'Who's on First?' With Orange Vests

Headlines are hard enough to write without the morbidly comical complications of trying to convey the idea of a hunter (allegedly) going on a deadly shooting spree. (The alleged gunman? Well, no, of course he was a gunman. Six killed? Six what? Etc., etc.)

Tell Me Something I Don't Know

The context is clear, and, for that matter, readers aren't blank slates. Does anybody see the need for "former presidents" once, let alone twice, in this passage?

A president's approval rating is considered a key indicator of re-election chances. Former presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were re-elected with approval ratings in the mid-50s, and former presidents George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter lost when their ratings fell to 40 percent or below.

Some Things, You Just Have to Memorize

Here's one such pair: Longtime (adj.) is solid, but long-standing (adj.) is hyphenated.