Skimm'd while staycationing

theSkimm50 West 23rd Street, Suite 5B; New York, NY, 10010, United States Update Profile

NOVEMBER 21, 2018

ARCHIVE

theSkimm
Share theSkimm

Skimm'd while staycationing


  QUOTE OF THE DAY  

"A mess inside and out" – Martha Stewart on her first Uber ride. Oh, the struggle.

DECISION MADE

The Story

Yesterday, President Trump said the US stands with Saudi Arabia despite the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Exclamation point.

Well then.

One more time: Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul last month. A lot of people pointed fingers at Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for ordering the killing. After struggling to get its story straight, the Saudi gov finally said 'oh yeah, our bad...but don't blame it on the prince.' Last week, the US issued sanctions on 17 Saudis it said were suspects. And Germany ended arms sales to the kingdom. Everyone's been waiting to learn more about the CIA's assessment on this. It apparently concluded that the order came from the crown prince himself. All eyes were on what else the US would do in response.

So, what else is the US doing?

Nothing. Yesterday, President Trump put out a statement to end the speculation of where the US stands. Here's the gist of what it said: 'The world is dangerous. Yeah, what happened to Khashoggi was terrible. And yeah, the crown prince may or may not have ordered it. But everything Iran does is worse. What we should focus on is the hundreds of billions of dollars that Saudi Arabia will pour into the US. Also, oil.'

What does this mean?

It ignores a push from lawmakers on both sides who've demanded harsher measures against Saudi Arabia. And seems to downplay the CIA's assessment of the killing – although Trump says the CIA didn't conclude anything "definitive." This wouldn't be the first time the president has been at odds with the national intelligence community.

Remind me.

Russia, Russia, Russia. Intelligence agencies say the country meddled in the US election to help Trump win. Trump says 'but did it really...I mean, I guess?' Yesterday, he passed off his written answers to special counsel Robert Mueller's questions about his knowledge of Russian interference. TBD if it puts the whole thing to bed.

theSkimm

From day one, Trump has made it very clear that one of his admin's top priorities is business in America. His statement yesterday shows that despite pressure from members of both parties, he's not changing that approach – no matter the accusation leveled against his biz partner.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What you keep hearing about…

Afghanistan. Yesterday, a suicide bomber attacked a gathering of religious scholars in the capital, killing at least 55 people and injuring dozens more. Hundreds were gathered there to mark a holiday celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. No one has claimed responsibility yet, including ISIS or the Taliban – although both have carried out attacks against civilians in the past.


What to say when the Thanksgiving convo goes off the rails…

What's going on here? Asking for Mississippi's Senate runoff election. Earlier this month, neither Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) nor challenger Mike Espy (D) got a majority of the vote. So, yay, runoff. But weird stuff has come out recently. Last week, footage surfaced of Hyde-Smith telling a supporter that if "he invited me to a public hanging, I'd be on the front row." Cue jaws dropping, considering the state's history of lynching black Americans. Also, considering that Espy himself is black. Yesterday, Hyde-Smith finally apologized to "anyone that was offended." But she's also been caught saying that she's cool with voter suppression. She says she was joking. And yesterday, old Facebook pictures of hers resurfaced, showing her wearing a Confederate soldier's hat at the home of a former Confederate president. As part of the caption, she wrote, "Mississippi history at its best." Walmart and other companies are asking Hyde-Smith for their donations back. It's unclear what this all means for the vote next week. If Hyde-Smith wins, it ups the Republican majority in the Senate to 53-47. If Espy wins, he'd be the state's first Dem senator since the '80s...and its first black senator since Reconstruction.


Who people are talking about...

Lou Anna Simon. Yesterday, the former president of Michigan State University was charged with lying to the police over what she knew about Larry Nassar. You know Nassar as the former USA Gymnastics team doctor who's been accused of molesting hundreds of women and girls during his time at USA Gymnastics, Michigan State, and other training centers for gymnasts. Earlier this year, Simon resigned over how she handled this. Now, she faces up to four years in prison.


What to say when you hear the stock market's down

Here's what else you need to know about in the biz world: eight men are suing Saks Fifth Avenue over claims of age and race discrimination. Victoria's Secret is bringing bathing suits back. There's no Glamour in print these days. But at least some former Toys "R" Us owners are paying employees who got laid off.


What to say when there are things you won't eat on Thanksgiving

Do not eat romaine lettuce. This is not a drill.

SKIMM READS

"Severance" by Ling Ma

"It's the end of the world as we know it" is not just the soundtrack to your politically charged Thanksgiving dinner. In this book, a millennial's routine is upended...by the actual end of the world. Meet an apocalyptic satire that's your perfect food coma escape. Get it here.


PS: Want to go in for seconds with more Skimm Reads? Here you go.

