Washington Post

The word "they" is displayed on a screen on Dec. 6, 2019, in New York. Merriam-Webster recently added a new definition to its online dictionary to reflect use of "they" as relating to a person whose gender identity is nonbinary.

Commentary: Merriam-Webster’s word of the year ‘they’ shows language serves all of us

December 18, 2019 at 9:47 p.m.

When I first got into the copy-editing racket, back in the early 1990s, writers, and thus copy editors, were vigorously wrestling with the longstanding and essentially rote use of the...

Forget the log cabin. Wood buildings are climbing skyward – with pluses for the planet.

December 18, 2019 at 5:40 p.m.

AMHERST, Mass. - Research assistant Conrado Araujo punches a key, mighty electromechanical motors surge, and a giant steel arm begins to bear down on a long wooden beam with thousands...

The best advice and apps for driving in bad weather

December 18, 2019 at 5:01 p.m.

Unless you enjoy living dangerously, getting behind the wheel in a winter storm probably isn't your idea of fun. To stay ahead of the weather, pack the right gear and...

Forget the log cabin. Wood buildings are climbing skyward – with pluses for the planet.

December 18, 2019 at 4:36 p.m.

Builders see it as a way to construct midrise structures faster and cheaper. City planners see a fast track that could help reduce housing shortages. Architects love its light weight...

The pros and cons of paper receipts vs. digital copies

December 18, 2019 at 4:03 p.m.

Like many soon-to-be empty-nesters, Vered DeLeeuw and her husband have been thinking about downsizing. Surveying her garage, DeLeeuw noticed boxes of documents, pay stubs, bills, credit card statements - 20...

Volar's house once stood on this now-vacant lot in Kenosha, Wis. It was torn down after it was damaged in the fire on June 5, 2018.

A Wisconsin man was charged with sexually abusing underage girls. Then, police said, one of them killed him.

December 18, 2019 at 5:42 p.m.

Metal cuffs strained against her ankles as she shuffled down the courthouse hallway. She passed her mother, who had grown used to seeing her teen daughter in a jail uniform....

Answers to questions about flying with your pet in the U.S.

December 17, 2019 at 8:46 p.m.

If you thought it was complicated to fly with your pet, you're right. For our furry friends, getting in the air is not as simple as buying a ticket and...

The demise of formal nights on cruises: How dress codes are tearing passengers apart

December 17, 2019 at 6:38 p.m.

Gerry Eggert has taken a lot of cruises in his 78 years. But the Chilliwack, B.C., resident has noticed something recently: People aren't dressing up like they used to. He...

Christmas geese and turkey feasts: Where to find festive in-flight meals this holiday season

December 17, 2019 at 6:38 p.m.

The holiday season is in full swing, and just like your neighborhood stores and car dealerships, airlines are getting into the festive spirit. Beyond the seat-back entertainment systems featuring movies...

A runaway dog was treated like a king by prison inmates until his owners were found

December 17, 2019 at 4:50 p.m.

An English setter named Soup was honing his quail-hunting skills Saturday when he was distracted by a scent. In the woods next to the pecan orchard where he was training,...

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