Subject: Daily Skimm: Oh Ann, you beautiful tropical fish
From: "theSkimm" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 21 Feb 2019 06:31:30 -0500 (EST)

<=>Skimm'd while getting ready=for HBO's Inspiration Room...

=tr>

FEBRUA=Y 21, 2019

R=AD IN BROWSER

Skimm'd while getting ready for HB='s Inspiration Room...

QUOTE O= THE DAY

"His shoe broke" – Former President Barack Obama pointing out an issue =hat Duke basketball star Zion Williamson had during a game. Technically, i= exploded.

EVERYBODY IN THE CONFEREN=E ROOM

The Story

Today, more than 100 bishops are in Rome for Pope Fra=cis's summit on protectin= children from sex abuse.

A summit, huh. Can't wait to see how this fixes decad=s of abuse.

You and everyone else. In case you missed it, bombshe=l stories have come out about child sex abuse in North and South America, =urope, and also Australia=– where 7% of priests were accused of abusing children over decade=. Last year, Pennsylvania=dropped a report that found priests there abused more than 1,000 children.=Germany found that close =o 3,700 children were abused. And more.

What in the actual f*ck.

Agreed. The issue though is not just about decades of=abuse. It's also about the allegations against bishops for covering up this behavior.

So Pope Francis is the champion to fix things?

Honestly, most people say no. He's been called out fo= taking his sweet time to address the issue. Last year, he dismissed accus=tions of sex abuse victims in Chile as slander. Then ap=logized. Since then, reports of sexual abuse and alleged cover-up have=kept coming out. And the pressure is on for fundamental change.

So what's his plan?

He's bringing more than 100 bishops and others togeth=r to workshop how to prevent and investigate abuse. And how to help surviv=rs. There's also a focus on "prayer and discernment" – which some =ay isn't enough to end child sex abuse. The pope acknowledged that in toda='s opening speech.

What I'm hearing is to not get my hopes up.

Yeah pretty much. Since this is the first summit of i=s kind, there's been hope that it would lead to meaningful change and acco=ntability. But the pope has said to keep expectations "deflated." Last yea=, with states launching inves=igations into the church, bishops in the US attempted to create a comm=ssion to review complaints against priests. They were told to hold off until this conference. Which =s why many – including theSkimm

Whatever is accomplished in these next few days, ther= are a lot of recent stories and allegations that have come to light that =ikely won't be addressed. Like the environment that the church has created=by requiring priests to be celibate and unmarried. And the Vatican's secret rules for Catholic prie=ts who have children. And the issue of some priests and bishops abusing nu=s for decades. Let's see =ow this summit decides to finally start protecting children from sex abuse=

REPEAT AFTER ME...

Who you'll be hearing about…

Jussie S=ollett. Yesterday, the "Empire" actor was charged with making a false =olice report (considered disorderly conduct in the state of Illinois.) Las= month, Smollett alleged two men approached him, yelled "racial and homoph=bic slurs," beat him, and wrapped a rope around his neck. At first, author=ties were investigating it as a potential hate crime. Then last week, two =igerian brothers – who both knew Smollett – were arrested =nd later released without charges. Police said the investigation had "shif=ed" and there were reports he may have paid the brothers to stage the atta=k. Yesterday, he was charged with disorderly conduct – which is pu=ishable by one to three years in prison.

What to say when you hear there's going to be a panel to=figure out if climate change =s a national security threat…

Making a statement. Yesterday, the Supreme Court unan=mously said there's a limit to states' ability to seize private property after someone gets arrested= Let's start with an example: Tyson Timbs brought this case to the Supreme= because a few years ago he pleaded guilty to selling $225 worth of heroin=to undercover police officers. He was sentenced to house arrest, probation= $1,200 in fines, and had his $42,000 Land Rover seized. Officials argued =he car was used to transport drugs. Up until this point, the Supremes said=the Eighth Amendment (which bans "excessive fines") limits the ability of =he federal gov to seize property used to commit crimes…but hadn't =aid anything about states. And that has allowed states to use seizures lik= Timbs' as a way to raise money. Now, the court is saying that there are l=mits, even for states. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (welcome back, RBG) sai= the car was worth "more than four times" the max fine he could have gotte=.

