November 12, 1954
Ellis Island closes
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On This Day
On This Day
End of An Era
- Opened 1892.
- First immigrant processed: 15-yr-old Irish immigrant Annie Moore, w/ her two younger brothers.
- 12M immigrants filed through Ellis Island.
- Last man standing: Nov. 12, 1954, the U.S. released a Norwegian seaman who overstayed shore leave.
On This Day
Why It Matters:
- Ellis Island, the first FEDERAL immigration center, signified the move of immigration policy away from states & into the hands of the federal gov’t.
- Ellis Island closure came as federal laws limited immigration for certain ethnicities, making Ellis Island less relevant & effective; many could (or had to) apply for legal status at U.S. embassies.
On This Day
Ellis Island: Did You Know?
- Although Ellis Island officially closed in 1954, it stopped processing immigrants in the mid-1920s, after the rush of immigration post-WWI.
- Ellis Island served as: WWII hospital, Coast Guard training center, place to hold alleged communists during the Red Scare.
- Once known for its oyster beds…or a place to hang pirates.
On This Day
Ships transporting immigrants into New York never landed AT Ellis Island. 1st & 2nd class passengers disembarked in NYC, bypassing the "Gateway To America." 3rd class passengers immediately loaded a barge that took them to Ellis Island for processing.
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Current Events
A SmartHER Veterans Day
The history of Veterans Day & why it matters with a
special guest!
Current Events
Click through for full video!
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Quick Quotes
“A little taste of January in November.”
Quick Quotes
“We welcome Iran’s taking the first step to finally end this nightmare.”
Quick Quotes
“This is the first time that we have detected a potential chemical of concern in biologic samples from patients with these lung injuries.”
Quick Quotes
“We’ll probably give it to you on Tuesday.”
Quick Quotes
“I believe in forgiveness, but I also believe in justice and forgiveness doesn’t rob justice. You don’t get justice too much in Mexico.”
Quick Quotes
Have a great week!
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Coffee Talk
Your Top 3 in Under 5
Why you should mark Dec. 15th on your calendar, an unknown in the race for the White House & noteworthy news about the impeachment inquiry.
Coffee Talk
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Sports
CASHING IN…?
The NCAA’s new proposal for potentially paying student-athletes:
Why some call it progressive and others call it phony.
Sports
QUICK CHEAT SHEET
NCAA: Largest governing body in college sports.
College sports = BIG money for schools, coaches and for the NCAA (the nonprofit topped $1 billion in revenue for first time in 2017).
Criticism: Only people NOT making $$ off college sports seem to be the student-athletes themselves.
Sports
THE BACKSTORY
- Current NCAA rules ban student-athletes from profiting financially off their name, likeness, or image (ex: endorsement deals).
- Recently, California became the first state to enact a law which will allow college athletes to profit off their name, likeness, or image, forcing the issue to the forefront.
- At least 10 states introduced similar bills or will soon do so.
Sports
The BIG News
- For the first time, the NCAA says it will allow student-athletes to profit from their “name, image and likeness.”
- The NCAA directed its divisions (Div I-III) to “consider” updating their rules no later than 2021, but offered little other specifics. That’s important since rules must be set on a national (not division or state-by-state) level.
Sports
“I don’t see any significant movement towards players having actual rights here. What (the NCAA) really means is ‘severely limited and regulated’ (changes) with very little consequence and benefit to the players.”
Sports
But Wait…Don’t Athletes Get “Paid” in Scholarships?
Full-rides are exceptionally rare.
- 480,000 student athletes participate in the NCAA.
- Est. 300,000 play in Div. I or II schools, eligible for scholarships.
- About 50% of Div I or II student-athletes receive some type of athletic scholarships worth approximately $2.7B total.
Sports
Something To Consider
“Hopefully, there’s a way that players can get compensated legally that makes cheating less appealing, or just improves their experience while they’re here. These guys don’t have time for a part-time job, in-season, out-of-season. They’re here 11 months with us, working around the clock. So, I’m all for it.”
