The stimulus plan, most economists believe, was essential, and it has ameliorated the bleak jobs picture.
Mr. Netanyahu's string of conditions for a Palestinian state do seem to have ameliorated opposition from the Israeli right.
The courts have done their job – over time, they have ameliorated the worst elements of the control order system – but that is not enough.
In some cases, with a judicious combination of industrial action and negotiation, the NUJ has ameliorated some of the effects of cost-cutting.
Says James: "I think Berlin was at a disadvantage for a while, when everyone was holding their films back for Cannes, but that has ameliorated over the last few years".
"The high productivity numbers have ameliorated concerns for inflation for the time being," Thomas Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, said late last month.
The apparent success of a new form of therapy is indeed a "cheering message for families", but there have always been good child-therapist interactions that have ameliorated the autism condition (Autism trial reports improved behaviour, 26 October).
But as Missouri attorney general, Mr. Ashcroft opposed a court-approved voluntary desegregation plan for St . Louisand failed to come up with an alternative that would have ameliorated the segregated conditions.
Various measures such as legislation, survivor or victim support services, and individual counselling have ameliorated some of the impacts of violence but how can violence be prevented in the first place?
None of these alternatives would cancel out the effect of the dispute - but a combination of foresight and backbone would at least have ameliorated the effect of the industrial action.
