Skimm'd while feeling relaxed

"Free-range parenting" — Utah passed a law that makes it legal for kids to do things like walk to school on their own. Very retro.

CAN'T MAKE CENSUS OF THIS

The Story

A lot of people are pretty worked up about the 2020 census.

Give me some background.

Every 10 years, the US government collects data from the whole country. It's a huge effort. And it's hugely important – the census determines how many seats each state gets in the House. And how federal funding should be divided. And where things like schools and hospitals should be built.

What's happening now?

Earlier this week, the Trump admin said it was adding an extra Q to the 2020 census. It will ask respondents whether they are US citizens. This hasn't been part of the census since 1950.

Supporters say...

That this question is basic and makes sense. They said this was in response to a DOJ request for help enforcing a law that protects minorities' voting rights.

And critics say...

That the question could scare off undocumented immigrants and their family members from filling out the census. And if people aren't counted, this could impact a lot of things. See: above.

What's next?

California has already sued. Several other states and civil rights groups are getting ready to lawyer up as well.

theSkimm

The 2020 census will affect state congressional districts for the 2022 midterm elections and the electoral college for 2024.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What to say when your SO tries to surprise you on your birthday...

I'm shocked. Yesterday, it came out that yes, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un did go to China. And that he may be willing to put down some of the country's nukes. Earlier this week, the Internet was convinced Kim was in China, based on photos and video of a green train, among other hints. Turns out, the Internet was right. Yesterday, Chinese state media confirmed Kim met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. And that Kim is willing to cool it with the nuclear tests if the US and South Korea respond with "goodwill." TBD what he means by that. This is Kim's first known trip outside of North Korea since becoming its leader. Timing is key, since Kim's supposed to meet up with Trump sometime soon.

What people are talking about…

Alton Sterling. Yesterday, Louisiana's attorney general said there won't be charges against the two officers involved in his death. Back in 2016, two white police officers responded to a 911 call about a black man in a red shirt being threatening with a gun. They confronted Sterling, who fit the description. Witness video shows a police officer telling Sterling to get on the ground. When he didn't, the officers tackled him and pinned him to the ground. Someone yelled, "he's got a gun!" One of the officers shot at Sterling multiple times, killing him. The shooting came a day before another high-profile police shooting, and led to protests around the country. Last year, the Justice Department decided not to charge the officers, saying they acted reasonably given the circumstances. Yesterday, Louisiana's attorney general said 'same' – since authorities found a gun on Sterling and they say he resisted orders. Meanwhile, California is looking into the death of Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man who was killed by police earlier this month in his grandma's backyard in Sacramento. Police said they thought he was carrying a gun – it was a cellphone.

What to say when you rally to go to your friend's party…

I need to make an appearance. Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg does, too. He's planning to testify before Congress, about that time 50 million Facebook users unknowingly had their personal data shared with a political consulting firm. Lawmakers want Zuckerberg to show his face(book) and explain. In other tech news, Apple's making a cheaper and more education-friendly iPad to compete with Microsoft and Google, which have been dominating the ed-tech space. Meanwhile, Alphabet's Waymo showed off a new driverless all-electric Jaguar. It's planning to roll out 20,000 of these by 2022. Rawr.

PS: GV (formerly Google Ventures) is a minority investor in theSkimm.

What to say when a co-worker creeps up behind your desk…

Didn't see ya there. Same for these people who apparently lived in the Amazon – not that one, the rainforest. For years, people thought that much of the rainforest was uninhabited. But in recent years, people found these weird "Signs"-like shapes there. Archaeologists used satellite images to learn more. Yesterday, they said they found dozens of forgotten settlements where up to a million people could've lived from 1250 to 1500 CE. These include roads, canals, and land that could've been used for farming. Big deal, since it could tell us something about the human impact on the rainforests.

THING TO KNOW

Pink noise

White noise's chill cousin. It's a mix of high and low frequency that sounds more balanced and au naturale than white noise. It's good for putting you to sleep quickly, so you can get more done during the day. Want more tips to own your day and night? Here you go.

SKIMM LIFE

For when you're up late working on a project…

Pour it up, pour it up. Our latest obsession: Girl Scout Cookie™ inspired flavors from Dunkin' Donuts. Meaning allll the Thin Mints® Coffee you want. But it takes more than some good coffee to grow a B. Just ask Sara Blakely - the founder of Spanx and an inspiration to us since day one. Today, she's on our podcast, Skimm'd from the Couch, talking about how she went from selling fax machines to appearing on "Oprah." You'll want to listen, please and spanx you. Get in on it here.*

For when you go down the rabbit hole on IFLS...

The power of science. Our Skimm'r of the Week Saniya Waghray gets it. She's a founding board member of BSTEM, which helps young women up their STEM skills. Learn more here.

SKIMM BIRTHDAYS

* indicates Skimm'bassador. Hammer time.

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