Several general managers who did attend privately criticized their absentee competitors.

But the Heat president and coach has decided to take a more sensitive approach to publicly and privately criticizing his players.

Although open dissent is still prohibited, citizens privately criticize the Government in ways that would have been unthinkable 25 years ago.

For months, airline executives have privately criticized the loan board for dragging its feet.

And one or more board members have privately criticized all five of the others - but not Mr. Gifford.

While some Gazans privately criticized the attack, the mainstream Palestinian leadership did not.

But he, like others, criticized only privately.

A number of them have privately criticized Governor Cuomo for not doing enough to convey the state's interests and priorities.

City officials privately criticized the panel's expected award as too generous, while one union official faulted the panel for including productivity concessions.

Mr. Snow, who has talked with executives and lobbyists opposed to the plan, has privately criticized it along similar lines, officials said.