Sports
With less than 2% of college athletes "going pro," their college careers grant them a finite amount of time to profit from their athletic abilities. Critics say allowing compensation turns student-athletes into employees rather than students, creating a slippery slope to not prioritize education. What do you think?
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Current Events
Will a longer school day lead to happier families
(and smarter kids)?
Current Events
What Happened
- Who: Presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris (D-CA) introduced legislation Wednesday called the Family Friendly Schools Act.
- What: Extends the school day by 3 hours (typically from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.)
- Why: To ease the burden of childcare on low-income/working families.
Current Events
“It is time we modernize the school schedule to better meet the needs of our students and their families.”
Current Events
Is This Good For Students?
- Avg. school day nationwide is around 6.5 hours – This would increase it to 10.
- “Extended Learning Time” or ELT is a trend in schools across the country, more than doubling between 2009 – 2018.
- Data mixed on the benefits for children. Some districts say it improved test scores; others say it didn’t.
Current Events
Something To Consider
One recent study in 2015 looked at longer days at school with SHORTER weeks. Some districts have tried this in rural areas or as a cost-saving measure.
5th graders attending school 4 days per week instead of 5 showed a “statistically significant” increase in math scores with the shorter weeks, and no detriment to reading scores.
Current Events
Sen. Harris' plan includes asking the Dept of Education to study the results of schools that receive the grants for extended days to see if the longer school day benefited students and families. What do you think about this idea?
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Health
“IMMUNE AMNESIA”
New study says measles is more dangerous than previously thought, at times eliminating some of your body’s defenses against illnesses like strep, pneumonia or even the flu, for years to come.
Health
What To Know
- Harvard study measures how measles impacts the body beyond simply the disease itself.
- Using blood samples from children before and after measles, scientists found antibodies (used to recognize and fight off viruses or bacteria) dropped upwards of 50% after the disease, making their bodies effectively “forget” how to fight off certain illnesses.
Health
“Imagine that your immunity against pathogens is like carrying around a book of photographs of criminals, and someone punched a bunch of holes in it. It would then be much harder to recognize that criminal if you saw them, especially if the holes are punched over important features for recognition, like the eyes or mouth.”
Health
Something To Consider
- A separate study says the body of a measles patient returned to a ‘baby-like” state of protection – vulnerable temporarily to any number of illnesses.
- Researchers say measles patients will eventually regain the antibodies they lost, but it may take several years of re-exposure as their body learns to confront these threats again.
Health
Why This Study Matters
Indicates measles impacts the body for years while we see a resurgence fo the highly contagious disease.
- Measles cases in America are at a 25 year high, with the most measles cases since 1992.
- As of end of October, 1,250 cases confirmed in 31 states.
Health
Those connected to AND independent of the study alike believe this research underscores the need to vaccinate against measles because of the lasting impact of the illness.
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Quick Quotes
“We’re not going to be victims.”
Quick Quotes
“This is the time for Mexico, with the help of the United States, to wage WAR on the drug cartels and wipe them off the face of the earth.”
Quick Quotes
“Today is a historic day for criminal justice reform …”
Quick Quotes
“This whole thing of being able to rent a house and then turn it into a party house is ridiculous.”
Quick Quotes
“The issue raised in this case goes to the heart of our Republic.”
Quick Quotes
Have a great day!
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Quick Quotes
“You’re in space. I mean, you want to have the smell of cookies.”
Quick Quotes
“Being a whistleblower is not a partisan job nor is impeachment an objective.”
Quick Quotes
“I kind of think of him as a middle-of-the-road guy who just does his job.”
Quick Quotes
“This was a mistake.”
Quick Quotes
“The U.S. position with respect to the Paris Agreement has not changed.”
Quick Quotes
Have a great week!
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Coffee Talk
Your Top 3 Stories…in less than 5 minutes!
Coffee Talk
The impeachment inquiry...the economy...and an email with Kayla Mueller's mother.
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Now You Know
SIC ‘EM!
