One of Mr. Malkovich's most striking characteristics is his air of self-possession, a manner so assured that it seems to deflect the possibility of making any sort of a fuss over him.
THE GOOD CUISINE: 208 Recipes Easy and Inspired (Ici La Press, $30) features a tag-team assortment of recipes by both Alain Ducasse and the popular French cookbook writer Françoise Bernard, a sort of no-fuss French Julia Child.
All that plus the Next Stage Review of the NHS - and last month's review of its first year in action - was quite a challenge for a relative novice, one who had learned how tough politics can be during his earlier defusing (sort of) of the fuss over don't-call-them-polyclinics.
I had made a fricassee for a party of robust eaters and drinkers — just the sort of group worth a small fuss — but, victim to waves of hormonal nausea, I could not bring myself to eat anything but the dish's sauce and potatoes.
This sort of it's-a-silly-fuss-from-humourless-harpies-and-will-die-down attitude has probably helped in all sorts of corporate imbroglios, from the sale of novelty T-shirts that exhort men to Keep Calm and Hit Her and proclaim "I'm feeling rapey", to the case of Richard Scudamore, chief executive of the Premier League, using vile language to discuss women.
Yes, there was a need a crying need, in fact, for a decent sort of joint where folks could kick back with a minimum of fuss and fear.
This is, arguably, quite possible right now and the average tinkerer can, without much fuss, build some sort of firearm with a drill press, milling machine, and some steel.
"In most cases, when you're dealing with children this age, nobody is usually fussing about this sort of thing," Mr. Silverman said.
