satire

Satire means literary use of humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize someone or something to make a political point or statement.

Do not use satire in news writing, unless quoting a source. If quoting a source using satire, make sure to explain the use of satire and include any necessary explanations to make clear the irony or humor.

Satire is allowed in opinion columns, but columns must be clearly marked as satire.

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Scouting America

Formerly known as the Boys Scouts of America, Scouting America rebranded to Scouting America on the organization’s 115th anniversary, Feb. 8, 2025, to reflect that it is now welcoming all youth, not just boys. It was previously known as Boy Scouts of America.

Scouting America is headquartered in Irving, Tex. It oversees several types of programs that have local chapters or troops: Cub Scouts for kindergarten through fifth grade; Scouts for ages 11 to 17; Sea Scouts, for ages 14 to 20; Venturing, for ages 14 to 20; and Exploring, for ages 10 to 20.

Use Scouting America on all references when referring to the national organization in Irving, Tex. Use the troop or chapter name and number when discussing local troops or chapters. Be sure to differentiate programs when referring to a particular program and their participants.

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Section 14(c)

A law under the Fair Labor Standards Act that allows disabled workers to be paid less than minimum wage is colloquially called 14(c). The businesses that pay subminimum wages to disabled workers are sometimes called sheltered workshops. It can be found in U.S. Code Title 29, Section 214.

Although some states have eliminated the subminimum wages, the federal law rule in place, as does similar laws in most states.

The rule allows employers to apply for a certificate to pay employees a subminimum wage for manual labor people with certain developmental, intellectual, or physical disabilities. Those who support the sheltered workshop program contend that the program is intended to prepare disabled workers to integrate into the general workforce. Disability Rights advocates contend that the subminimum wages are demeaning and that many programs do not prepare workers — and most workers do not move on from the sheltered workshop to the general workforce.

Section 14(c) reads as follows:

(c) Handicapped workers

(1) The Secretary, to the extent necessary to prevent curtailment of opportunities for employment, shall by regulation or order provide for the employment, under special certificates, of individuals (including individuals employed in agriculture) whose earning or productive capacity is impaired by age, physical or mental deficiency, or injury, at wages which are—

(A) lower than the minimum wage applicable under section 206 of this title,

(B) commensurate with those paid to nonhandicapped workers, employed in the vicinity in which the individuals under the certificates are employed, for essentially the same type, quality, and quantity of work, and

(C) related to the individual’s productivity.

(2) The Secretary shall not issue a certificate under paragraph (1) unless the employer provides written assurances to the Secretary that—

(A) in the case of individuals paid on an hourly rate basis, wages paid in accordance with paragraph (1) will be reviewed by the employer at periodic intervals at least once every six months, and

(B) wages paid in accordance with paragraph (1) will be adjusted by the employer at periodic intervals, at least once each year, to reflect changes in the prevailing wage paid to experienced nonhandicapped individuals employed in the locality for essentially the same type of work.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), no employer shall be permitted to reduce the hourly wage rate prescribed by certificate under this subsection in effect on June 1, 1986, of any handicapped individual for a period of two years from such date without prior authorization of the Secretary.

(4) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to prohibit an employer from maintaining or establishing work activities centers to provide therapeutic activities for handicapped clients.

(5)(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection, any employee receiving a special minimum wage at a rate specified pursuant to this subsection or the parent or guardian of such an employee may petition the Secretary to obtain a review of such special minimum wage rate. An employee or the employee’s parent or guardian may file such a petition for and in behalf of the employee or in behalf of the employee and other employees similarly situated. No employee may be a party to any such action unless the employee or the employee’s parent or guardian gives consent in writing to become such a party and such consent is filed with the Secretary.

(B) Upon receipt of a petition filed in accordance with subparagraph (A), the Secretary within ten days shall assign the petition to an administrative law judge appointed pursuant to section 3105 of title 5. The administrative law judge shall conduct a hearing on the record in accordance with section 554 of title 5 with respect to such petition within thirty days after assignment.

