We said what we said. Yesterday, the Defense Department shared that a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon has been flying over the US for days — including Montana.
Why…
Montana? We don’t know for sure. But it’s 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 “sensitive” areas. It’s 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 military’s advised against it. The Pentagon says Americans in the balloon's path aren’t 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 you’re trying to spot it in Montana, a local paper says it’s white and sort of looks like the moon. The military hasn’t 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.
So…what happens now?
The Defense Dept hasn’t taken the option of shooting the balloon down off the table. And is continuing to track it — but won’t say where it is now. Meanwhile, China says it's investigating the reports and hopes the situation can be handled “calmly and carefully.”
theSkimm
The news may sound like a college freshman’s script idea to combine “Top Gun” with “Up.” 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.
Tech earnings. Yesterday, the triple A group — Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet — 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 there’s 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 — especially among Black Americans. The bureau’s director hopes the study can help law enforcement and lawmakers reduce gun violence because “information is power.”
Who’s getting replaced…
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Yesterday, the GOP-led House voted to remove the Muslim congresswoman from the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It’s 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 — 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 “political revenge.”
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 “Great Resignation.” 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 aren’t 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 ‘no ragrets — not even a single letter.’
...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.
Here are today’s 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, Skimm’rs can get this club’s 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. We’re 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 you’re rounding up a few friends or planning a bigger event, we’ve got a couple trick plays up our sleeve to help out.
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On Our Radar
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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 run…Samantha K (IL). She’s 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) Birthdays…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. It’s T-2 days until the Grammys. And today’s subject line (Paint the town red like cinnamon) is a line from Beyoncé’s “Cozy” off of her latest album, “Renaissance.” It’s up for album of the year — one of her nine nominations tying her with hubby Jay-Z for the most career noms (88 each). But she’s not the only talker: Bad Bunny’s competing for up for album of the year with “Un Verano Sin Ti” — the first Spanish album up for the prize. Oh, and good luck to this year’s host, Trevor Noah. Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap it.
Skimm’d by Melanie De Lima, Mariza Smajlaj, Maria del Carmen Corpus, and Julie Shain
Photos by Getty Images, Shari’s Berries, Corkcicle, Etsy
