Foundation Style Guide, Second Edition

1. Purpose and Authority

This guide governs all written communication issued by the Solar Save Foundation. It is maintained by the Office of Public Awareness under Vice President Gerald Fontaine, reviewed by General Counsel Charles W. Abernathy, and ratified annually whether or not it has changed. The Second Edition differs from the First Edition in no material respect. Standards of this importance deserve a second edition, and the Foundation has provided one.

2. Defined Terms

For the purposes of this guide, “the Sun” means the Sun. “The Foundation” means the Solar Save Foundation, written in full on first reference and with respect thereafter. “Present” means observed, or awaiting observation with the Foundation’s confidence. “Progress” means any activity that has been documented.

3. Capitalization

The Sun is capitalized in every position, including headlines, footnotes, tables, and internal correspondence, because lowercase treatment implies a category of suns and the Foundation serves exactly 1. The Moon is mentioned only when necessary, and it is rarely necessary. When the Moon cannot be avoided, it is capitalized as a courtesy, not an endorsement. Big Dark is capitalized because opposition research confirms it would prefer otherwise.

4. Approved Verbs

The Foundation advances, convenes, ratifies, documents, affirms, and sustains. Writers should select from the approved list according to the activity being described.

Verb	Approved Application
Advances	Initiatives, frameworks, and the 4.8 billion year plan
Convenes	Stakeholders, 14 times to date
Ratifies	Confidence levels, preliminary bucket renders, and this guide
Documents	Everything, which is the mission
Affirms	Positions already held
Sustains	The watch, the record, and the tone of this guide

The Foundation does not attempt, hope, or wait, and its writers should not either. The Sun rises. The Sun does not “come up,” which is casual, and does not “make it,” which implies doubt. In any document subject to legal review, the Sun “appears to be present,” a construction General Counsel has approved as protecting the Foundation without insulting the Sun.

5. Prohibited Words

The following words do not appear in Foundation materials under any circumstances: maybe, eventually, fine. “Maybe” concedes what the Foundation has already ratified. “Eventually” is the vocabulary of organizations comfortable with a 4.8 billion year deadline, and the Foundation is not comfortable, it is prepared. “Fine” describes neither the Sun nor the stakes, and has been retired without replacement.

6. Punctuation

The Foundation writes in periods and commas. Dashes are not used in any form, because the Foundation does not interrupt itself. Exclamation points are reserved for solar emergencies, and to date no event has qualified. Question marks are permitted in the FAQ, where they are contained.

7. Number Style

Administrative counts are exact. The Foundation maintains 27 strategic initiatives, has convened 14 stakeholder meetings, and has approved 3 preliminary bucket renders, of which the third is current. These figures may not be rounded, softened, or celebrated prematurely. Astronomical figures are rounded with courage. The scientific community estimates about five billion years of solar operation remaining, and writers should report this estimate calmly and move on. The Foundation’s own planning horizon of 4.8 billion years is an administrative figure and is therefore exact.

8. The Relationship

Writers must not state or imply that the Sun has acknowledged the relationship, responded to outreach, or expressed gratitude. The correct posture is institutional patience. Acceptable: the Sun has not yet commented. Unacceptable: the Sun is grateful. The distinction is legal, emotional, and permanent.

9. Revision History

Edition	Issued	Changes
First Edition	November 2025	Standards established
Second Edition	February 2026	Standards reaffirmed without alteration

Future editions will be issued as needed, and the Foundation has budgeted for many.