(C) In any such proceeding, the employer shall have the burden of demonstrating that the special minimum wage rate is justified as necessary in order to prevent curtailment of opportunities for employment.

(D) In determining whether any special minimum wage rate is justified pursuant to subparagraph (C), the administrative law judge shall consider—

(i) the productivity of the employee or employees identified in the petition and the conditions under which such productivity was measured; and

(ii) the productivity of other employees performing work of essentially the same type and quality for other employers in the same vicinity.

(E) The administrative law judge shall issue a decision within thirty days after the hearing provided for in subparagraph (B). Such action shall be deemed to be a final agency action unless within thirty days the Secretary grants a request to review the decision of the administrative law judge. Either the petitioner or the employer may request review by the Secretary within fifteen days of the date of issuance of the decision by the administrative law judge.

(F) The Secretary, within thirty days after receiving a request for review, shall review the record and either adopt the decision of the administrative law judge or issue exceptions. The decision of the administrative law judge, together with any exceptions, shall be deemed to be a final agency action.

(G) A final agency action shall be subject to judicial review pursuant to chapter 7 of title 5. An action seeking such review shall be brought within thirty days of a final agency action described in subparagraph (F).

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Section 230

Section 230 of Title 47 of the U.S. Code outlines protection for private blocking and screening of offensive material. It is often called Section 230 for shorthand.

The law reads:

No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.

In 1996, Congress added Section 230 to Title 47, a mirror to a 1950s-era law that protected books sellers from being sued if a book sold within their store contained obscene, lewd, or offensive material. Section 230 protects online service providers of such spaces such as social media sites, message boards, and other interactive spaces on the internet from being sued if a user posts obscene, lewd, false, defamatory, or other offensive material. In other words, Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Gabb, etc. are not publishers of the content posted on them, and therefore cannot be held liable for what users post.

On first reference, use Protection for Private Blocking and Screening of Offensive Material, also known as Section 230. On subsequent references, use Section 230.

Also see Title 47.

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Seeing Eye Dog

Seeing Eye Dog is a registered trademark for guide dogs for people who are blind or have low vision trained by the nonprofit The Seeing Eye in Morristown, N.J. For dogs not specifically identified with a specific trademarked organization, use a general term such as guide dog, service dog or assistance dog, as appropriate.

Also see service animal.

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September 11th

On the first reference, use terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001. On subsequent references, use September 11th with the month of September spelled out. Do not use 9/11, as some screen readers may read this like 9-1-1, or Sept. 11, abbreviated like a date style.

For related places or events with proper names, such as the National September 11 Memorial and Museum or the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, follow proper name style.

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service animal

As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, a service animal is a dog individually trained to do a specific task for a person with a disability. While the ADA provides examples of such tasks — guiding a person who is blind, reminding a person to take medication, alerting a person of an impending seizure — a dog can be trained to do any specific task or tasks for a person who is disabled.

Service dogs can be trained by an organization or by an individual. Service dogs are not required to be registered, carry documentation, or wear an identification vest or tags of any kind but are afforded entry to public spaces under the ADA.

The ADA also includes a narrow provision for service miniature horses.

Some states have broader definitions of service animals than the ADA, but no state may have a narrower definition.

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service dog

A dog who provides a service or assistance in the broadest term, encompassing all types of guide dogs trained to guide blind and low vision people; hearing dogs trained to help deaf and hard of hearing people; and service dogs trained to perform a specific task or tasks for disabled people.

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shoo-in

An idiom for a likely winner of a race or competition, or for a person or thing who has a high chance of being chosen. The term comes from horse racing, but is often used in other situations, such as in politics or in job interviews. Shoo is spelled s-h-o-o, not s-h-o-e.

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slander

A type of defamation using speech, gesture, etc. Under the tort laws of defamation, it must cause harm to a person, company, or entity’s reputation.

Also see libel.

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