Daily Skimm

Update location or View forecast

Quote of the Day

“Can we still call it 'Girls'? 'Cause we’re like old as f*ck”

— Lena Dunham on the five-episode reunion we’ve been waiting for. A voice of a generation indeed.

Roller coaster riders throw their hands in the air as they ride "Goliath," a roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain.

US News

How Safe Are Roller Coasters?

What's going on: Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, a 42-year-old man from Atlanta, died on Monday after witnesses say he was ejected from a roller coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, injuring others as he fell. Aerial news footage showed park staff evacuating riders from the Goliath roller coaster. Police have not confirmed the number injured in the incident. Kariem is at least the seventh person to die at the Georgia park, including one person in 2006 on the same ride. After Monday’s incident, Six Flags temporarily closed nine roller coasters across six parks in the US and Canada “out of an abundance of caution.” The news comes just weeks after the amusement park announced it would permanently close its X2 roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in California after more than 100 reports of sustained brain injuries and at least two deaths.

Roller coasters are supposed to be fun: Deaths from riding a roller coaster are rare. Engineers design and test rides using the same tech as aircraft and space systems. Rides are also checked each morning and, in states that mandate it, go through official inspections. One expert told CNN that the Goliath features a waist restraint but not an over-the-shoulder harness, which he said should be considered. Ride operators also play an important role and have to ensure riders' restraints are properly working. Some argue that amusement parks should be treated as consumer products, which would mean they need to meet national safety regulations. Politicians including Rep. André Carson (D-IN) have repeatedly introduced legislation to implement safety standards for years. “We don't know the extent of what happened yet, but we do know that there are gaps in amusement park safety policies,” he told the Daily Skimm via email. “I'm calling for a full investigation.”

The News in 6

🗞️ Cornell University suspended frat parties through the rest of the academic year, following allegations of a gang rape at the college’s Chi Phi house. New York State Police will also have a role in investigating sex crimes on campus.

🗞️ Pope Leo XIV has been diagnosed with lung cancer and had "successful" surgery to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, the Vatican said. Oncologists say his prognosis is "excellent" because it was caught at an early stage.

🗞️ US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle resigned on Tuesday at the White House’s request after The Wall Street Journal reported on incidents of alleged misconduct, including asking a donor for $100,000 to pay a credit card bill. Guilfoyle denies the accusations.

🗞️ Over 50 maternity wards have closed in the US since Medicaid cuts were announced in July 2025, a new analysis finds, and another eight announced upcoming closures. Experts say the closures can be especially devastating for rural communities.

🗞️ Six Republican senators, including Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY) and Sen. John Cornyn (TX), signed a bipartisan letter on Tuesday condemning President Donald Trump’s agreement to buy an estimated 2.5 million tons of diesel fuel from Russia. The letter called the decision a “gift to our adversary and a betrayal of our allies.”

🗞️ Bird poop from seabirds like white terns and red-footed boobies is vital to coral reef health, researchers say. As long as they aim away from us.

✴︎

In Our Rotation

While we're on the topic of holiday gifting, how about a pair of comfortable throwback sneakers?

Fall is the best time to buy a new jacket, and that's a fact.

Keep scrolling... more recs below

Midterm Money

A Record-Setting Campaign Donation

What’s going on: The richest man in the world is now also the single biggest donor of this election cycle. Elon Musk has quietly donated more than $276 million since July ($366 million total) to Republican groups and his own super PAC. The largest share of the funds went to the Senate Leadership Super PAC to help Republicans retain their majority. Separately, Musk gave $10 million to Lone Star Liberty PAC, which supports Attorney General Ken Paxton. The Republican candidate is in a tight race for Senate in Texas, where Musk now lives and moved his businesses. While Musk said in 2025 that he planned to do "a lot less" political spending in the future, his wallet says otherwise. His heavy financial backing of President Donald Trump in 2024 paved the way for his role at DOGE. Now, as the SpaceX CEO with government contracts in play, Musk is leading the Pentagon's "Project Meridian" to "look at the future of warfare."

