News writers soon won’t be able to mention “manhole” in Berkeley, California. It will be a banned word, notes Grumpy Editor.
A manhole --- the opening to a confined space such as a shaft or utility vault --- is an access point for an underground public utility, allowing inspection, maintenance and system upgrades.
But in Berkeley, where the city council approved an ordinance eliminating gender-preference language in the municipal code, manholes starting in the fall will be termed maintenance holes.
It's among 40 gender-neutral terms:
“Sibling” will replace brother and sister.
"Human-made," "artificial" or "manufactured” will take the place of man-made.
“Human effort” will substitute for manpower.
Replacing gendered pronouns like "he" and "she" will be "they" or "them."
“Collegiate Greek system residences” will be the new identification of college sororities and fraternities.
IN CASE YOUR FAVORITE NEWS OUTLETS MISSED THESE...
Tiny print above beer reads "root"
BOY SELLING 'BEER' DRAWS ATTENTION. Police in Brigham, Utah responded to multiple calls that a young boy was selling ”ice cold beer” at the side of the road. Officers arrived on the scene and discovered the boy's sign had the word "root" in small print over "beer." Thus, root beer was okay. But the incident brought national attention.
ENTER MILITARY AT 16? There is a growing debate over whether the U.S. military --- in efforts to overcome one of the toughest recruiting environments in decades --- should consider lowering the minimum enlistment age to 16 from 17. That would place the age lower than it was during the height of World War II.
CAMBODIA NIXES U.S. WASTE. Cambodia seeks to return 1,600 tons of plastic waste in 83 containers dumped at its main seaport by the United States and Canada after Cambodia’s environmental ministry said the country should not be treated as a “dustbin” for foreign governments.
TOYS 'R' US RETURNING. Toys ‘R’ Us will be making a comeback in November at the Galleria in Houston and Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J. The initial stores will each be about 6,500 square feet, roughly a quarter the size of former stores.
PETTING CAT OR DOG LOWERS STRESS. Researchers from Washington State University in Pullman have found objective, physiological evidence that 10 minutes spent petting a cat or dog will lower stress levels.
737 MAX NAME CHANGE? Photos shared on Twitter show an aircraft in Ryanair colors outside Boeing's manufacturing base identified as a 737-8200 replacing the former name 737 Max. It fueled speculation that the troubled Max will be rebranded after two fatal accidents led to a worldwide grounding.
HIGHWAY PATROL RESCUES 250-POUNDER. California Highway Patrol came to the rescue of a 250-pounder wandering away from home and spotted on the side of the road in Santa Ynez. Turns out it was a tortoise --- which the CHP delivered to its worried owners.
GANNETT, GATEHOUSE DISCUSS COMBINING. Gannett Co., owner of USA Today, and Gatehouse Media, which owns many newspapers in small and midsize towns, are in "advanced talks to combine."
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