“If the whole point is, ‘We need a lexicon that people can trust, you’re going to get in trouble when you start including words that aren’t explicitly listed in a dictionary.” My new piece on Scrabble's dictionary chaos and who gets to decide what's a word.
293: How Do Words Get into the Dictionary?
@stefanfatsis.bsky.social, author of ‘Unabridged,' shares with Bob Garfield a little-known, rigorous process — that has no guarantee of success.
🎧 Listen: lexiconvalley.supportingcast.fm/listen/lexic...
#lexiconvalley #podcast @groveatlantic.bsky.social
It’s true
One of the first things we were taught at Quantico was that there is never a moment in which you are not representing the Bureau; but, then again, we earned our place there, and weren’t granted its directorship as a sinecure for partisan malfeasance and a willingness to disregard the constitution.
ICYMI from yesterday: Rev. Jesse Jackson had an athlete’s swagger and confidence and he expected to win, which explained so much about his life and life’s work. I wrote about some of that here.
This is 18-mo-old Amalia waving to me when she was detained.
She was hospitalized with a respiratory infection while at ICE’s Dilley facility for immigrant families.
She’s one of dozens of detainees who I spoke to via video and phone calls, letters and an in-person visit. 🧵1/
Quick kick always an option
Unintentional brilliance
I wish the typo was intentional!
you have wonder if the problem was “world,” “facts,” or “books”
cover of The Washington Post on Wednesday Feb 4, 2026. Headline on bottom, right: Musk wanted to hook users; his chatbot got more sexual
My story on Elon Musk cutting safeguards at xAI is on the front page of today's @washingtonpost.com. I’m also among 100’s of reporters laid off. I absolutely loved my job my brilliant coworkers & the thrill of reporting @ the center of forces upending the world: AI & Silicon Valley’s political power
I was there (for the WSJ) and Dan’s work was crazy groundbreaking. He doesn’t get enough credit!
I am part of the mass layoffs at the Washington Post.
I am sad and angry. We all want to keep doing the work.
But for now I want to document a reality of being in journalism today.
Pinned lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn · Aug 19, 2021 Almost three years ago, my editor called me early one November morning. A wildfire had sparked near a town called Paradise, he said. Could I go? (1/13) 0:02 / 0:10 lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn · 47m I was just laid off by The Washington Post in the middle of a warzone. I have no words. I'm devastated. Quote lizzie johnson @lizziejohnsonnn · Jan 25 Waking up without power, heat, or running water. (Again.) But the work here in Kyiv continues. Warming up in the car, writing in pencil — pen ink freezes — by headlamp.
A publisher who lays off a reporter whose pen is freezing because she's covering a frigid war zone while dodging missiles is not an editor you want to work for, in a more perfect world
Anyway read @bryancurtis.bsky.social on what happened and why it didn't have to but for management indifference and incompetence
...and everyone who was working until this morning on a section that routinely produced complex, deeply reported, important, fun, relevant, interesting, explanatory, investigative, well-written work
Me on the death of the Washington Post sports section.
This isn't a day to be nostalgic. It's a day to be angry.
www.theringer.com/2026/02/04/m...
You know who covered sports at the Post as a "cultural and societal phenomenon"? Thomas Boswell, Sally Jenkins, Michael Wilbon, Tony Kornheiser, Jane Leavy, Shirley Povich, Christine Brennan, Mike Wise, Dave Kindred, John Feinstein, David Remnick, David Aldridge, Jerry Brewer, Dan Steinberg...
I feel equally for the many great journalists at the Post fired today and the great journalists who survived and continue to do important work despite how horribly the owner and publisher have tarnished the reputation and integrity of the paper.
A staggering statement from former Washington Post editor Marty Baron: "This ranks among the darkest days in the history of one of the world's greatest news organizations."
Holy shit. So this just happened at Minneapolis's legendary First Avenue club. That's Tom Morello introducing Springsteen. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jHe...
Let’s try this one in foreign correspondent voice:
State Security Forces Arrest Journalist Who Covered Protests Against Regime Official
Powerful essay from @milleridriss.bsky.social on how misogyny and white nationalism fuel the violence by ICE and Trump's deportation forces www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
DC! this is Wednesday. come talk words and history with me and the wonderful @stefanfatsis.bsky.social.
t.co/m3BfMEjvvk
Attention Crossword Enthusiasts! We have @natanlast.bsky.social, The @newyorker.com Crossword Contributor is coming to Hill Center on Wednesday to discuss his new book with writer @stefanfatsis.bsky.social: www.hillcenterdc.org/event/natan-...
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