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Quote of the Day

“He's been practicing so don't let it fool you”

— A woman on her husband’s Big Elf Energy. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is to accept your wife’s dare and wear tights with no fear.

What's Happening

Clarence Thomas
US News

Justice Thomas Allegedly Didn't Show Enough Receipts

What's going on: Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas accepted even more luxury trips and gifts than previously thought, according to Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee. A report released over the weekend said he didn’t disclose a private jet flight to New York’s Adirondacks, as well as a yacht and jet excursion to New York City in 2021, all funded by billionaire Harlan Crow. It also lists over two dozen instances of luxury travel Thomas has accepted since his 1991 confirmation, valued at more than $4.75 million, and notes that the value and extravagance of his gifts have “no comparison in modern American history.” Many of Thomas’s trips went undisclosed, even after he amended some of his past financial forms. A spokesman for Crow called the 20-months-long inquiry “political, partisan, and unconstitutional from the start.”

What it means: These revelations have fueled calls for greater transparency and oversight of the Supreme Court, while reigniting the debate over its ethics. It comes as public trust in the high court has fallen to just 35%. (Thomas hasn’t been the only one called out for ethical concerns — see: Justice Sonia Sotomayor.) Critics argue the Supreme Court’s ethics code, only introduced in 2023, is insufficient because it leaves compliance up to individual justices. Without stronger accountability measures, critics warn that the Supreme Court risks further eroding its credibility and public legitimacy. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the committee chairman, called for enforceable ethical standards. However, with Republicans set to take control of the Senate, significant reform is unlikely.

Related: Biden Commuted 37 Federal Death Row Sentences Ahead of Trump's Return (NPR)

International

Authorities Search for Motive in Germany's Christmas Market Attack 

What's going on: German police are investigating the motive behind the deadly attack at a Christmas market that killed a 9-year-old boy and four adults on Friday. More than 200 others suffered injuries, with dozens in critical condition. Authorities said the suspect — identified by German outlets as Taleb A., though not officially named due to Germany’s privacy laws — drove an SUV into a crowd of people in Magdeburg. The 50-year-old man, who moved to Europe from Saudi Arabia almost two decades ago, worked as a psychiatrist and has made anti-Islam statements. He’s also expressed sympathies for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, according to CNN. Authorities said Taleb A. faces charges of murder and attempted murder.

Tell me more: German authorities said they received at least one tip about the suspect from the Saudi Arabian government before the incident. They questioned him and opened an investigation at the time, but later closed the inquiry, saying they didn’t categorize him as a potential threat. On Saturday, families of the victims and government officials attended a memorial service, with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz calling the incident a “dreadful tragedy.” The incident comes years after another attack at a Christmas market in Germany in 2016.

Related: Elon Musk Is Going Global and Weighing In on German Politics Now (CNN)

Entertainment

Blake Lively Files Legal Complaint Against 'It Ends With Us'Co-StarJustin Baldoni 

What's going on: Over the weekend, the internet — a place famous for being just great to women — seemed to realize it might have been too hasty in its takedown of one particular woman: Blake Lively. This came after Lively filed a legal complaint Friday against her It Ends With Us co-star Justin Baldoni, along with Wayfarer Studios and others involved with the project. She accused Baldoni of sexual harassment, creating a hostile work environment, and attempting to ruin her reputation in a smear campaign after she voiced her concerns. The New York Times published text messages and emails allegedly showing how Baldoni and his PR team — the same one hired by Johnny Depp amid his legal battle with Amber Heard — created an almost undetectable digital assault on Lively’s public profile. According to one of the messages, a publicist working with Baldoni wrote of Lively: “He wants to feel like she can be buried.” At one point, Baldoni allegedly texted his PR people a social media post in which another celebrity was accused of bullying, saying, “This is what we would need.”

