"to spin"

[Gerald Cohen]

      In reply to  Paul McFedries'  query today about "spin,' I have a lead:

    _Wall Street Journal_, June 1, 1998,  sec. A, p.18/3-5; article title:
"''Spin Doctors' Practie Public Relations Quackery," by Robert L.
Dilenschneider. ----This artic le says in part:

     "The term 'spin' was coined by Time magazine in 1988, and it referred
then to the ability of politicians to position themselves cleverly on
complex and controversial issues.  In today's parlance, spin stands for
fabrication:  Spin doctors try to alter the facts through a deliberate and
reckless disregard for the truth."   [etc. etc. etc. ]

----Gerald  Cohen

>Today's Word Spy word is "Zen spin", which I defined simply as "To spin
>a story by not doing any spinning at all." I found it in George
>Stephanopoulos' fun book "All Too Human." (He also provided me with a
>citation for the term "tick-tock": "A news story that recounts events in
>chronological order.")
>
>This got me thinking about the verb "to spin." While waiting for the
>RHHDAS Volume III to come out, can someone shed some light on the
>origins of this verb? (Or point me to a source of light.)
>



gcohen at umr.edu