Americas Letters to Trumps Election Fraud Panel. Earlier this year, the White House requested written comments from US voters about the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity, led by Vice President Mike Pence and Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. And now the American public has spoken, saying among other things, you are evil. On Thursday, the Trump administration released 1. June 2. 9 and July 1. Out of dozens of messages, two submissions voiced concerns that lined up with the stated mission of President Trumps voter fraud panel. But many more addressed legitimate voter suppression issues, including gerrymandering, voter ID laws that target low income and minority voters, efforts to dismantle the Voting Rights Act, Citizens United, the antiquated Electoral College system, Russian interference with the election, and even the voter fraud commission itself, which has been widely criticized as a grand scheme to undermine our democracy. Many respondents, however, just wanted to tell Kobach, Pence, and their sham commission of vigilantes to fuck right off. Here are some of the best selections from the batch of emails released by the White House. Some concerned citizens highlighted the security missteps the commission has already made, by sharing a report from from Gizmodo about the task force asking states to send voter data over an insecure email. We hope Pence and Kobach do read the articleright after they look into this Goatse business. The White House. Get a Crash Course in Writing from 2. Journalists. I only remember one practical writing lesson from my three years as an English major Whenever you can, put the best bits at the end of the sentence. Put the next best bits at the beginning, and put the rest in the middle. This trick works in every kind of writing, and I wish Id spent my college years learning more tricks like it, instead of pretending to read The Brothers Karamazov. Writing is one of the easiest skills to learn without paying college tuition. You could get a pretty solid start just from this collection of writing advice from twenty prominent journalists. Metafilter user notthewater gathered the advice from articles, online courses, podcasts, live talks, and a drinking game. Earlier this year, the White House requested written comments from US voters about the Presidential Commission on Election Integrity, led by Vice President Mike Pence. Writing is one of the easiest skills to learn without paying college tuition. You could get a pretty solid start just from this collection of writing advice from. The app is certainly a relic, from a time when the casual computer user couldnt crack open Photoshop or Skitch or Pixelmator or thousands of web apps. Some highlights The Orchid Thief author Susan Orlean on finding story ideas The percentage of ideas you pursue, vs. the ones you actually believe will work as a story, doesnt have to be high. In fact, its great to practice following an idea and saying, Not gonna work. Pulitzer winner Anne Hull on writing about a culture as an outsider Be conscious of the distancing language that inhabits most newspaper stories. Set a goal for intimacy. As a reporter, be physically present to witness and absorb, if even for three hours. The Girl in the Window writer Lane De. Gregory on finding secret editors Finding people you admire, whether writers or editors or not, is important, especially if you dont trust or respect the person who was assigned to you. New Yorker Talk of the Town contributor Lillian Ross on expressing opinions Your point of view should be implicit in your choice of facts and quotes in your report. If you have anything to say, about the world, about life, look for a way to say it without making a speech. Slouching Towards Bethlehem author Joan Didion on editing as you go along When I finish work at the end of the day, I go over the page that Ive done that day, and I mark it up. And then I make the corrections in the morning, which gives me a way to start the day. Criminal justice reporter Beth Schwartzapfel on anecdotes in dry factual stories I think of them as raisins in oatmeal, or the signs people hold on the sidelines of a marathon. Theyre little surprises or jolts of pleasure to remind people of what theyre reading and why it matters. Certain themes run throughout Narratives need character and tension. Collect story ideas everywhere and keep a file. Get your subjects comfortable around you and let yourself into their lives. Find the interesting details that can double as iconic examples. Luke Plunkett. Luke Plunkett is a Contributing Editor based in Canberra, Australia. He has written a book on cosplay, designed a game about airplanes, and also runs. Write like youre telling the story to a friend. While the advice is especially targeted at journalists, just like that old sentence structure trick, it applies to all kinds of writing. And unlike my English major, its free. My debut novel, The Biographies of Ordinary People Volume 1 1. May 2. 3, 2. 01. 7. Read more Read.