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Skimm for September 8th

Skimm’d while watching the US Open

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“We apologize for anyone offended by our halftime performance” – Kansas State’s marching band. Over the weekend, the band tried to form the Starship Enterprise and boldly went where no band had gone before. They went too far.

GIMME SHELTER

THE STORY

A lot of countries surrounding the European Union are a mess, which is why hundreds of thousands of people are knocking on the EU’s door. Now, the EU is learning how to say ‘help is on the way.’

EXPLAIN.

For months, it’s been one disaster after another as both migrants and refugees have attempted to reach the EU. They’re coming from weak economies in Africa and Asia, and violent places in the Mideast, seeking new opportunities and refuge . The EU has sorta tried, and basically failed to deal with the crisis. But last week, things reached a peak. There was this, this, and this: photos of a drowned three-year-old Syrian refugee who washed up on a beach in Turkey. The EU finally said ‘hi, we’re awake now.’

WHAT’S THE LATEST?

Over the weekend, Britain and France agreed to take in tens of thousands of people. Germany, which expects to take in 800,000 people this year, pledged to spend billions on relief efforts. Even Pope Francis weighed in, saying that Catholics across Europe should give shelter to the refugees. Later this week, EU leaders are announcing a plan to resettle refugees across the region. But in the meantime, EU border countries are struggling to manage the flood of people. Yesterday in Hungary, hundreds of people at the border broke through police lines and made their way in.

theSKIMM

This is a major crisis that has the EU deeply divided on how to act. Richer countries like Germany and France are saying the EU has a moral responsibility to help. But less-wealthy nations want to bulk up efforts to keep more people from coming in. In the meantime, thousands have died seeking a better life.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU’RE NOT READY TO GO BACK TO WORK...

President Obama might approve of another day off. Yesterday, he said ‘Happy Labor Day’ by signing an executive order that will require federal contractors to give their employees paid sick leave. Meaning 300,000 workers who previously got zero sick days will now get up to seven. Add this to the list of other executive orders Obama’s recently pushed through, winning him lots and lots of Republican friends. On opposite day. This isn’t the first time Obama’s done something to help federal contractors (think: raise minimum wage and expand overtime pay). And it’s also not the first time he’s done something that likely won’t come into effect until after he leaves office. He’s got that L-word on his mind: legacy.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE WATCHING...

Syria. Yesterday, the British government announced that it had conducted its first drone strike against ISIS in Syria. The strike killed three ISIS members, including two British citizens. British PM David Cameron said that this was because the targets were planning terrorist attacks in Britain. In other Syrian neighborhood news, the country is still a mess. It’s such a mess that the US is reportedly revamping its program to train moderate Syrian rebels in the fight against ISIS. Hint: the current program isn’t working. The US also asked Russia to kindly stop sending military aid to the Syrian government (which is also on the US’s sh*t list). To which Russia said ‘nyet likely.’

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU HEAR TONIGHT IS COLBERT’S FIRST ‘LATE SHOW’…

Tuning in. Right after family feud.

WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR FRIEND WHO WAS A GEOLOGY MAJOR…

Get excitedddd. Stonehenge — everyone’s favorite crew of prehistoric British rocks — has a newly discovered rival. Yesterday, researchers said they think they’ve found evidence of an even bigger group of rock monuments just two miles from Stonehenge. This new formation was hidden under grass. There are up to 90 rocks, and they’re believed to be 4,500 years old. Squad goals.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU HEAR JON HAMM’S SINGLE…

So you’re telling me there’s a chance.

SKIMM'R OF THE WEEK

Skimm’bassador Adam Braun (New York, NY): Founded Pencils of Promise, a nonprofit that builds schools in underprivileged areas around the world. It’s built over 300 schools and provided access to education for tens of thousands of students. Today is International Literacy Day, but Adam’s organization pretty much celebrates it every day.

SKIMM BIRTHDAYS

* indicates Skimm’bassador. Make it count.

