Tall, silver-haired, and a touch overweight, he had become, over the years, a somewhat cynical observer of the political scene.

Or, in the eyes of more cynical observers, how far the district will go to protect the image of a prestigious school and avoid potential lawsuits.

Less cynical observers had difficulty deciding whether to be grateful or terrified.

Oscar Levant was among the more cynical observers.

"Nice arm," said one more cynical observer.

It was a performance that would make even the most cynical, hardened football observer simply say, "Wow."

A cynical observer might suspect him of masking power politics with religious rhetoric.

No wonder some cynical observers suspected a clever publicity ploy on the writer's behalf.

More cynical observers regarded this as a tactic to push the UK towards Meteor.

Protesting too much The cynical observer, however, might recall that the film in question was a tragedy, where the outburst made no practical difference at all.