11.   ...He could not think how to soften the blow of what he had to tell her.

12.   I want to recommend some positive changes to soften the blow.

13.   He had ducked enough to soften the blow, but even so he crumpled to the ground.

14.   Union leaders are meeting management tomorrow to try to find a way of softening the blow.

15.   But Chancellor Norman Lamont may try to soften the blow with a cut in interest rates.

16.   Being part of CandP has softened the blow because it has enabled many employees to switch to other growth areas of the chemicals business.

17.   An alliance of education groups is looking to Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe and other Republican moderates to soften the blow of the congressional budget ax on education funding.

18.   And he said the cap would include provisions to soften the blow to states in case of major population increases or economic downturns.

19.   And the blow was softened because it came during a month with five Fridays, so employees still received two full paychecks.

20.   Another concern is that the penalties would be tax deductible as a business expense, softening the blow felt by cigarette companies.