Daily Skimm

Quote of the Day

"I got through an awkward stage, and now I’m like, ‘I earned this.'"

— Andrew Garfield, safely on the other side of a hair transformation for an upcoming role. How long before he gets bangs?

Side by side photos of Michigan's Democratic primary candidates for Senate, Abdul El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens.

Politics

Following the Money

What's going on: It's no secret that donors shell out huge amounts of cash to buy influence and access, and many politicians, regardless of party, are happy to benefit. But this midterm season, progressives are calling out fellow Dems for taking super PAC money –– particularly from groups linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Take yesterday’s primary in Michigan: AIPAC spent more than $30 million supporting moderate Senate candidate Hayley Stevens — and attacking her progressive opponent, former Detroit health official Abdul El-Sayed, who has been critical of Israel. El-Sayed has called out Stevens for the AIPAC donations, describing her recent pro-Israel vote as “the pro quo that comes with the quid.” That messaging may have had an effect — with more than 95% of the votes in early Wednesday morning, El-Sayed was leading a tight race.

It’s not just swing states: According to a New York Times analysis, AIPAC has more than doubled its campaign spending over the past three election cycles, most of it on Democratic primaries –– and those investments have helped elect 15 members of Congress. This year so far, NYT reports that AIPAC-affiliated groups have spent $67 million on campaign advertising in primaries across the country, often outspending other super PACs funded by pro-AI and pro-crypto donors. But this increased spending comes at a time when, across parties, more voters are adding super PAC donations to their “cons” column. And politicians seem to be putting a finger to the wind: Dems considering 2028 presidential campaigns are preemptively distancing themselves from AIPAC, including those who have previously accepted donations.

The News in 5

🗞️ Authorities charged a 37-year-old Spokane resident with intentionally setting the Old Trails Fire, one of many burning now in Washington state. Previously, he was connected to two other arsons and went to prison for killing his father.

🗞️ More than 20 states and Washington, DC, sued to keep the White House from accessing sensitive info (including immigration status) on families that receive benefits.

🗞️ YouTube banned at least six popular ASMR artists, saying their content was “sexually gratifying.” *whispers* You’ll have to get your fix on TikTok now.

🗞️ It’s not just North America and Europe — East Asia is also suffering from a massive heat wave that's killed at least 19 people in South Korea.

🗞️ The US is banning the import of Chinese robots, and this friendly assistant was swept up in the mix. We’re not meant to exist in a vacuum.

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In Our Rotation

Your 3 p.m. slump just met its match. This new iced tea blends electrolytes, tea, and a hint of citrus — crash not included. Psst…free sample pack with any purchase.*

These at-home hair glosses are a beginner-proof way to refresh your color — and a hacky way to save money on salon visits.

Keep scrolling...more recs below

Free (?) Speech

Be Careful What You Post For

What's going on: ICE agents are lurking in the comments. For months, the White House has been cracking down on social media speech, especially when it comes to immigration enforcement –– with the State Department even requiring all applicants for certain visas to make social media accounts public. Now, The Wall Street Journal reports that the agency is paying private contractors to scrape social media for critical posts, create daily reports on people considered “threat actors,” and share their sensitive personal details like home addresses and SSNs. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has also subpoenaed tech companies to ID anonymous users. Many of these claims don’t hold up under legal scrutiny. When Reddit rejected subpoenas for 11 accounts that were “critical” of ICE, arguing these commenters are protected under the First Amendment, DHS withdrew the subpoena requests.

A chilling effect: One woman told WSJ she compared ICE to Nazis on X, and a few months later, ICE agents showed up at her door and warned her not to post like that again. Others have been charged with conspiracy to impede federal agents, a rarely used Civil War-era statute that the Trump administration has revived for this purpose. In Los Angeles, two activists who livestreamed an ICE vehicle driving to an agent’s private home were found guilty of stalking. US citizens admitted to NPR and WSJ that these kinds of ICE encounters have made them more careful about what they say online. For the Trump administration, that might be just as useful as a guilty verdict.