*Marena Molay (Birmingham, AL); *Allison Jones (Huntington, NY); *Kevin Flint (Sandy, UT); *Gabrielle Amado (West Long Branch, NJ); Alex Krasner (New York, NY); *Kelsie Mozzoni (Pittsburgh, PA); *Maura Barrett (Boston, MA); *Kristin Wollmer (Milwaukee, WI); *Rochelle Schnitzer (Albertson, NY); *Olivia Diehl (Chicago, IL); *Savannah Knight (Columbia, SC); *Casey Riedeman (Seattle, WA); *Alyssa Cox (Chicago, IL); *Samantha Torrano (New Milford, CT);*Christina Dobson (Eureka, MO); *Emily Evangelista (North Kingstown, RI); *Guila Cooper (Kernersville, NC); *Blaire Burdine (Houston, TX); *Lizzie Mongan (San Francisco, CA); *Amanda Diamond (San Francisco, CA); *Rachel Wolkoff (New York, NY); *Jordan Marie Ballou (Wilkesboro, NC); *Cassidy Shields (San Diego, CA); *Ashley Cao (San Jose, CA); *Vikas Kante (New York, NY); *Justine Breuch (Philadelphia, PA); *Valerie Alexander (Los Angeles, CA); *Paola Baluyot (Walnut Creek, CA);*Robyn Lucas (Charleston, SC); *Maggie Kelley (Atlanta, GA); *Jennifer Huelskamp (Chicago, IL); Susan Charney (Scottsdale, AZ); Dori Browning (Lexington, KY); Rory Cunnane (New York, NY); Amanda Steinberg (Philadelphia, PA); Andrea Schultz (New York, NY); Adam Nelson (San Francisco, CA); Sarah Canning (New York, NY); Mitchell Kominsky (Washington, DC); Hanna Lipman (Boca Raton, FL); Beth Gledhill (Bolingbroke, GA); Brittany Endlich (Fort Worth, TX); Jeff Good (Jackson, MS); Kristin Wollmer (Milwaukee,WI); Tracy Cox-Mathis (Lexington, SC); Lamija Silajdzic(Washington, DC); Lindsey Dunn (Arlington, TX); Liz Paasch (St. Louis, MO); Morreen Bayles (Downingtown, PA); Laurie Byrne (Austin, TX); Olivia Young (Greenville, SC); Rachel Dodkowitz(Washington, DC); Rhonda Di Padova (Carlsbad, CA); Shree Chudasama (Boston, MA); Stephanie Renner (Louisville, KY); Elizabeth Goldberger (New York, NY); Elizabeth Penfield (Birmingham, AL); Jeanne Kennedy (Chicago, IL); Jennifer Spadavecchia (New Hope, PA); Jamie Harrings (Denver, CO);Kim Benedicto (Larchmont, NY); Danielle Sheppard (Hoboken, NJ); Emily Evangelista (North Kingstown, RI); Paula Kenny (New Hudson, MI); Rachel Wolkoff (New York, NY); Britany Carlock (Los Angeles, CA); Taylor Tarter (Alhambra, IL); Genevieve Hanchick (Bethlehem, PA); Samantha Halebian (New York, NY); Jordan Marie Ballou (Wilkesboro, NC); Ann Duffy (Milwaukee, WI); Kristin Harney (Nashville, TN); Lauren Crain (Red Oak, TX); Ruchi Bhargava (New York, NY); Lori Rosenau (Modesto CA); Kendra Hansen (Washington, DC); Sabet Stroman (Richmond VA); Barbara Manske (Pittsford, NY); Bethany Mlinar (Greenville, SC); Kate Carter (Davidson, NC); Maggie Kelley (Atlanta, GA); Sara Sanchez (Holland, MI); Vanessa Bond (Manhattan Beach, CA); Dana DiCarlo (College Park, Maryland ); Marie-Anne Breaux (New York, NY); Ali Bathgate (Denver, CO); Lauren Pandolfo (Bethesda, MD); Delaney Spetnagel (Cincinnati, OH); Brandy Stellingworth (Hartsville, SC); Riya Mahesh (Dallas, TX); Jaime C (Danville, CA); Nina Wright (New York, NY)