Skimm'd while making eggnog

"Attractive hairy chest" – One of the arguments in a 16-slide PowerPoint about why Belle should have chosen Gaston. Is this what people do now in their free time?

STANDSTILL

The Story

The government is partially shut down. Happy holidays, America.

How did we get here?

Earlier this month, Congress had to pass a spending bill. After putting it off for a bit, the Senate passed a short-term bill to keep the gov up and running until February. But it didn't include what President Trump wanted: $5 billion for the US-Mexico border wall. After getting some heat for compromising, Trump said 'gimme what I want or I'm not signing.' So the House passed a version of the bill that did just that. But it didn't clear the Senate. And Trump refused to budge. So now we're at a standstill.

What's the latest?

Since no one could agree on how to fund the gov, there's been a partial shutdown since 12:01am Saturday morning. This is the third time the government has shut down this year (which hasn't happened since 1977). In this case, about 25% of the federal government doesn't have funding. This affects things like the Department of Homeland Security, NASA, and Forest and National Park Services.

What happens next?

The Senate is adjourned until Thursday which means the gov will probably be shut down until at least later this week. And the Trump admin says don't be surprised if the shutdown extends into the new year. The White House is apparently willing to accept less than the $5 billion for the border wall. But Dems won't give money for a wall they see as "immoral." And will likely only have more leverage when Dems regain the House starting Jan 3.

theSkimm

Like most government shutdowns, there's a lot of finger-pointing over who's to blame. But until Congress and the president can find a solution, many Americans will feel the effects of this shutdown. Around 380,000 employees have been told to stay home. And around 420,000 employees whose jobs are essential – like TSA agents at airports – have been told to work without pay. Not an ideal way to ring in the new year.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

What people are watching...

This tsunami in Indonesia. Over the weekend, a tsunami hit the area around Indonesia's Sunda Strait. It hit without warning. And seems to have been caused by a volcanic eruption that could have created an underwater landslide. So far, at least 281 people have been killed, hundreds were injured and many are still missing. This is the second major tsunami to hit Indonesia in the past few months.

What to say when you hear President Trump can't fire the Fed chairman...

What he can do: kick Defense Secretary Jim Mattis out two months early. Last week, Mattis handed Trump his resignation saying he would leave his position at the end of February. He left in protest over Trump's decision to pull US troops out of Syria. Now, Trump is saying 'thanks for your feedback, you can go now.' In other staffing changes, Brett McGurk – the US envoy to the coalition fighting ISIS – moved his resignation up from February to Dec 31. Earlier this month, McGurk warned it would take a while before ISIS is truly defeated. Days later, Trump announced ISIS's defeat in Syria as his main reason for pulling troops out. Trump's decision has caused resignations, concerns within the military, and confusion over what will happen next. Meanwhile, Turkey seems to be beefing up its presence there. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan promised Trump the country will deal with any remaining ISIS fighters in the region.

Who people are talking about...

Andrew Johnson. Last week, the New Jersey high school wrestler was forced to choose between cutting his dreadlocks or forfeiting a match. The reason: his head cover didn't comply with athletic regulations. Johnson ended up agreeing to cut his hair, and won the match. But many are calling out the referee for racial bias and discrimination. It later came out that this same referee came under fire back in 2016 for allegedly using a racial slur against a black referee. State officials started a civil rights investigation into what happened and the referee won't be assigned to any matches until it's over.

What to say in the bathroom...

Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fiercest of them all? Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Last week, Ginsburg had surgery to remove two cancerous growths from her left lung – which were discovered after tests from when she fractured her ribs last month. She's been treated for cancer twice before, and has never missed a day of oral arguments. She's recovering, and her trainer says she's asking to hit the gym again. There's literally no stopping this woman.

What to say when you forget the directions to your friend's house…

GPS, get me there. SpaceX launched its first national security mission called Falcon 9 for the U.S Air Force. This new satellite, once it is fully operational, will be three times more accurate than current GPS tech. Well, guess we'll have to find a new excuse for when we're late...

THING TO KNOW

Turtlenecks

The latest accessory for your dogs. Someone tweeted a photo of two hortaya borzaya dogs looking cool AF. Twitter responded like you'd expect Twitter would.

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PROGRAMMING NOTE

Skimm HQ is eating sugar cookies and spending time with family. No Skimm Tuesday or Wednesday. See you back in your inbox on Thursday. Happy holidays, all.

SKIMM SHARE

Skimm HQ is setting up our OOO emails. Share theSkimm with your friend who is already resting on a beach somewhere.

SKIMM BIRTHDAYS

* indicates Skimm'bassador.Hammer time.

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