love at first sight. For Eric, when he is saved by the mermaid and nursed by her caressing song...
...aristocracy so decadent that its hypocrisy has infected the servant class as well. It has been argued that Strindberg is a misogynist who places too much of the blame on Julie and punishes her too harshly. But Jean proves to be just as manipulative--and ultimately, just as spineless--as Julie. Social entropy reduces them both to something less than human...
...Canterbury, Robert A.K. Runcie, since 1980 Primate of All England and spiritual leader of the world's 65 million-member Anglican Communion (including U.S. Episcopalians). The Archbishop, a decorated tank commander in World War II who earned the name "Killer Runcie," was characterized in Crockford's as a spineless churchman who evinces no "clear basis for his policies other than taking the line of least resistance on each issue...
Then came the hypnotic voice of Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini, 87, still the country's supreme leader. Speaking in fierce whispers over nationwide radio, Khomeini first lashed out at the "inept and spineless" Saudi Arabian royal family. But he placed the blame for the bloody deaths in Mecca squarely on the U.S., still the "Great Satan" in the eyes of the fevered Iranian nation, and vowed vengeance. Promised Khomeini: "God willing, at the opportune time we shall deal with...
...final days, the campaign also grew ugly. Kinnock called Thatcher a "would-be empress" surrounded by "spineless sycophants and doormats." Thatcher responded, "They are accusing us of having the guts and spine to put our policies forward." Both candidates traded charges about who would run the country's economy, schools, housing and National Health Service better. Thatcher, for example, defended private health coverage as "absolutely vital," so that she could go to the hospital "at the time I want and with the doctor I want." Michael Meacher, Labor's chief health spokesman, called that a "callous, inhumane and selfish" stance...