Daily Skimm: Pivot

Skimm'd with funfetti cake

AUGUST 24, 2018 READ IN BROWSER

Skimm'd while getting our shine on...

QUOTE OF THE DAY   "None" - What researchers have found to be the safest level of alcohol. Cool...well have a good weekend, guys.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

The Story The Education Department is considering letting schools use fed money to buy guns. Explain. You've been hearing a lot about school safety this year. That's in large part because of the school shooting in Parkland, FL and students rallying for gun reform in response. At the time, President Trump suggested arming teachers might deter school shooters. Congress set aside funding for school safety earlier this year, but said 'don't use this money to buy teachers guns.' What's the latest? Yesterday, reports came out that the Ed Department might let schools use another source of fed money to give school staff access to guns and training. There's one educational grant in particular that doesn't prohibit this. Two states - Texas and Oklahoma - asked the Ed Department if it's kosher to use the money to buy guns. Now, Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is saying 'lemme think about it.' What's the talk of the town? Supporters say that communities should be able to decide what works for them. And one superintendent reportedly said this can be cheaper than hiring more security guards. Critics say that if the problem is guns in schools, maybe the answer shouldn't be more guns in schools. theSkimm The debate about how to address school shootings really ramped up this year. But federal funds typically haven't been used to buy weapons for schools. Now it looks like the Trump admin is rethinking that policy.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when you start reaching for your fall wardrobe... Out with the old, in with the new. Yesterday, the country's right-leaning ruling party voted Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull off the island. Australia burns through PMs like you burn through Netflix's TV Shows Featuring a Strong Female Lead. No PM there has served a full term in more than a decade. The ruling party had issues with Turnbull, especially his push to get Australia to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, PO'ing the coal industry. Earlier this week, some started saying 'time for you to go.' Today, the party officially voted Turnbull out and brought in Scott Morrison - the country's more conservative treasurer, known for his hardline policies on asylum seekers. Morrison says he wants to bring the party together and prioritize tackling the country's drought.

What to say when a new SO asks what color their eyes are... This is a test. Remember how the Democratic National Committee said this week that it stopped hackers from accessing its voter database? Turns out this was just a security test courtesy of the Michigan Democratic Party. Oops. Speaking of suspicious behavior, Google announced it deleted dozens of shady Iranian-tied accounts on YouTube and other platforms. The accounts were apparently spreading disinformation. Facebook and Twitter say 'we know the feeling. Meanwhile, another co is in the spotlight: Verizon. A CA fire chief says the company slowed down firefighters' data while they were trying to contain the CA wildfires this summer. And that this is an example of why we need to bring back net neutrality - the Obama-era rule that prevented internet service providers from putting service in slo-mo. Verizon said it was just a customer service screw up.

What people are talking about... South Africa. Earlier this week, President Trump tweeted about it. Let's break it all down. You might remember apartheid, the system that existed in South Africa for decades that institutionalized racial segregation. In 1913, most black South Africans lost their right to own property. Apartheid ended in the early '90s and the gov said it would work to buy land back and give it to the original owners. Years later, white South Africans still own more than 70% of the country's agricultural land, even though they make up less than 10% of the population. So earlier this month, South Africa's prez announced plans to change the constitution to allow the gov to redistribute farmers' land without paying them for it. This week, Trump tweeted that he asked the State Dept to look into land being taken and the "large scale killing of farmers," - a talking point pushed by white supremacists. But there's no evidence to support this is happening. South African leaders say Trump's tweet is misleading and dangerous.

Who you keep hearing about but don't really know... David Pecker. He's the CEO of the company that publishes the National Enquirer (that tabloid mag you see at the checkout line but never actually buy). His name's been in the news because he was granted immunity in the federal investigation into President Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen - reportedly in exchange for providing info on hush money deals. Also it turns out that the National Enquirer reportedly kept all of Trump's dirt in a safe. In other Trump-related drama from this week, he's back to beefing with Attorney General Jeff Sessions. But Sessions is having none of it.

Who is going to be wearing orange for a while... Former NSA contractor Reality Winner. She's going to prison for more than five years for leaking top-secret info to the media.

What to say when your nephew draws a picture of you... Don't make me ugly.

SKIMM READS

"Pieces of Her" by Karin Slaughter How well do you really know the people closest to you? Karin Slaughter - one of HQ's favorite thriller writers - will make you ask yourself this question. This book is about a mother-daughter duo in a small Georgia town. When an act of violence happens at a local mall, the daughter finds out mom is NOT who she thought she was. Cue the suspenseful soundtrack. Get theSkimm special edition here.* *PS This is an affiliate partner, which means if you purchase, theSkimm may get something in return. Thanks.

SKIMM PICKS

For when it's 3pm on a Friday and the clock isn't moving... Knock those last few hours out. Then knock out on some dreamy bedding. Today's the last day Skimm'rs can get an exclusive discount on Casper bedding. Psst...it's $25 off cozy af sheets and duvets. Do(ze) it to it.* For when you need some good advice... Phone a friend. Or listen to everyone's best friend, Reese Witherspoon. "Shine On with Reese" is her first unscripted series. In it, she gets a behind-the-scenes look into the stories of women like Dolly Parton, Ava DuVernay, and many more. Casual. Watch "Shine On with Reese," a new series on DIRECTV NOW.* *PS This is a sponsored section.