Tell me more: Blake Lively’s public image took a major hit by the time the It Ends With Us press tour ended. Baldoni — who had branded himself as a feminist ally in the #MeToo movement and who has a podcast on toxic masculinity — however, came out nearly unscathed. But since the news of the complaint broke, Baldoni’s talent agency has dropped him as a client. An attorney for the movie’s studio, Wayfarer, said it “did nothing proactive nor retaliated” against Lively, and accused her of making “another desperate attempt to ‘fix’ her negative reputation.” In a statement after the complaint was filed, Lively said, “I hope that my legal action helps pull back the curtain on these sinister retaliatory tactics to harm people who speak up about misconduct and helps protect others who may be targeted.”

Related: These Are the Celebrities Who’ve Come Out in Support of Blake Lively (E! News)

Quick Hits

🤔 Maybe Lara Trump isn’t interested in a political dynasty after all. 


🎁 Haven’t finished your holiday shopping? See where you stack up against the rest of America.


💒 Jeff Bezos is speaking out about those wedding rumors


🐶One airline’s first-class section is going to the dogs. Literally.


📱 The only thing worse than a lump of coal this season? Falling for “smishing.”


🫢 We can’t get over Scarlett Johansson’s reaction to her husband’s on-air jokes. That must’ve been an awkward ride home.


💪 Hitting your protein goals just got whey tastier.*

TOGETHER WITH VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS

Thing to Know

89%

That’s how many people experiencing acute pain reported that it disrupts their daily lives. And for women, it can be worse: In a survey of 1,001 adults in the U.S. experiencing moderate-to-severe acute pain, women reported higher levels of emotional strain and physical limitations (like difficulty walking and exercising) than average. 

For many people, acute pain can go beyond a missed workout or social event. And treatment options are complicated — while opioids can be prescribed to manage acute pain, they come with known risks like addiction. Learn more about the need for more options to manage acute pain.

All data are based on a Vertex-commissioned, double-blinded, quantitative nationwide survey of 1,001 adults (501 female, 500 male and people of other genders) who were treated for moderate-to-severe acute pain in the last year and 547 health care providers who treated the condition in the past month.

Last-Minute Holiday Gifts

If you’re into high-stress holiday shopping (can’t imagine who is), we made guides with items that’ll arrive in time:

PS:* Prefer to let them choose exactly what they really want? Unlock a world of possibilities with Apple Gift Card.

*Psst...this is sponsored content from Apple Gift Card.

Skimm Picks

Here are today’s recs to help you live a smarter life…

These German hearing aids have a brand new dual processing system that makes every word sound crystal clear. Plus, the design is so small they’re practically invisible. Clearer hearing, right this way.*


PSA: After opening battery-powered gifts, handle them properly to prevent a fire. That means not charging large tech products overnight or putting old batteries in the trash. Learn more here.*


This hydrating serum is packed with ceramides and peptides to keep winter skin glowing — even when the sun sets at 4 PM. Get it for 20% off with code SKIMM20.


You still have a few days to use up your HSA/FSA funds. Here are some actually great products you can use your remaining money on, from cleansers to pimple patches.

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

Settle This

Rihanna

Leave it to Rihanna’s “soccer mom snacks” to include chicken nuggets with this topping. What did she add to them?

Extra Credit

Peppermint Bark

Eat

We don’t have to tell you that the holidays are an exceptionally busy time. Between finding gifts for your aunt’s new boyfriend, hitting the party circuit, and moonlighting as a professional gift-wrapper, at what point are you supposed to feel merry and bright? When you bite into one of Tutti Dolci’s Peppermint Bark Brownie Cookies. The ridiculously delicious and blissfully easy recipe is guaranteed to steal the spotlight at any holiday celebration, thanks to its crispy-yet-chewy edge, wonderfully fudgy center, and perfectly pepperminty top. That is, of course, if you don’t keep them all to yourself.

Game Time

Flipart puzzmo game

Wake your brain up this Monday with a game of Flipart. Just rotate the pieces to fit within the frame and get ready to feel the rush when they all fall into place. Get into it.

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Flipart | Spelltower | Crossword | Typeshift

This is worth your money