SKIMM PICKS

For when you have big shoes to fill...

Put your foot on the gas. Get inspired with our latest Skimm'd From the Couch episode, presented by the Buick Encore. In it, we talk with Lauren Bush Lauren about how she's carved out her own legacy by starting her own company without the 'right' experience. Give it a listen.*


For when you're jealous of your sister still in college…

Go back to school, too. This company has thousands of online classes on things like design, tech, film, writing, and more. Skimm'rs get a two-month free trial. Get into it.*


For when you realize Black Friday is around the corner…

Brace yourselves. Shop our best of Black Friday picks from your couch. And save yourself (and your feet...and your sanity) from the madness.

*PS This is a sponsored section, which means if you sign up, theSkimm may get something in return. Thanks.

PROGRAMMING NOTE

Skimm HQ is in turkey feast mode. No Daily Skimm until Monday. Happy Thanksgiving.

SKIMM BIRTHDAYS

* indicates Skimm'bassador. Break out the bubbly.

theSkimm's Jessica Turtletaub NY, theSkimm's Gina Costa NY, Lindsay Roberts Schneider NY, Kathy Roszak IL, Suzanne Kianpour DC, Casey Koko VA, Janet Elias NY, Judy Grosvenor VT, Candace Butera NY, Catherine Cereghino NY, Arthur Pepper NY, Satwant Singh NY, *Aja May IN, *Alex Weissner CO, Katherine Heigl CA, *Amanda Freeman TX, *Ashley Roemer FL, *Ashwarya Srinivas, *Carolyn Pettersson WI, *Christina Richardson IL, *Cristi Chentnik TX, *Desiree Marengo FL, *Emily Caron VA, *Erica Tsai NY, *Faith Rivers GA, *Francisco Africano CA, *Ilana Eides MA, *Julia Pisc MA, *Kellie Lemen MO, *Laura Jennings VA, *Molly O'Connor NY, *Monica Hand TX, *Naomi Katz GA, *Natalie Harms TX, *Neda Khalilian TX, *Nina Yakimov, *Samantha Davis OH, *Samantha Sublett TX, *Sid Sinha GA, *Weezie Lauher MA, *Wendy Harnisher NY, *Alison Nicholes CT, *Angela Yao NJ, *Chelsea Thompson MN, *Christine Rampaiyakul CA, *Deval Jhaveri NJ, *Jen Opie IL, *Julie Nell NY, *Kate TerHaar OH, *Kelly Frazier CO, *Kim Janca TX, *Kristin Moore IN, *Lee Kennedy NC, *Makenna Diesel FL, *Nancy Powers OH, *Nha-Uyen Hua FL, *Nichole Saunders TX, *Rina Shah NJ, *Tracy Yantzer OH, *Alecia Stanley SC, *Amy Papa MO, *Anita Levinson IL, *Caitlin Rick MN, *Caitlin Wozny OH, *Catherine Booth AR, *Charlene Vassil FL, *Dr. Travis Dunlap OR, *Gala McCray MD, *Kate Ebaugh IL, *Mary Sellers PA, *Sahar Raoofi NY, *Sarah Elliott CA, *Sophia Fry IL, *Alexa Arata NY, *Alexis Ribeiro NJ, *Alyssa Baratta-Martin WI, *Anna Hecksher SC, *Ari Berman CA, *August Gruneisen CA, *Barbara Libbin MD, *Brittany Peterson MN, *Casey Carrigan KS, *Elena Fineberg NY, *Jen Spisak VA, *Jennifer Whisenhunt White AZ, *Julia Masch NJ, *Julie Sweeney OH, *Jylian Vigar IN, *Kate James TN, *Kim Wehmeyer DC, *Kristin Hansen WA, *Lisa Skomorowski CAN, *Marissa Stavropoulos NJ, *Megan DeRosier, *Megan Koontz TN, *Michele Kaiser IA, *Patricia Borrusso MD, *Rachel Konig IN, *Rachel Schnure NJ, *Suma Mathai CA, *Trish Geels IN, *Zahira Gomez CO, Alexis Curry FL, Andrea Hoffmann MA, Andrea Meli CO, Annie Vallier MA, Audrey Cohn NY, Beth Hardy OH, Bonnie Rosenberg FL, Brianna DeFiore MI, Brianna Pearson NC, Carolyn McRae MA, Cathy Lewandowski TN, Chan Johnson TX, Christine Congelosi NY, Courtney Skarupski PA, Cyndie Burgess CO, Cynthia Viskocil OH, Dan Recht NJ, David