U.S.: Now being allowed in all cases, including as a noun. This recognizes common usage and reality at a lot of publications compressing as much as they can to save space, but it still may take some time for ingrained copy editors not to reach for the change keys.

Last year AP dropped the language prohibiting U.N. as a noun; now it’s time to add the same direct guidance there. It’s also time for an entry that recognizes many publications also use state abbreviations as adjectives. Clarify their use, at least on domestic wires, and perhaps suggest proper articles in cases where the spelled-out name starts with a consonant sound but the abbreviation starts with a vowel sound, such as S.C. and S.D. Current practice of requiring state names to be spelled out as modifiers (and even, in many cases, as nouns) is losing favor.

Fundraiser, fundraising: Now one word in all uses, which ditches the confusing, hyphenated forms (fund-raising as an adjective and fund-raiser in all uses). Suggestion for AP: Also eliminate under way as two words; the distinction with the one-word form as applying to an underway ship is rapidly eroding. Do the same for work force. In fact, whenever possible eliminate such arcane items as “good will (n.) and goodwill (adj.).” Let the dictionary do most of the heavy lifting in all but the testiest of cases.

Best-seller: Now hyphenated in all uses, including the noun, as much of the world has already done. But why not go further and just use the first-listed spelling, bestseller, in Webster’s?

National Guard: This may be capitalized when referring to foreign forces as well as domestic. AP pretty much had to do this, as the Iraqi National Guard has been uppercased regularly.

Fatah: Recognizing the changing Middle East, this replaces the former Al Fatah entry that described the group as “a Palestinian guerrilla organization.” The new entry: “A secular political party and former guerrilla movement founded by Yasser Arafat that has dominated Palestinian politics since the 1960s.”

I think it’s time AP gave in on al-Qaida as well. Goldstein puts forth a very cogent reason for why AP picked this style. I agree with him. Unfortunately, much of the journalism world does not, including a good-sized chunk of what comes down the AP wire. So give copy desks a break and bow to the wider usage of al Qaeda

Sears Holding Corp.: The old Sears, Roebuck and Co. passed into retailing lore at the end of March with its merger with Kmart (which retains its stylebook entry that now refers to this one).

Doug Fisher, a former AP news editor, teaches journalism at the University of South Carolina and can be reached at fisherdj@mailbox.sc.edu or 803-777-3315.