Skimmâd with the best Valentineâs Day gift recs February 3, 2023 [Read in browser](
[theSkimm Logo] Daily Skimm [Header Image]( Skimmâd with [the best Valentineâs Day gift recs]( âSix more weeks of winterâ â [What Punxsutawney Phil]( is predicting. Unfortunately, the data shows he [might be right](. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=Punxsutawney Phil is warning us to keep the Uggs handy #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) Top Story Pop It Like Itâs Hot The Story Itâs a bird, itâs a plane, itâs a [Chinese spy balloon flying over Montana](. Excuse me? We said what we said. Yesterday, the Defense Department shared that a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon has been flying over the US for days â including Montana. Why⦠Montana? We donât know for sure. But itâs one of [three sites]( in the US that hosts intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The military says the balloon has been flying over âsensitiveâ areas. Itâs gotten to the point where Defense Sec Lloyd Austin has even [briefed the president]( on military options, including shooting it down with F-22s. Will it do that? So far, the militaryâs advised against it. The Pentagon says Americans in the balloon's path arenât in danger. But the debris from shooting it down could harm people on the ground. Pause. How big of a balloon are we talking? About the size of three buses. If youâre trying to spot it in Montana, [a local paper]( says itâs white and sort of looks like the moon. The military hasnât confirmed that. And while this isn't the first time that China's sent spy balloons, this one's been hanging around longer than usual. Soâ¦what happens now? The Defense Dept hasnât taken the option of shooting the balloon down off the table. And is continuing to track it â but wonât say where it is now. Meanwhile, China says it's [investigating](the reports and hopes the situation can be handled âcalmly and carefully.â theSkimm The news may sound like a college freshmanâs script idea to combine âTop Gunâ with âUp.â But the stakes are high: Sec of State Antony Blinken is visiting China [in the coming days](. And tensions between the US and China are up over a variety of issues, particularly [Taiwan](. Now, a balloon floating over the US threatens to raise them even further. Related Stories: - [Video: This May or May Not Be the Balloon]( - [Why Was âTop Gun: Maverickâ So Popular Anyway? Who Knows]( - [We Saved You a Google. The Song Is â99 Luftballons.â]( [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=Itâs a bird, itâs a plane, itâs a Chinese spy balloon over Montana #theSkimm%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) And Also...This What has Wall Street feeling down... [Tech earnings](. Yesterday, the triple A group â Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet â saw their stocks dip more than 3% after hours. It came after Apple reported its first [revenue decline]( (read: 5% drop) in nearly four years. The tech giant blamed COVID and protests at a key Chinese factory for slowing its production of iPhone 14s. Meanwhile, Amazon beat investors' earnings expectations, but [signaled]( that growth is slowing as customers are looking to chill on spending. And Alphabet's revenue [narrowly missed]( expectations. The gloomy earnings reports come as the tech industry's facing more glitches with the wonky economy, troubles in the digital ad market space, and competition with the surge of AI. But one company that's got a positive status update: Meta. Earlier this week, it announced a [restructuring plan]( to focus on company "efficiency." It was apparently music to investors' ears, since Meta stock jumped around 20%. --------------------------------------------------------------- What people are talking about⦠[Guns](. Yesterday, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives reportedly released its most expansive report in more than 20 years. It found that 54% of guns that police located at crime scenes in 2021 have been legally purchased within the last three years. The report also found that thereâs been a rise in conversion devices (like [bump stocks]() and ghost guns. This comes as the US deals with its [highest recorded]( gun deaths in more than 25 years â especially among Black Americans. The bureauâs director hopes the study can help law enforcement and lawmakers reduce gun violence because âinformation is power.â --------------------------------------------------------------- Whoâs getting replaced⦠[Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN)](. Yesterday, the GOP-led House voted to remove the Muslim congresswoman from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Itâs not a first for Congress. In 2021, the Democratic-led House pulled the [unprecedented move]( of removing Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Paul Gosar (R-AZ) from their committee assignments. Now, House Republicans say Omar should not serve on the committee considering [past remarks]( that have been called antisemitic â and [condemned]( by both sides of the aisle. Ahead of the vote, Omar said her removal from the committee wouldn't "diminish" her "leadership and voice" in the lower chamber. Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called the move âpolitical revenge.