Sisk CA, Deborah Grushkin NJ, Diane Thieke NJ, Edita Greben NY, Elizabeth Mahoney IL, Elizabeth May MD, Emily Bishop OK, Emily Smith TN, Erika Hauck SD, Erin Meeks FL, Haley Cottingham SC, Heidi Hilty OH, Jayden Slater KS, Jeanette Tallarita CT, Jillian Hopkins MD, Joanna McCay LA, Jodi Krebs NY, John Ohakim NJ, Julie Anne Trostel TX, Kati Quigley WA, Katie Lloyd NY, Kellie Hinkle NJ, Kelly Plantz IL, Mariana Puig, Marisa Holly CA, Melissa Kerley NC, Mina Rabideaux IL, Nancy Henderson MI, Nupur Patel IL, Olivia Phelps CA, Pam Felenstein NY, Rose Dzugan HI, Sam Dugan IA, Samantha Morse ME, Sarah Ferman DC, Shaina Frimerman NY, Suzie Ali CA, Victoria Blissett AL, Wendy Fisher NY, Abbey Nolte CO, Aekta Gandhi GA, Allie Bassman PA, Alta Maartens TX, Amit Bedi NY, Angela Belfon, Angela Ryan PA, Aubrey Levin FL, Bayard Walker PA, Carol Malin MA, Elyse Kluber NY, Jennifer Waldman NJ, Jim Mieksztyn MI, Josie Roth FL, Joycie Bernstein MA, Karen Gathany AL, Karen Fort GA, Karen Mosher IL, Katie Doyle FL, Lauren Ross NC, Layna Buthker MI, Leighlany Baez Valloza Ca, Lelani Eickhoff CA, Lisa Carmichael CA, Maggie Harrington NY, Marggy Hanington MI, Maria Pesce NY, Marianne Roser VA, Marla Cole CA, Matt Baer NY, Nadine Crandall GA, Pallavi Gambhire MA, Rayca Brummund MN, Rebekah Braslow TN, Samantha Holland CA, Sarah Moore FL, Seddon Macholz CA, Sharon Willoughby CA, Sheila Larsen MT, Steph Lewis Shambo IL, Tracy Buckner NJ, Whitney Zickafoose AL, Alley Kay MA, Alyssa Cannella SC, Anastasia Lambert GA, Angela Schultz ND, Anne Wallace FL, Bimmy Gatinao DC, Brooke Gallagher VA, Cassie Hutaff NC, Catherine Ward CO, Charlotte Livermore CA, Charlotte Roselli NJ, Christine Rusak NJ, Claudia DeVita CT, Courtney Souder OH, Dante Medema AK, Enxhi Myslymi DC, Grace Stieber NY, Jackson McCann GA, Jeff Miller GA, Jeffrey West MI, Jessica Parziale NH, Jonathan Finegold NY, Jordan Rozenfeld MA, Keith-Anne Hilinski PA, Kelley Western WA, Kimberly Sims RI, Kirsten Yutzy OH, Laura Dungan IL, Lindsey Hageman NC, Mariajosé Villarreal CO, Megan Greco NY, Megan O'Brien OH, Mike MacGregor MA, Molly Parker GA, Morgan Garland AR, Nicole Mount PA, Pam Schlade IL, Philip Bernard Parker TX, Rachel Marti MN, Rebekah Wilson CA, Sallie Guy TX, Shelley Auten Schnittker TX, Shimmy Gray-Miller SC, Stephanee Germaine AZ, Stephanie Campbell TN, Tanya Guevara TX, Tempie Juliano NM, Yasmine Rodriguez NY, Abby Rehfeld AZ, Acacia Nunes MA, Aharon Schrieber NY, Amy Pezzimenti NJ, Beth Cardillo MA, Brittany Reith SD, Brooke Littrell AZ, Brooke Trug KS, Carly Sheridan TX, Cathy McIntire GA, Courtney Brucker IN, Cristina Madrigal CA, Cyndi Park OR, Danna Ogletree GA, Debra Townson GA, Emily Kaminski IL, Flora Baik NY, Hanna Bobrovnyk TX, Hannah Karr PA, Janine Carroll PA, Jenna Brumleve KY, Joanna Hess AR, Judy Gordon PA, Julia Rosinus IL, Julie Comer GA, Kate Mercer WY, Katelynn Detweiler IN, Katherine Heigl, Katie Erikson TX, Kira Faust MN, Laura Rizzo NJ, Lauren Simoneaux Beers CO, Lee Montgomery MA, Lucas Smith PA, Margeaux Chase TX, Margo Winter MN, Mary Moynahan NC, May Eaton CA, Natalie Moynihan KS, Nathan True-Daniels CA, Nicole Baumgardt WI, Perri Leviss RI, Rachel Rebhan MN, Roni Moore Neumann IL, Sandra Casullo SC, Sarah Moffitt RI, Taylor Gattinella, Tom Glasgow RI, Tony Graham WI, Tricia Borrusso MD, Zachary Schrieber NY, Donna Hall GA