W O RDS
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“It’s worth noting that Forbes caught quite a bit of flack because its article posted numerous incorrect population figures for the various cities when compared with the latest Census counts.” Old-time copy editors insisted that flak was the word that means “criticism; hostile reaction.” Flak originally was World War II slang for anti-aircraft fire, derived, according to Paul Dickson’s “War Slang,” from “the German Fliegerabwehrkanone (a gun used to drive off aircraft).” By extension, flak came to mean verbal enemy fire too. Random House more or less agrees with Dickson on the origin of flak, but it also says that flack is now an acceptable alternate spelling. Flack originally was a “sometimes disparaging” slang term for a publicist, a PR man. The same copy editors who insisted on the flak spelling for “abuse” were scornful of flacks, largely because the flacks made more money than the editors. Random House says that flack dates from 1935-40 — making it the same age as flak — and is “said to be after Gene Flack, a movie publicity agent.” A news magazine reported that an actor slapped a Ukrainian journalist who’d tried to kiss him and then said
“He’s lucky I didn’t sucker punch him.” A drama review in the same issue said: “High-concept versions DOUG of Shakespeare SMITH dougsmith@arktimes.com don’t always succeed, but once this one gets rolling, you’ll feel it like a sucker punch.” As every storm became a firestorm, and every start a jump start, it now seems that every punch is becoming a sucker punch. That term used to be applied exclusively to a sneak attack, a punch thrown while the other party was unsuspecting, maybe even reaching out to shake hands. Now, even a punch thrown in heated battle might be called a sucker punch, and the term seems to refer to severity as much as surprise. The on-line Urban Dictionary says that a sucker punch “primarily involves a closed fist contacting the soft underbelly of a person (beneath the rib cage) at a high velocity, causing the ensuing force to press upward on the victim’s diaphragm, leading to a sudden expulsion of air from the victim’s mouth and lungs. This opening blow leaves the victim open to various other attacks …”
WEEK THAT WAS
LADIES DIAMOND DIG KICKS OFF TRAVS
It was a good week for…
“WELCOME TO SUMMER” HOMESTAND!!
THE OXFORD AMERICAN. The literary magazine won a $290,000 grant to transform its new headquarters on Main Street (where Juanita’s restaurant was once located) as a place for the arts, built around a branded restaurant featuring Southern cooking. More on page 12.
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JUNE 13, 2012
ARKANSAS TIMES
A MOMENTOUS JUDICIAL DECISION. Federal Judge Robert Dawson struck down a state law that bars interdistrict public school transfers based on race. Specifically, the law prevents a student transfer to a district with a greater percentage of students of the transferring student’s race. The case arose in Malvern, where whites were seeking to transfer to the virtually allwhite Magnet Cove, a move prohibited by a 1989 state law. Dawson seemed to hold the door open to a consideration of race, but said it couldn’t be the sole determinant, and he refused to approve a transfer for the families seeking them. Invalidation of the entire law brings into question the 15,600 students, about three-fourths of whom are white, currently attending school outside their districts. ENDORSEMENTS OF THE ETHICS CAMPAIGN. The Better Ethics Now Committee announced that former Lt. Gov. Bill Halter and Lisenne Rock-
efeller, widow of Lt. Gov. Winthrop Paul Rockefeller, had joined the bipartisan committee to help the drive to get the Regnat Populus 2012 ethics initiative on the ballot. Others who’ve added their support: Democratic Party Chair Will Bond, Republican Party Chair Doyle Webb, Rep. Jim Nickels, Sen. Gene Jeffress. Still, getting 63,000 signatures of registered voters by July 6 will be an uphill battle.
It was a bad week for… DREAMLAND ACADEMY. The Board declined to renew the charter for the 300-student charter school on Geyer Springs. Its scores are near the bottom in the state, but deficiencies were noted operationally as well. The school pleaded that it started with the most at-risk students and had done well given the difficulties it faced. But Education Director Tom Kimbrell said an audit by outsiders of the school had been “troubling.” The Board voted without dissent not to renew the charter, which expires June 30. LITTLE ROCK FOODIES. Lee Richardson, the acclaimed executive chef at the Capital Hotel, has left the hotel. He was a regional finalist in the annual James Beard competition for the country’s top chefs. His leadership made the Capital Hotel a culinary destination. More on page 40.