It was a parlous time on the Continent, when Communists and fascists vied brutally for supremacy.
--Howard Simons, "Shots Seen Round the World," New York Times, September 22, 1985

The Crisis left Indonesia's state finances in such a parlous state that the government is now heavily exposed to future risks.
--Penny Crisp and Jose Manuel Tesoro, "The Buck Stops Here," Asiaweek, July 7, 2000