More money, same old issues: Compared to the next highest donors, like billionaire (and perennial Republican “bogeyman”) George Soros who donated $170 million in 2022, the significance of Musk’s contribution can not be understated. Republicans have already outspent Democrats this election cycle by $400 million and they are flush with cash. But despite all their money, the needle doesn’t seem to be moving much in favor of Republicans. “Voters are seething,” says president of the Brennan Center Michael Waldman. “They see big money as a major issue, deeply connected to government’s failure to work for them.” One Democratic operative told NPR, money "can help insulate [candidates], but it can't change the fundamentals of what voters are feeling."

Related: Republican Senate Candidate Ken Paxton Partied in Dubai With American Fugitives (The Wall Street Journal gift link)

Spilled Milk

Cleanup on Aisle Deux

What’s going on: Normally we’d be jealous of anyone grocery shopping in France, but not this week. Hackers attacked hundreds of supermarkets around the country, hijacking their refrigeration systems and dialing temps up to as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit –– spoiling food, melting equipment, and sparking some fires. A UK cyber security expert told the Financial Times that it was “one of the oddest cyber events” he’d witnessed, noting that hackers tend to take systems hostage to collect a ransom, but that doesn’t seem to have been the case here. It’s also unclear how widespread this attack was. Another expert told Reuters that several other European countries, including Germany and Spain, were affected. Separately, the parent company of a popular Dutch grocery chain took its digital infrastructure offline to fix a “security issue within its network.”

What it means: Step one… stop ignoring your software updates. At least that’s what the Danish company that runs the hacked refrigeration software is saying. The company made big security upgrades earlier this year, but says the French grocers affected were using an old version that was so outdated, it wasn’t even receiving updates anymore. Finger-pointing over poor “basic cyber hygiene” aside, this episode is a sobering reminder of how interconnected our critical infrastructure has become, and how vulnerable it is to bad actors. As one EU official put it, “Food security requires more attention at all levels. Because the weaponization of food has become a reality.” Icebox, anyone?

The Best Luxury Gifts

We’re aware that it’s mid-October, but in order to avoid panic-buying come December, we’ve launched our holiday gift guides early. We’ve got presents that’ll appeal to everyone on your list — your parents, siblings, friends, partner, etc. Let’s start with some big-ticket items:

The coziest pair of slippers we could find, amongst other splurge-worthy items
A cookie assortment to split with siblings
Our top picks from luxury brands that skew a little cheaper

*PS: If you have gifter’s block (aka writer’s block for gift giving), QVC has a little something for everyone.

Quick Hits

✈️ A flight from Italy to Australia was canceled after an outbreak of bed bugs was found in the seats. We’ll never complain about a gross tray table again.

🦄 A biohacker who runs a gene-editing company says unicorns could be just five to 10 years away as she works on developing horns. Dragons could take longer, she said. Clever girl.

🏠 Here are five weird noises your house makes that home service experts say need your attention. In other words, we’re learning that our house is not actually haunted like we thought.

👗 For some clothing items, “dry clean only” could be a suggestion, one laundry expert says. Does anyone else feel like they just got a raise?

🎤 Olivia Rodrigo announced she’s releasing a remix with Chappell Roan. We’ve got real big expectations.

📺 It’s official, the 90s are back: Ryan Coogler’s reboot of The X-Files has been picked up by Hulu.

🦁 The first trailer for Greta Gerwig’s The Magician’s Nephew is out, and we didn’t know Narnia would be so rock ‘n’ roll.

We Needed This

On Our Calendar

Wednesday, October 14

🛍️ theSkimm’s holiday gift guides drop

Gift-giving season is closer than you think — and our guides cover everything from presents to split with siblings to kid gifts to under-$50 finds. Santa’s got nothing on us.

😋 National Dessert Day

The perfect excuse to bake these chai sugar cookies. Twenty-five minutes and your place will smell amazing.

🍯 Winnie-the-Pooh turns 100

A century ago today, A.A. Milne introduced the world to the honey-obsessed Pooh and his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood. Turns out, the beloved bear was partly inspired by a real one.

Psst... See what else is happening this week so you never miss a moment.

✴︎

In Our Rotation

If you have a little one in the house, we've found your cold and flu season survival kit.

You don't need to have a perfectly curated home to host a great party — just a few key pieces to make your life easier.

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 ongoing conflict in Iran has driven up fuel prices and created numerous logistical challenges for this favorite fruit.

peaches, cheeries, bananas, and other fruit side by side at a market

A. Bananas

B. Strawberries

C. Figs

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

All adventurous women do