Hey Mister!

I don't read The Wall Street Journal and I don't think I would wrap fish in it, either, but I have to give them this credit: Their editor-in-chief, Emma Tucker, is changing the way they write about people. Ms Tucker said the bible of capitalism is "dropping the routine use of honorifics, or courtesy titles.” 

That means they will no longer preface someone's name with titles such as Mr. or Ms. in news stories. After the first time they name someone who just embezzled 35 million dollars from a widow-and-orphans trust fund, just their surname will do.

Tucker (notice, I stopped calling her "Ms") says, “The Journal has been one of the few news organizations to continue to use the titles, under our long-held belief that Mr., Ms. and so forth help us maintain a polite tone. However, the trend among almost all newspapers and magazines has been to go without, as editors have concluded that the titles in news articles are becoming a vestige of a more-formal past, and that the flood of Mr., Ms., Mx. or Mrs. in sentences can slow down readers’ enjoyment of our writing.”

And what's more, "Dropping courtesy titles is more in line with the way people communicate their identities. It puts everyone on a more-equal footing.”

Here's Tucker, headed to work with cellphone, lunch, topcoat, and coffee.

Most newspapers and news organizations in general, such as The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, USA Today and The Associated Press, do not use those titles.

The New York Times will continue to use Mr Ms Mrs Mx for news stories, but not for sports stories, which will make it possible to read on page C-1 that a certain wide receiver named "O'Hoolahan" caught four touchdown passes on Sunday, and then on the front page that "Mr. O'Hoolahan" was charged with four counts of handgun possession and aggravated battery that same Sunday. 

Thank you, Ms Tucker.  I mean, Emma.