Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.

Skimm for January 6th

Skimm’d while watching “Making a Murderer”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“No white sugar. No white flour. No MSG…No coffee. No caffeine. No fungus. No dairy” - Tom Brady’s chef on the QB’s diet. No fun.

WELCOME TO THE GUN (CONTROL) SHOW

THE STORY

Yesterday, President Obama gave a speech, got emotional, and got some action going. As in executive action.

WHAT DID HE SAY?

That the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary changed him and made him mad. So mad that he tried to get Congress to pass new laws that would require background checks on all gun purchases. Congress said ‘no thanks.’ So now, three years later, Obama’s trying to do what he can without them through executive action. Aka things he can pass that don’t require a signature from Congress, but are still considered serious calls to action.

WHAT’S HE DOING?

Enforcing the rule that anyone in the biz of selling guns (think: at gun shows, on the Internet) will have to be a registered dealer and conduct background checks. Hiring hundreds of examiners to help do those checks. Making sure gun dealers are responsible for reporting a lost or stolen gun. So while there are some new initiatives, it’s mostly a plan to back up existing laws.

WHAT ARE PEOPLE SAYING?

The NRA said the plan is “ripe for abuse” by the government. Many GOP members said ‘unsubscribe,’ they’ll get rid of Obama’s plan ASAP if one of them takes back the White House. And many Dems said ‘bravo,’ this kind of progress needs to continue.

theSKIMM

After hundreds of mass shootings last year, this is Obama taking a step towards changing things at the federal level. But Obama said it’s a baby step. The big steps he wants - sweeping gun overhauls - need Mama Congress’s OK.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU HEAR CALIFORNIA IS GETTING HIT WITH MAJOR RAINSTORMS…

At least you can blame nature. Yesterday, an earthquake was detected in North Korea near a site that’s historically been used for nuclear tests. Then — surprise — NK said it conducted a nuclear test. Specifically, a hydrogen bomb test , which would mean the isolated country is upping its nuclear game. Like whoa. South Korea announced an emergency meeting after it suspected that the quake was caused by a nuclear test. But this wouldn’t be the first time NK has caused its own not-so-natural disaster - back in 2013, a nuclear test caused a similar quake. US officials reminded everyone that these new H-bomb claims aren’t verified yet, and reminded NK that it does not approve of its nuclear enthusiasm. NK’s currently under UN sanctions for its nuclear and missile program, but leader Kim Jong-un doesn’t seem too concerned about that. He’s too busy worrying about his haircut.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT…

Germany. Yesterday, it came out that almost 100 women reported either being robbed, threatened, or sexually assaulted on NYE in the city of Cologne. Police have described the men who carried out the attacks as looking Arab or North African. Refresher: Europe’s been dealing with a little thing called the migrant and refugee crisis (pssst we Skimm’d it for you). Germany’s opened its doors pretty wide, letting in at least one million migrants and refugees last year, which has some people saying ‘um, is that safe?’ German authorities said they’re not sure if the suspects are migrants and refugees, but yesterday’s news fueled the debate about security in the country. So far no arrests have been reported, but Chancellor Angela Merkel called for a “hard response.”

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU HEAR THE COACHELLA LINEUP IS OUT…

The NFL is also feeling Cali vibes. Yesterday, three teams submitted applications to relocate to Los Angeles. The St. Louis Rams, San Diego Chargers, and Oakland Raiders all think they can make more money in La La land than they do in their current cities. Apparently people in LA are probably more likely to watch touchdowns from a fancy new box inside a fancy new stadium. But the cities that the teams are trying to break up with keep saying ‘baby please don’t goooo.’ San Diego and St. Louis have offered to build new stadiums to keep the teams interested. Meanwhile, LA hasn’t had an NFL team since Gwyneth and Brad were together. Now it’s up to the NFL’s owners to decide which of the teams gets to move to Hollywood.

THING TO KNOW

CES: Stands for Consumer Electronics Show. It’s an annual get-together where big time companies and tech startups schmooze and show off new products. It’s also the reason why your friends in tech are Snapchatting you from Las Vegas clubs.

SKIMM SHARE

SKIMM BIRTHDAYS

* indicates Skimm’bassador. Today is your day.

*Katy Jo Muncie (Houston, TX); *Hannah Youngerman (South Hadley, MA); *Neha Nayak (Philadelphia, PA); *Lydia Lenker (Nashville, TN); *Caroline Davidson (Hamilton, NY); *Samantha Sandler (Madison, CT); *Courtney Melson (Asheville, NC); *Stephanie Leahu (Chicago, IL); *Lindsay Mackey (Daphne, AL); *Evie McQuiston (Ann Arbor, MI); *Natasha Scott (Atlanta, GA); *Stephanie King (San Francisco, CA); *Lauren Alix (Astoria, NY); *Toni DeGuire (San Antonio, TX); Angela Vaughn (South Walton, FL); Hannah Rose Robinson (Greensboro, NC); Ashley Fears (Springfield, MO); Ethan Lee (Seaford, DE); Norah Cox (Washington, DC); Emily Seltzer (Austin, TX); Gera Anderson (Los Angeles, CA); Heloise Dubois (Wilbraham, MA); Richard Casias (Davis, CA); Judy Buffkin (Conyers, GA); Melanie O’Boyle (Grand Island, NE); Kate Gladchun (Bloomfield Hills, MI); Judy Wolbe (Atlanta, GA); Sarah Arenstein (Washington, DC); Lisa Cahillane (Mountain View, CA); Mary Taddeo (Huntington Beach, CA); Patricia Calitri (Cranston, RI); Ashley Davidson (Clemson, SC); Libby Champion (Clermont, FL); Susan Nilda Mazza (Floral Park, NY); Lindsay Broveleit (Kalamazoo, MI); Jil Bluny (Enterprise, AL); Skylar Frederick (Charlottesville, VA); Laura Williams (Chicago, IL)