What people are worried about…

Hate groups. Yesterday, the Southern Poverty Law Cent=r dropped a report that found the number of hate groups in the US is the highest it's been in at lea=t 20 years. It says there was a 30% increase in the past four years. And t=at the number has reached 1,020. The SPLC is a civil rights watchdog that'= been around since the '70s. It's credited with helping fight the Ku Klux =lan in the courts. But critics have accused the group of moving away from =eing a watchdog to more of an activist in the Trump era. In the latest rep=rt, the SPLC blames President Trump, his admin, and right-leaning media ou=lets for fanning the flames. It says that black nationalist groups are inc=easing but that the majority of hate groups are motivated by white suprema=ist ideas. In other news, a Coast Guard lieutenant and self-described whit= nationalist had allegedly been planning to kill prominent Democratic politicians and journalists. L=st week, he was arrested on drug and gun charges. But prosecutors say he i=tended to "to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this cou=try."

Who people are talking about again…

Hoda Mut=ana. She's the 24-year-old from Alabama who went to Syria in 2014 to j=in ISIS. Recently, she said in an interview that she made a "big mistake" =nd wants to come back. Yesterday, President Trump and Sec of State Mike Po=peo said 'not happening=' Pompeo said Muthana isn't a US citizen even though her family says she w=s born in the US. That's because as a child of a foreign diplomat, she is =ot entitled to US citizenship even if she was born here. Muthana is in the=refugee camp in northern Syria where another woman, Shamima Begum, is asking to return to the UK. Be=um also traveled to Syria to join ISIS. She says she doesn't regret going =o Syria but that she wants to go back home. The UK says it's revoking her citizenship. Her parents a=e apparently from Bangladesh, but that country is saying 'don't come here =ither.' Begum is reportedly eyeing citizenship in the Netherlands, where h=r husband is from.

What to say when you're losing the argument…I fold, just like Samsung's new phone. Think: a reboot of the flip phone but it=can open up be tablet-sized and it'll cost you a cool $2,000. Unclear what=the phone case situation will be.

What to say when you take an unflattering photo…=/h3>

We can't all be like this koala.

Informal poll. In 2018, you:

1. U=dated your resume

2. S=id 'I do'

3. A=ded a permanent plus one to the fam

Life=comes at you fast. And impacts your taxes. If any of these were you, here's what you need to know a=out filing your taxes this year.

SKIMM PICKS

For when you try stretching before a workout�=A6

Everything hurts and I'm dying. This 21-day yoga challenge can help get you bendy. They=send you daily instructional videos so you can watch and practice anywhere= Get started here.*

F=r when you want to start eating more veggies…

Get more green for less green. This plant-based meal =elivery service sends you clean, nutrient-rich meals without preservat=ves or shady additives. Plus, you can skip, reschedule, or cancel at any t=me. Grow for it.*

F=r when you have a million-dollar idea…

Cash it in. Anu Duggal and Sutian Dong can help with =hat. They're partners at Female Founders Fund. And this week on "Skimm'd from the Couch," they bre=k down how to nail your pitch to investors. Listen here.

*PS This is an affiliate post, which means =f you sign up, theSkimm may get something in return. Thanks.

SKIMM'RS

Cheers to…Audrey J (TN), who just fini=hed paying off tens of thousands of dollars in student loans, and Thuy-=inh N (FL), who got accepted into Teach For America. And Nicolette = (DC), who gave a presentation in front of 200 people about a tool she=built to help companies plan for IT modernization (think: planning for AI)= Crushing it.

S=otlight on…Rena I (GA). She just re-launched her business with=her fiancé. It focuses on bridging the gap between the LGBTQ communit= and their straight peers by creating a safe space that promotes dialogue.=And is also reminding people that love is love, regardless of race and gen=er.

(=ome) Birthdays…theSkimm's Becca Litt (NY), Amanda Aprati (IL),=Melisa Furman (PA), Sondi Stachowski (NC), Marianne Torres (IL), Chelsey K=eler (UT), Julie Mattingly (MO), Lindsay Rogers (CO), Michael Plater (CA),=Mike Hoe (MA), Mike Weber (TX), Pilita Policar (BC), Revia Cohen (CT), Ter=cille Basa-Ong (NJ), Wendy Sokolowski (ON)

*=elcome to a new section we're testing with members of theSkimm. Want to ta=e it to the next level? Reach out here for a chance to be featur=d.

SKIMM SHARE

Skimm HQ is wearing fuzzy pants and earmuffs. Share th=Skimm with your friend who is hygge AF.

Or use this referral link theskimm.com/?r==b66f6bb

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