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Daily Skimm: I heard he sang a good song

Skimm'd with new glasses

AUGUST 23, 2018 READ IN BROWSER

Skimm'd while upgrading our to-do list

QUOTE OF THE DAY   "I don't want to talk to anybody" - Why one guy wears headphones to avoid talking with strangers. Same.

FALLOUT

The Story Yesterday, you saw a lot of headlines about President Trump's no good, very bad day. Yes, halp. Two former Trump aides are in serious legal trouble: Paul Manafort - his former campaign chairman - who was found guilty of eight counts of bank and tax fraud. And Michael Cohen - his former lawyer and fixer - who pleaded guilty to multiple counts including tax evasion and violating campaign finance law. The campaign finance violation is a BFD because Cohen said Trump was the one who told him to do it (it, meaning...pay off women who claim they've had affairs with Trump). And Cohen said he did it mainly to influence the election - implicating POTUS in a federal crime. Like we said, BFD. Ok, up to speed. What's the latest? Cohen seems ready to talk. His lawyer says he might be willing to chat with special counsel Robert Mueller about Trump's knowledge of Russian collusion and email hacking during the 2016 presidential campaign. Meanwhile, NY state investigators subpoenaed Cohen as part of another Trump probe related to his foundation. What does Trump have to say? 'Cohen, you're dead to me.' But he called Manafort a "brave man" who refused to "break" under pressure. He played down the campaign finance issue - saying he only learned of Cohen's hush money "later on." And that the payments weren't a violation because the money came from him, not his campaign (note: a few months ago, Trump said he didn't know anything about these payments). Details. Where do things go from here? There are multiple ways this could play out. Let's break them down: For Trump...It's unclear. He could be indicted as a co-conspirator to Cohen's crimes...or not. He could be impeached...or not. For Cohen...He could cooperate with Mueller's investigation to potentially get his sentence reduced. Otherwise, he's already agreed to go along with a sentence between roughly four to five years. For Manafort...He could either cooperate with Mueller's investigation to get his sentence reduced. Or he could face a maximum of 80 years in prison. Or...Trump may be willing to pardon his ol' pal. Either way, he's got another trial coming up next month for different charges. theSkimm Trump has called the Mueller investigation a "witch hunt." Neither Manafort's nor Cohen's crimes are directly related to Russian collusion. But the walls have started to close in on the president. TBD if he'll come out of this unscathed.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when you steal from your SO's dinner plate... All is fair in love and (trade) war. Today, the US hit China with its second round of tariffs. Yes, the trade war is back. And yes, you will be hearing about it for a while. On a friendlier note, it seems like the US and Mexico are working out their trade beef. Trump is reportedly set to make an announcement soon that a NAFTA deal may work out (n)after all.

What to say to your friend who's afraid of getting catfished... The Democratic National Committee knows the feeling. Yesterday, the DNC said it discovered a hacking attempt on its voter database. Apparently, hackers created a fake version of the DNC's login page to try to steal users' login info. But the DNC says it caught the attempt before the hackers could steal anything. It's still unclear who's behind this attack. But it's not the first time the DNC's been burned.

Who's getting called out... Saudi Arabia. The country is pushing for the death penalty against a female human rights activist. Israa al-Ghomgham faces charges related to protesting discrimination against the country's Shiite Muslim minority. The death penalty is pretty common in Saudi Arabia for crimes like murder. But this would apparently be the first time the country's tried to execute a woman for activism. Human Rights Watch says the charges set a bad precedent at a time when women are just starting to gain more freedoms in Saudi Arabia. Speaking of countries getting called out, Malaysia. The country seems increasingly hostile to LGBT people. Last week, a transgender woman was reportedly brutally beaten on the street while several people watched. Over the weekend, police raided a popular LGBT-friendly club, and reportedly arrested 20 people for "illicit behavior." Next week, a lesbian couple is scheduled to be beaten with a cane for having sex - a violation of Islamic rules. Human rights groups are saying these crackdowns need to stop. Now.

What to say to your friend you used to ditch gym class with... Let's get gym memberships and never go.

What to say when you hear "Crazy Rich Asians" is getting a sequel... Sheldon Cooper is not.

THING TO KNOW

1-3-5 List Not an abbreviated version of the Mambo No 5 opening. It's a way to make your to-do list less scary by checking off one big thing, three medium-sized things, and five small tasks. Because getting sh*t done helps you sleep easier. There are more tips where that came from here. PS: Here's something to prioritize - upgrade your bedding for better Zzz's in 3...2...1.

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For when you're looking to give... See red. Proceeds from this electric toothbrush go toward the fight to end AIDS. One toothbrush can cover 30 days of HIV medicine. Your morning routine just got more meaningful. You know what to do.* For when you can't be with the one you love... Love the wine you're with. Pour over our roundup of the best wine bottle openers. *PS This is a sponsored section, which means if you purchase or sign up, theSkimm may get something in return. Thanks.

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