The More You Know

Goodnight, Books. Goodnight, Literacy. Goodnight, Brain.

What's going on: After news broke that AI companies were literally slicing off the spines of books (a macabre move à la George Orwell's memory hole), people were understandably outraged. But it's just the latest on-the-nose example of literacy loss. It comes as we collectively complain about how writing and learning skills have suffered, particularly among young people, thanks in part to the rise of short-form video and AI. But the decline of reading for fun is an overlooked piece of the problem. The most comprehensive survey of America’s reading habits found that fewer than half of adults read a book of any kind in 2022, while another study found that only 16% read for pleasure in 2023 (down from 28% in 2004). The kids are struggling too. As reading scores slide, children aren't able to comprehend even the short excerpts they read in class at the levels they once could. Quick, someone show them the Arthur library card song.

Are we in a literacy crisis?: Some experts think so. Although we’re still technically reading IG captions, texts, and AI summaries, the lack of sustained attention on longer-form literature is changing our brains. Reading helps fight brain rot, maintains attention, promotes imagination, and gives us greater empathy. The logic skills it gives us help in conversation, at work, and at home. Even if you think your attention span is shot (raises hand), start with an audiobook (more than 13,000 Skimm’rs weighed in, and yes, audiobooks count — and experts agree). Or reread a book you loved as a kid (we're starting with A Series of Unfortunate Events). Or start small, with one paragraph before bed. It all adds up to fuel for your brain, not AI.

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We Needed This

Tweet that says "Telling people who aren't online enough to "touch a keyboard"

Quick Hits

🤷‍♀️ People are making "homemade botox" with the same two ingredients we'd use to make a midday snack.

👠 Only millions of dollars stand in the way of us and a Barbie sequel. Who knew it cost that much to just do beach?

🖍️ Meghan Markle had a surprise run-in during Princess Lilibet’s first day of preschool. Gotta love a full-circle moment.

👵 “Granny core” isn’t just a trend — it was a way for one teen to keep his grandma’s memory alive. We’re so down for a VHS movie marathon.

📱 You might be seeing ChatGPT content on your Instagram feed, but not in the way you’d think. We expect this from beauty brands, not tech giants.

🏈 A famous NFL player’s mom (not Donna) name-dropped her son for the most relatable reason at Travis and Taylor’s wedding. A means to a (tight) end.

On Our Calendar

Wednesday, August 5

⚽ Ted Lasso S4 drops on Apple TV

Fresh off his World Cup cameo, Ted Lasso returns to his old stomping grounds, where he’s set to take the helm of AFC Richmond’s new women’s soccer team. Here’s a look at who will — and who won’t — be back this season.

🍿 Sterling Point premieres on Prime Video

Gossip Girl fans, take note: Two of the showrunners are back with another teen drama. This time, an NYC teen spends the summer at the Canadian cottage she inherits from her distant grandfather. Expect plenty of family secrets and (of course) a love triangle.

🦪 National Oyster Day

Follow these four ground rules for ordering — straight from a seafood chef.

Psst…this is just the preview: Subscribe to theSkimm app and never miss a moment.

Our Favorite Books of All Time

Little brings our Skimm Shopping team more joy than introducing you to new (or new-to-you) books. So we gathered our favorite reads of all time in one, bookmark-able place. Start with:

The true-crime thriller that’s taking the literary world by storm
A (fictional) thriller that’ll have you staying up late to find out what happens next
A steamy romance to read before summer is over
And a cozy fantasy that’ll get you excited for spooky season

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In Our Rotation

This editor-favorite anklet gives every outfit a vacation vibe (even if you're just running to the grocery store).

This vibey cordless lamp will make any corner of your home cozier.

Psst…love our recs? Follow @skimmshopping on Instagram for more products, gifts, and services that are actually worth the hype (and the price tag).

KNOW IT ALL

The world’s third-smallest country, a tiny island nation in the Pacific, officially changed its name to what locals have called it for generations. It's...

A. Nauru

B. The Republic of Naoero

C. NRU

Finally, a solvable crossword. Finish this puzzle quickly for bragging rights.

This one’s for Gran