1.   Berlusconi decided to sell part of Fininvest to placate critics accusing him of using his media influence to further his political career.

2.   Hormel has taken several steps to placate his critics.

3.   It will be business as usual, not a muted meeting to placate the critics.

4.   That argument does not placate critics.

5.   That has not placated critics, including Beeby.

6.   The details of the cuts, announced last week, were designed to placate critics of its restrictive policies.

7.   The peace offer appeared partly intended to placate critics of the government offensive, particularly among moderate Tamil political parties that are represented in Parliament.

8.   As if the only things that matter are counteracting bad publicity and placating a few critics in Congress.

9.   But to placate foreign critics, he recently agreed to allowed foreign judges and prosecutors to participate.