Daily Skimm

Good morning.

One of my favorite childhood photos is of me running through the living room with a lampshade on my head. My mom always said I loved unique hats — so it comes as no surprise that this popcorn bucket is screaming my name. There will be plenty of time to catch up on my questionable statement pieces later, but first, a much bigger docket: The Supreme Court starts its new term today, with cases on climate change, semi-automatic weapons, and immigration policies on tap. Plus, one justice may have hinted at a potential retirement. Also this week: the Nobel Peace Prize announcement and the National Book Awards finalists. Now, let's get to today's headlines…

— Marina Carver / Senior Editor / Brooklyn, NY

A Reckoning

Tennessee's Capital Punishment Faces Mounting Scrutiny

What's going on: Last week’s botched execution of Tennessee’s Christa Pike — who was set to be the first woman put to death in the state in more than 200 years — continues to raise questions about what went wrong and what happens next. The 50-year-old remains in the hospital, where she’s unconscious and on a ventilator after surviving two rounds of pentobarbital — a sedative that was supposed to be fatal. (She’s the only person believed to have survived such a massive dose.) Pike’s lawyers had warned that her unique blood disorder would make lethal injection difficult, but the state proceeded anyway after the Supreme Court cleared her execution. While her health remains in limbo, Gov. Bill Lee (R-TN) announced over the weekend that the head of Tennessee’s prison system will step down at the end of the month.

Ethical questions arise: Legal analysts say what happened to Pike amounts to cruel and unusual punishment. How she recovers could dictate what happens next. Her current mental state puts her up against a Supreme Court ruling that bans executions for those who lack a “rational understanding” of the reason they’re being put to death. However, if she recovers, the state could try to kill her again — though Lee has paused executions in Tennessee for the rest of the year. In the meantime, the state's process for capital punishment is facing scrutiny. The state has long been secretive about how it obtains and tests lethal drugs. Drug companies also typically restrict access to these products, while those administering the injections are often untrained, resulting in what one law professor calls “a recipe for disaster from the start.”

The News in 5

🗞️ The New York Times obtained previously secret summaries showing how Cornell University disciplined seven men accused of sexually assaulting a fellow student in 2024. Two were expelled, two were suspended, and three received lesser penalties. Meanwhile, Jane Doe has received multiple threats to drop her lawsuit, according to her lawyer.

🗞️ The G7 is tapping 100 million barrels of emergency oil reserves to try to bring down record-high prices. But experts say Americans may barely notice the relief at the gas pump. Consider our frustration fueled.

🗞️ More than half a million eye drops, including two Walgreens-branded products, have been recalled because they may not be sterile.

🗞️ President Donald Trump launched a new “Super Intelligence Force” and named Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton as the White House AI czar.

🗞️ American Airlines’s new checkout slider lets travelers split domestic fares between cash and those random leftover miles. Great news for the loose change of air travel.

✴︎

In Our Rotation

Today’s budgeting hack? This impressive credit card offer. It includes a long no-interest period on purchases and balance transfers, 5% cash-back rewards, no annual fee, and a $200 bonus.*

Sex drive isn’t one-size-fits-all. This woman-led brand knows that women’s libido is seriously under-researched, so they created a desire peptide to target the root cause. Psst…Skimm’rs get 20% off.*

Keep scrolling... more recs below

Put Her In, Coach

The Next Generation Is on the Sidelines

What’s going on: Women’s sports are winning big, but if you look down the bench, it’s a different story for girls. More than half of tween and teen girls who have never played organized sports say they want to, but only 45% participate, according to a new Women’s Sports Foundation report. But the roster tells a different story: That’s compared to 52% of boys. So what’s creating the pipeline problem? Money is one big dividing line. Less than one-third of girls from households earning less than $50,000 currently play organized sports, compared with 58% of girls from households earning double that amount. Parents also pay more for girls’ sports. Olympic track champion and WSF trustee Gabby Thomas knows the drill. She started with recreational soccer, but once the sport required travel teams and greater expenses, it became a “big financial stress” for her family. So, she stopped.

