The Nurses of WWII
From recognizing the unsung heroes of WWII to a new Revolutionary War documentary on our weekend watch list, here’s a little something extra for your Saturday morning ...👇🏽
“Some nurses were killed by enemy fire. Others spent years as prisoners of war. Most returned home to quiet lives, receiving little recognition.” (AP)
But lawmakers want to change that. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) have introduced a bipartisan effort to award the Congressional Gold Medal — the highest award given to civilians by Congress — to the nurses who served during WWII. For the award to be issued, a two-thirds majority in each house needs to pass the proposed bill. Of the 65,000 Army and Navy WWII nurses, five are still living, including Alice Darrow, who once cared for an injured WWII soldier who would later become her husband. Speaking on the possibility of receiving a medal, she said simply, “It would be an honor.”
“We answered the call to duty when our country faced threats to our freedom.” - Elsie Chin Yuen Seetoo
Elsie became the first Chinese American nurse to join the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during WWII. She’s pictured above beside a photo of herself in uniform at an Army Historical Foundation exhibit.
🗣️ Your Conversation Starters:
🧠 “Residue of Grief”: How one psychoanalyst describes the effect of technology on our brains in a thought-provoking op-ed for The New York Times.
🖥️ ChatGPT Analysis: A Washington Post analysis of shared ChatGPT conversations offers insight into why people use the tech and how its positive reinforcement can create a “personalized echo chamber.” Plus, ChatGPT has a favorite emoji ~ find out what it is.
📱 Tech Role Model: Apparently the key to getting our kids to spend less time on devices is for parents to ... spend less time on devices.
📑 20,000: The total pages of documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein released by the House Oversight Committee this week. What do they reveal? According to the AP, the files offer “a new glimpse into what Epstein’s relationships with business executives, reporters, academics and political players looked like over a decade.”
🐊 “Drop Crocs”: Scientists discovered eggshells in Australia belonging to an extinct crocodile species that climbed trees when hunting prey. We’re sure they’re extinct, right? Asking for a friend ...
🌌 Northern Dawn: The literal translation of Aurora Borealis, a name given by Galileo. The phenomenon has been the subject of study – and misunderstandings – for thousands of years. During this week’s powerful geomagnetic storm, many of you captured and shared stunning views of the aurora. And astronaut Jonny Kim shared this unique view from space:
🇺🇸 “America’s Origin Story”: A review of the new six-part PBS documentary from Ken Burns, “The American Revolution” – premiering this Sunday. Also, check out the companion novel.
⏰ Working 9 to 5: The origins of the 40-hour work week date back to the end of the Civil War. Before that? “Eight-hour work days and five-day workweeks were a pipe dream.” A complete history of how the modern workweek took shape — and where most Americans stand today.
🧀 “Getting Naked”: The parent company of Cheetos and Doritos, PepsiCo, announced the launch of SimplyNKD: a new version of the classic snacks free of "artificial flavors or dyes, and completely colorless.” No, the classic, full-color versions won’t go away.
👕 A Second Life for Secondhand: Consumers are flocking to resale markets for luxury brands, with one report pointing to 10% annual growth while another finds shoppers are increasingly “bypassing the firsthand market altogether.”
🦭 “Team Seal”: How a wildlife photographer described herself after watching a seal (pictured below) escape a pod of orcas by jumping onto her boat. The seal managed to evade capture, even as the whales tried "wave-washing" – a hunting technique used to knock seals off of floating ice.
🎙️ This Week From Jenna:
When Emily McCarthy tracked down rebel leaders in West Africa, she had no idea her time in the CIA may lead to a discovery that would forever change the health world.
The story you will hear is a spy story … a love story … and an American success story of a veteran-owned company called “GORUCK.”
Check out the new SPY RUCK
Check out GORUCK
WATCH ABOVE OR BY CLICKING HERE. You can also listen on podcasting platforms everywhere (Apple, Spotify).
🎙️ SCOOP (approx. 46 minutes) Should The Gov’t Just Give You The Money? The Latest On The Government Shutdown, A Terror Investigation Spans Two States & A Major Announcement on Women’s Health. Listen. (SCOOP Insiders can attend this live broadcast once a week and get their news questions answered; they also receive the special video report EXCLUSIVELY delivered to their inbox along with a "cheat sheet" for the week ahead — learn more HERE).
🎙️ Podcast (approx. 26 minutes): FDA Makes Major Announcement on Hormone Replacement Therapy. Watch or Listen.
🙌🏽 What We Found SmartHER This Week:
After a dry shampoo emergency last week, Jenna turned to our SmartHER community for help. Hundreds of you weighed in – and the results weren’t even close. These three brands rose to the top ...👇🏽
1️⃣ Divi Lift & Refresh ($28)
2️⃣ Living Proof Perfect Hair Day ($33)
3️⃣ Primally Pure Natural Dry Shampoo ($18 - available in light & dark)
“Burst of Joy”
Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Stirm, 92, passed away this week on the morning of Veterans Day. In 1973, Stirm returned home after spending five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam – a moment captured by Associated Press photographer Slava Veder. The iconic “Burst of Joy” photograph went on to win a 1974 Pulitzer Prize.
This April, 50 years after her father’s return, Stirm’s daughter – the young girl seen running towards him with her arms outstretched – reflected on the reunion: “It is just a glorious moment of time of my dad coming home to his family.”
And that's The Weekend Digest!
❤️,
Jenna and the SHN Team
Daily news, interviews, our latest podcasts and more at www.SmartHERNews.com.
