“I made art” - A student who left a pineapple at a Scottish art exhibit to see if it’d be taken seriously. He later found it displayed inside a glass case. Avant garden.

FLYNN MY HEAD RIGHT ROUND

THE STORY

You’re still hearing a lot about Michael Flynn.

RIGHT…WHO’S HE AGAIN?

The retired three-star Army general who was forced to step down as President Trump’s national security adviser earlier this year. Back in December - on the same day that then-President Obama sanctioned Russia for interfering in the election - Flynn called up the Russian ambassador to the US. Flynn then denied that those sanctions came up in the convo, and VP Mike Pence publicly backed him up.

THEN WHAT?

Sally Yates - acting Attorney General at the time - warned the White House that Flynn was lying. And she said that this opened him up to potential blackmail by the Russians. US officials regularly listen in on foreign diplomats’ convos. Some of those officials leaked to the press that not only did Flynn discuss sanctions, he also hinted that the new administration would be open to lifting them. Flynn wasn’t forced out until weeks later, after just 24 days on the job.

OK...SO WHAT’S NEW?

Yesterday, Yates testified before a Senate committee that’s investigating Russia’s election meddling. And confirmed for the first time that all of the above really did happen. Republican lawmakers on the committee asked her how word of Flynn’s call history was leaked. Yates said ‘wasn’t me.’ Also yesterday, former Obama administration officials said that Obama warned Trump against hiring Flynn.

theSKIMM

Yesterday’s testimony tried to fill in some of the missing gaps in the entire Russia investigation. But this information’s coming in slow drips and it could take years for a full picture to emerge.

PS: Still have questions about Flynn and Russia? We Skimm’d it for you.

REPEAT AFTER ME...

WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR FRIEND FROM THE LONE STAR STATE…

Everything’s bigger in Texas. Including controversies. In recent days, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed a law banning sanctuary cities in the state. Sanctuary cities: the term for places like Austin, NYC, and San Francisco that refuse to turn undocumented immigrants over to the feds. President Trump’s been trying to crack down on these cities too, saying they’re protecting criminals. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order aimed at withholding federal funding from sanctuary cities. But a federal judge temporarily blocked it. Now, Texas’s new law will let police officers ask anyone who’s been pulled over if they’re in the country legally. And it threatens law enforcement officials with jail time if they refuse requests to hand over detained immigrants to the feds. Supporters of the law say it’s in the interest of public safety. Critics - including the Mexican government and police chiefs throughout Texas - say it’ll lead to racial profiling and hurt officers’ ability to build trust within minority communities. And some of those critics are saying ‘see you in court.’ Speaking of which, Trump’s travel ban 2.0 - the one that temporarily bans people from certain Muslim-majority countries from entering the US -  is back in court. Earlier this year, it was blocked by two federal judges. Yesterday, an appeals court heard arguments over whether the ban should stay or go. Stay tuned.

WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR FRIEND WHOSE FAVE LUNCH DELIVERY SPOT JUST SHUT DOWN...

Time for a change. Yesterday, Coach said it’s buying Kate Spade for $2.4 billion. Coach has been struggling to get shoppers in the bag over the past few years. Customers have been ditching the brand for less expensive options and aren’t shopping as often in the department stores where Coach bags have been front and center. Meanwhile, Kate Spade’s neon pink wallets and flower print everything have hit a millennial chord. So Coach is calling a Spade a spade, and hoping the deal will expand its business into new markets around the world. In other ‘let’s make a deal’ news…Sinclair Broadcast Group is dropping $3.9 billion to buy Tribune Media. Even if you don’t know Sinclair you’ve probably flipped through one of its channels. It’s the largest local TV station owner in the US. It’s also known for its conservative bent. The Tribune deal means Sinclair’s adding even more to its TV guide, and has the potential to become a Fox News rival. Break out the popcorn.

PS: 21st Century Fox (Fox News’s parent company) is a minority investor in theSkimm 

WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR FRIEND WHO LISTENED TO ALL OF “MISSING RICHARD SIMMONS” IN ONE DAY...

Plot twist. Yesterday, Richard Simmons sued outlets including the National Enquirer for libel. He says the outlets ran false articles alleging that he’s going through a sex change. He also says a former assistant was the one who planted these stories to blackmail him. You know Simmons as the ’80s fitness icon in spandex, with the energy of a dozen venti coffees. Back in 2014, he disappeared from public life. Ever since, everyone and their Hollywood mother’s been wondering ‘where is Richard Simmons?’ Including the host of that podcast all your friends listened to. Meanwhile, the National Enquirer and places like Radar Online ran stories alleging Simmons was MIA because he was transitioning from male to female. Now Simmons is saying ‘here I am’ and that none of this is true. The National Enquirer and Radar Online‘s parent company says “we stand by our reporting.”

WHAT TO SAY WHEN THE SHAMPOO RUNS OUT BEFORE A BIG DATE...

Throwing you a curve bottle.

SKIMM SLEEP

The Falling Dream: You know the one. You’re just starting to fall asleep and suddenly you’re falling off a 40-story building. This is a common dream, and usually comes when there’s something in your day-to-day that isn’t totally stable (work, your SO, your fam). This mattress and this pillow will always catch you when you fall. And you get a little discount on the mattress just because.

SKIMM LIFE

Skimm HQ be ‘grammin. Come see what we’re up to over here.

SKIMM SHARE

SKIMM BIRTHDAYS

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