The dog who chased down one of the world’s most wanted men has something science still can’t replicate: a killer sense of smell.
Now You Know
WHAT TO KNOW
- A military working dog played a key role in the operation targeting the head of ISIS: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
- The Belgian Malinois chased the ISIS leader through underground caves, ultimately cornering him before the terrorist detonated an explosive vest.
- Injured, but still alive, the dog remains “in theater” (deployed).
Now You Know
THE BREED
The military often works with a breed of dog called *Belgian Malinois* which look like a slightly smaller German Shepherd. Their size makes them easier to transport – even for skydiving.
Why: Strong, athletic, fierce and the more activity (like chasing down bad guys), the better. They are also extremely loyal and eager to please.
Now You Know
DOG’S BEST WEAPON
- Arguably their smell – used to find people, landmines or bombs.
- No robot or computer has replicated a dog’s sense of smell. In fact, scientists have yet to discover exactly how their sense of smell works!
- New studies reveal dogs can even “smell” prostate cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
Now You Know
“A lot of our science and technology for years has been trying to replicate the work these dogs do. Their olfactory glands are 10,000 times more sensitive than any piece of equipment we’ve been able to develop. So the detection work they do, a dog finding explosives or drugs, that’s never going to be replaced.”
Now You Know
In the military, dogs outrank their handlers - as a way to show that they aren’t just a piece of equipment, but a teammate to be respected. Did you know you can adopt or foster a puppy in the military working dog program? Read more about how on our source page.
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Politics
THE LATEST
IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY
What to know ahead of Thursday’s procedural vote in the U.S. House of Representatives as we inch toward an impeachment outcome.
IMPEACHMENT Week 6
Politics
IMPEACHMENT 101
- An impeachment proceeding looks like a criminal trial, but isn’t.
- First, the House Judiciary Cmte. drafts “articles of impeachment” (charges); a simple majority is needed to impeach in the House.
- Next, the Senate holds trial. A 2/3 supermajority is required for conviction (removal from office).
Politics
BACKGROUND
- The House opened the inquiry after accusing Pres. Trump of violating campaign finance laws during a July call with Ukraine’s president by urging Ukraine to investigate fmr. VP Joe Biden while also withholding military aid.
- Pres. Trump has denied the quid pro quo allegations, saying that he is obligated to investigate potential corruption.
Politics
WHO (LEADS INQUIRY)?
- Led by U.S. House Intelligence Cmte Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA).
- Involves six House cmtes (Financial Services, Foreign Affairs, Judiciary, Intelligence, Oversight, and Ways & Means).
- Unlike the impeachment investigations into Pres. Clinton and Nixon, no independent prosecutor has been named by the AG to lead the inquiry (yet).
Politics
WHAT (HAS HAPPENED)?
Three House cmtes, with Democrats & Republicans, have heard from many witnesses including:
- Fmr. White House aides
- Career U.S. diplomats (including top Ambassador in Ukraine)
- State Dept & Nat’l Security Council officials
Politics
WHERE (IT HAPPENS)
- The impeachment inquiry has existed mostly in a secure room (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or “SCIF”) at the U.S. Capitol.
- A SCIF has secure walls, built to handle classified information. Those in the SCIF need a certain security clearance and cannot bring unauthorized cell phones or laptops.
Politics
“Democrats go 4+ weeks with a secretive, free for all, no rules impeachment process—and now try to save face with a short on substance resolution that only pretends to give the minority rights and blows up precedent.”
Politics
“This week, we’re voting to establish the format for open hearings that will be conducted as part of the impeachment inquiry. The American people will hear firsthand about the President’s misconduct.”
Politics
BIGGER PICTURE
- Thursday’s vote is about procedures going forward (public hearings, release of closed-door depositions transcripts, etc).
- No word on when the House will hold a formal impeachment vote.
- BOTTOM LINE: Even if the House (which has a Dem majority) votes for impeachment, it’s unlikely the Senate (which has a GOP majority) will vote for removal.
Politics
According to recent polling averages, 48% of Americans support impeachment and 43% do not.
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