Editorials:

If Clinton had been facing a formidable Republican opponent – Ohio Gov. John Kasich, say – this would have been an entirely different general election. But she’s facing Trump. And that alone should make the decision as easy as pie.

On Election Day, the informed, practical, experienced, highly intelligent and reliable Clinton will be on the ballot against a huckster, an entertainer whose act, so distressing from its opening in June of last year, has been increasingly difficult to endure over the past 16 months.

What would be best for Clinton – and the nation – is a convincing win in which she handily dispatches Trump.

Ryan Lizza makes a good point:

Think of the decision from Comey’s perspective. He could either disclose the new development now and risk being accused of influencing the election, or he could keep quiet; then, when the news of Abedin’s laptop inevitably leaked, he could be accused of caving to Lynch and her staff and keeping the information from voters. If the news leaked after the election and after Hillary Clinton was President, Republicans would turn the non-disclosure into a monumental scandal and allege that Comey played a role in a Lynch-instigated cover-up. If Clinton were President, the ensuing scandal would taint her victory, with Republicans arguing that voters were kept in the dark about a major development in one of the central issues of the campaign.

Let’s hope this will be the case. Lizza concludes:

It’s far better for the public to have this information now than after the election. Perhaps it’s possible that this revelation will swing the election to Trump. But it seems highly unlikely. Clinton is still favored to win, and, if she does, Comey will have done her a favor.

Editorials:

This is the first time our editorial board has endorsed a Democratic presidential nominee since Jimmy Carter in 1976. Through the years, we evaluated nominees based on our support for reducing the national debt, strengthening national security and other conservative values. Those values compel us to endorse Mrs. Clinton this year.

Jeffrey Toobin:

Comey says that he didn’t “want to create a misleading impression,” but that’s precisely what he did. He had to know that his vague letter to Congress virtually demanded elaboration from “senior government officials,” who would apply their own gloss, in the form of leaks. The responsibility for the confusion sown by these leaks, if not for the leaks themselves, belongs only to Comey. If the outcome of the Presidential election turns on Comey’s action, that’s his burden, and the nation’s, too.

Comey had made a terrible decision to cover himself. He should resign.

I was not planning on voting early, but F.B.I. Director James Comey motivated me to get to poll. Yes, I cast my vote for Hillary regardless of the announcement yesterday. The email scandal is not going change my mind. Nothing in those emails could be more horrifying than witnessing Trump destroying this great country.

The stake in this election is dangerously high. If you are legible to vote, get to the pole early if you can. Don’t wait until November 8 to cast your ballot. It’s definitely a privilege to be able to vote in this country. Don’t take it for granted.

Now that I had done my duty as a U.S. citizen, I am just going to lie back and relax until November 8 for a historic moment.

To avoid sexism in writing, the grammar instructor advised us against using an exclusive gendered pronoun. She corrected me when I refer to an employee as a he instead of a he or she, which is too cumbersome. She pointed out that he would be correct if the company employed only male employees. Then I read this sentence in The New Yorker from Rebecca Mead:

The next President, whoever she is, will in any case have a smaller role to play in determining education policy than did her predecessor: the bipartisan Every Child Succeeds Act, which reduces the role of federal government in decisions related to schools, and grants larger autonomy to the states, was signed into law by President Obama almost a year ago.

Is Mead endorsing Hillary?

Editorial Board:

[W]e do not endorse Hillary Clinton’s exemplary leadership during her 30 years in the public eye. We do not support her impressive commitment to serving and improving this country—a commitment to which she has dedicated her entire professional career. Because of unambiguous tax law, we do not encourage you to support the most qualified presidential candidate in modern American history, nor do we encourage all citizens to shatter the glass ceiling once and for all by electing Secretary Clinton on November 8.

Right on!

Jones is back with a brand new jazz relaxation. Her sultry voice is still soothing, but her keyboard chops is improving. She even swings on “It’s a Wonderful Time for Love.” Highlights, however, are recordings, including the album opener and the title track, with the backing of legend saxophonist Wayne Shorter. “Peace,” in particular, is an affectionate collaboration between Shorter’s soulful, fluid solo and Jones’s fragmented keyboard. Somehow “Tragedy,” which refers to a different kind of self-destruction, is so fitting to the current presidential nominee from the Republican Party. His addiction to fame is far more tragic than alcohol, and the way Jones phrases the hook in various vocal ranges gets me every time.

In the past two days, I checked out of work and escaped politics to focus on grammar. The workshop provided me the opportunity to brush up my writing skills. Christy Woods is both a grammar geek and an engaging instructor. She took her time to explain the rules and answer our questions. I have learned so much in two days. If you would like to step up your grammar game, I highly recommend this seminar. I have a lot to unpack, but I had jotted down some notes to remind myself.

Notes

Lay: put or place (Remember: Layaway)

I lay the book down.
I laid the book down.
I have laid the book down.

Lie: rest or recline

I lie down.
I lay down.
I have lain down.

Principal vs. principle

Principle only means one thing: foundation or main.

Capital

President Obama (capital P)
president of the U.S. (lowercase p)

Hyphen

Well-known author
The author is well known
Carefully considered decision (no hyphen with ly)

A/An

It’s all about the sound of the vowel.
A horse
An honest man
An FBI agent

Subject and verb agreement

Use the verb that closer to the subject.
The product and the services are free.
The services and the product is free.

Some of the pie is gone.
Some of the pies are gone.

Someone from the Green Societies is here to see you.

The issue of war, peace, and nuclear holocaust was of paramount important at the conference.

Every one of the students wants no exam.

Neither the dealers nor the manufacturer guarantees this product.

None of the workers have signed the contract.

Neither my friend nor I am ready for the exam.

Between: Preposition

Between you and me (not I).
Between him and her.

Who/Whom

Substitute “he” and “him.” If “he” fits, use who. If “her” fits, use whom.

Who/whom ate my sandwich? (He ate my sandwich. Him ate my sandwich.)

Who/whom should I talk to about you? (I should talk to he. I should talk to him.)

Affect/Effect

Affect: verb (influence)
Effect: noun (result)
Effect: verb (to create, cause) to effect change

e.g/i.e.

e.g., For example (general)
i.e., That is (specific)

Farther/Further

Farther: measurable (miles)
Further: unmeasurable

Recommend Books

• The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation: An Easy-to-Use Guide with Clear Rules, Real-World Examples, and Reproducible Quizzes by Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, and Tom Stern
• HBR Guide to Better Business Writing by Bryan A. Garner

David Leonhardt addresses the Republicans:

The best path is the hardest one. Only an unambiguous rejection of Trump will banish Trumpism for 2020 and beyond. Only a lopsided loss, with millions of Republicans so repelled by him that they vote for someone they never imagined they would, sends the message that bigotry, lying and authoritarianism violate Republican values — your values.