â --------------------------------------------------------------- Why hindsight is 20/20⦠[The Great Resignation](. Earlier this month, a new survey found that a majority of workers who quit during that time regretted the decision. Nearly 50 million people are estimated to have quit their job in 2021 as part of the âGreat Resignation.â And this study found that out of the 800 employees surveyed, 80% said they regretted it. Most employees left for better pay and benefits, but it seems those perks arenât enough to keep them happy. Gen Z suffered the most and actually missed their old co-workers. Gen X missed the work-life balance from their previous employer. Meanwhile, most Millennials are saying âno ragrets â not even a single letter.â ...Oh and speaking of overworked: these [cloned cows]( can produce nearly double the milk of an average US cow. How dairy they. --------------------------------------------------------------- What's got people checking their medicine cabinets... [EzriCare Artificial Tears](. Yesterday, EzriCare recalled its eyedrops after the product had been linked to 55 cases of bacterial infection and vision loss. One person has also died in connection to the drops. --------------------------------------------------------------- What's still top of mind... [Paid family leave](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Whoâs apparently not shook up over Elvis... [Vanessa Hudgens](. [Facebook]([Twitter]([Email](mailto:?body=A new report is out about guns. Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) has been given the boot in the House Foreign Affairs Committee. And an eyedrop recall.%0A3Ftype%3Demailurl%26r%3DSKIMM%26utm_source%3Demail%26utm_medium%3Ddsshare%23custom) While Weâre on the Subject... Curious about todayâs subject line? (Paint the town red like cinnamon.) We saved you a Google. Itâs a⦠A: Lyric from BeyonceÌâs [âCozyâ]( B: Lyric from Bad Bunnyâs [âMe Porto Bonitoâ]( C: Quote from Trevor Noahâs comedy album, [âThe Daywalkerâ]( Scroll for answer. Click [here]( to submit a subject line. Our Guide to Valentineâs Day Gifting February 14 is riiiight around the corner. So stop procrastinating and get your shopping done with these Skimm HQ-approved gifts: - [Last-minute ideas thatâll ship fast]( - [Our fave flowers you can order online]( - [Smart products thatâll reenergize your sex life]( Skimm Picks Here are todayâs recs to help you live a smarter life⦠1. How to save up to $2k on every flight for life. For the next 12 hours, Skimmârs can get [this club](âs lifetime membership for $129 (normally $1,690). Fly roundtrip to London from $298, Hawaii from $179, and more. [Get traveling with 93% off now](.* 2. What our editors were obsessed with in January. Weâre sharing a few [standout faves]( from the past month that we usually reserve for the group chat. Because they really are that good. 3. Brooklinen's Valentine's Day gift guide. Your loved one deserves [great sleep](. Snag them a cozy robe and candle while you're at it too. 4. Must-haves for a stress-free Super Bowl party. Whether youâre rounding up a few friends or planning a bigger event, weâve got a couple [trick plays]( up our sleeve to help out. Psst...looking for more discounts on brands Skimm'rs love? Check out all of our exclusive promo codes [here](. On Our Radar 20% off sitewide at W&P. Pick up a [new water bottle]( to help you stay properly hydrated, a lunch bundle for days at the office, and more. Skimm'rs We like to celebrate the wins, big and small. Let us know how your friends, neighbors, coworkers (and yes, even you) are making career moves, checking off goals, or making an impact in the community. In the long runâ¦Samantha K (IL). Sheâs running in the 2023 Chicago Marathon and raising money for families who have to travel for their children to receive medical care in the city or have long hospital stays. (Some) Birthdaysâ¦Talia Spiegel (NY), David Lane (AUS), theSkimm's Diana Rodriguez (NY), theSkimm's Margo Ghertner (NY), Tara Crowley (NJ), Emma Zlotowitz (NY), Alyssa Limberakis (NJ), Cherelle Crenshaw (GA), Christophe Lagrange (IL), Gabrielle Hoover (NC), Benita Routman (MO), Tori Kennedy (IL), Ann Pieri (MN), Mickey Valella (CA), Denise Schreffler (VA), Alana Coscia (IL) PS: Paging all members of theSkimm. Reach out [here]( for a chance to be featured. Answer: A. Itâs T-2 days until the Grammys. And todayâs subject line (Paint the town red like cinnamon) is a line from BeyonceÌâs âCozyâ off of her latest album, âRenaissance.â Itâs up for album of the year â one of her [nine]( nominations tying her with hubby Jay-Z for the [most career noms]( (88 each). But sheâs not the only talker: Bad Bunnyâs competing for up for album of the year with âUn Verano Sin Tiâ â the [first]( Spanish album up for the prize. Oh, and good luck to this yearâs host, Trevor Noah. Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap it. Skimmâd by Melanie De Lima, Mariza Smajlaj, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Julie Shain --------------------------------------------------------------- Photos by Getty Images, Shariâs Berries, Corkcicle, Etsy Design by Diana Chau Hu, theSkimm --------------------------------------------------------------- *PS: This is a sponsored post.
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