A better playbook: There’s also a belonging gap. Younger boys and girls are equally likely to say sports are “for someone like me.” But by ages 14-18, that drops to 66% for girls, compared with 73% for boys. Girls ages 8-10 are also about twice as likely to quit because their friends stopped playing, they didn’t like their coach, or because their body changed. So what helps? Kids say having fun is the main reason they play, while parents may overestimate how much they care about winning. Experts say parents can focus more on effort, improvement, and enjoyment, because not every girl needs to become the next Gabby Thomas. But keeping more girls in the game makes it less likely we lose the next one.

College Life

A Not-So-Worthy Investment?

What’s going on: Though you’ll never convince Skimm writer Stephanie, who wakes up daily wishing she was back at the University of Georgia, that college isn’t the most life-changing four (ahem, four-and-a-half) years, the tide is turning elsewhere. Only 31% of Americans think a college education is “very important,” according to a new Gallup poll. That’s an all-time low — and the lowest it’s been since Gallup started asking the question in 1978. And it’s down 39% since 2013. The poll saw a decline across all major demographics — even among those who have historically prioritized college. The rising cost of earning a degree could be partially to blame. Higher education costs have outpaced inflation, making it the second-biggest household expense after buying a home, and leading nearly half of families to borrow money to pay for college.

So are fewer parents sending their kids to college?: Despite the higher costs and uncertainty over its importance, 38% of parents still say they’d like their kids to attend a four-year college after high school. The kids seem to want that, too: undergraduate enrollment grew 1.3% this spring to 15.5 million students, according to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. And there’s reason to believe a college degree still has value. While unemployment rose nationwide last week, recent college grads ages 22 to 27 were still less likely to be unemployed than other workers their age. Wage growth is also a nationwide problem, but workers 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree make more than $600 per week more than their counterparts without. An executive at the education foundation who partnered with Gallup on the survey said parents aren’t asking “Is college worth it?” anymore. Instead, it's become: “Is this the right path, at the right price, and will it lead somewhere?”

Related: Workers Afraid of AI Are Now Seeking Careers That Require Actual Humans (The Washington Post gift link)

Quick Hits

👠 Olivia Colman made her runway debut at 52, walking for Miu Miu at Paris Fashion Week. What role can’t she play?

🍺 Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been spotted doing the most British thing ever: Hanging out at the pub eating fish and chips. Talk about a press run.

🧠 Can’t shake a mistake? A performance psychologist who works with top athletes recommends “learn, burn, return” — take the lesson, mentally flush the rest, and literally, let that sh*t go.

🤔 First came quiet quitting. Now, workers worried about layoffs are “loud working” — making damn sure the boss sees their value. Not us “accidentally” CC’ing our manager on everything.

🎤 We all need a bestie to open the door and listen to our relationship problems like Taylor Swift does for Dakota Johnson. Nothing says “I’m here for you” like sending your friend home with Pedialyte.

🩰 Sarah Jessica Parker and Stevie Nicks took over the New York City Ballet's Fall Fashion Gala. Yes, their looks are absolute Dreams.

👻 If you want to get into the Halloween spirit, Cup Noodles has garlic-flavored “Vampire Noodles” that turn red when you add hot water. Talk about something to sink your teeth into.

On Our Calendar

Monday, October 5

🤑 Walmart Deal Days starts

From now until October 11, there are sales on everything from clothing to home to tech. Consider this your inspirational starting point.

🛍️ Alexa Chung x Reformation launches

The model and fashion world favorite (Anna Wintour once called her “a phenomenon”) is launching a new collection with Reformation. This velvet dress is a must.

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

✴︎

In Our Rotation

Finally, the time of year has come when you can dress up your dog like a pizza slice and spoil them with ghost treats.

When you don't have time to shower before heading out the door, freshen up with these gentle-on-skin full-body wipes.

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

As the leaves and temperatures drop, which activity do Americans say is at the top of their fall to-do lists?

A. Going apple picking

B. Watching scary movies

C. Dressing up for Halloween

Still catching up from the weekend? Jumpstart your brain with Flipart. Feel the rush.

When Carrie met Stevie