Skimm This

First: Some of the biggest protests in decades broke out in China last weekend over the country’s strict COVID guidelines and – in some cases – over the Chinese Communist Party’s leadership. We call an expert to explain the historic protests and their impacts worldwide.   Then: Democrats in Congress only have a few weeks to pass some major legislation before a new group of lawmakers heads to DC in January. We're breaking down why this “lame duck" session might be anything but lame...in 60 seconds. Next: Roadway deaths have been rising – and apparently, it's a uniquely American problem. New reporting shows us why we've seen an increase in roadway deaths in the US and what we can learn from other countries about how to prevent them.  Finally: Merriam Webster declared “gaslighting” as its word of the year. We break out our dictionaries to break down the word’s definition – and why it gets misused.   On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Sue-Lin Wong, correspondent, The Economist Emily Badger, cities and urban policy writer, The Upshot, The New York Times Dr. Ramani Durvasula, clinical psychologist Want more Skimm?  Sign up for our free daily newsletter Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now  Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Will Livingston, and Blake Lew-Merwin. We had additional help from Sarah Collins. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: We’ve got the headlines from the week’s news, including the mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ club in Colorado Springs, a rail strike that could dampen our holiday spirits, and a historic climate agreement. Then: After technical difficulties shut down ticket sales to Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, Ticketmaster is under fire. We’ll skimm why Taylor Swift fans – and the Justice Department – have bad blood with the ticket selling platform…in 60 seconds.  Finally: President Biden carried on the annual turkey pardon. Meet: Chocolate and Chip.  Skimm This will be back in your feed next Thursday. Have a happy holiday weekend. Want more Skimm?  Sign up for our free daily newsletter Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now  Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Will Livingston, and Blake Lew-Merwin with help from Alaisha Key. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. theSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: We’re covering the week’s biggest headlines: a roundup of midterm outcomes and political news, the latest on the protests in Iran, and the Artemis I rocket launch.   Then: FTX – one of the world’s biggest crypto exchanges – had a pretty abrupt fall from grace. We're talking to an expert about what FTX's demise means for the rest of the crypto world and what potential investors can learn from it.  Next: The World Cup kicks off this weekend, but there’s been a lot of off-the-field drama. We’ll break down why the Cup has become a geopolitical mess…in 60 seconds.  Plus: In partnership with our friends at Slack, we're taking listeners behind the scenes of our digital HQ, and talking about how certain Slack channels help us do our jobs better. Our final channel deep-dive: #parent-life. Finally: Ever been asked “why are you still single?” or “why aren’t you drinking?” at the Thanksgiving table? For many of us, sitting at the Thanksgiving table can make us wanna pull our hair out thanks to nosy family members and political heat. But this year, setting boundaries is in. So we called a therapist who helps us navigate who to set boundaries with, how to actually set them, and how sticking to them can help keep the peace and our sanity.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Anita Ramaswamy, senior cryptocurrency reporter, TechCrunch Jana Pollack, senior manager of creative strategy, theSkimm Nedra Tawwab, therapist and author Want more Skimm?  Sign up for our free daily newsletter Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now  Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Will Livingston, and Blake Lew-Merwin with help from Alaisha Key. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: Results from the midterm elections are coming in, and it's a mixed bag. We’re breaking down some major takeaways as we wait to see which party will take control of Congress.  Then: There’s a lot of turbulence in Silicon Valley. We’re sorting through all the drama @ Twitter, the historic layoffs at Facebook, and some good news for your winter getaways, in 60 seconds.  Next: The COP27 conference is putting global conversations about climate change in the spotlight. We’re talking to an expert about how these negotiations are playing out in Egypt, and who’s ready to take action. Plus: In partnership with our friends at Slack, we're taking listeners behind the scenes of our digital HQ to show how certain Slack channels help us do our jobs better. Next up: #headline-workshop. Finally: Just in time for Thanksgiving, there's a national turkey shortage. Thanks, bird flu. We’re talking to a chef about two show stopping dishes you can make instead, plus another option that could totally change your Thanksgiving game. You can find the recipes we talked about here and here. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Juliet Eilperin, Deputy Climate and Environment Editor, The Washington Post Alicia Valenski, Senior Editor, SEO, theSkimm Maria Corpus, Senior Writer, theSkimm Becky Krystal, Food Writer, Voraciously The Washington Post Want more Skimm?  Sign up for our free daily newsletter Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now  Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Will Livingston, and Blake Lew-Merwin. We had additional help from Alaisha Key. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: We’re breaking down the biggest headlines of the week: the Fed raising interest rates yet again, the growing risk of political violence leading up to election day, and Elon Musk’s chaotic onboarding @ Twitter. Then: The Supreme Court heard two major cases on affirmative action this week. And according to analysts, the Supremes appear ready to reverse decades of precedent. We talk to an expert about what’s gone down in oral arguments so far, and what the impacts of an affirmative action reversal could look like. Next: NYC’s new salary transparency law took effect this week, and it could have an impact far beyond the tri-state area. We’re talking to two experts about what’s changing for employees, employers, and those on the job hunt. And how you can take advantage of transparency laws, even if you don’t live in a place that has them. Plus: In partnership with our friends at Slack, we're taking listeners behind the scenes of our digital HQ to show how certain Slack channels help us do our jobs better. Next up: #people-leaders. Finally: The midterm elections are next week, and we’re handing the mic over to you to hear what’s on your mind as you get ready to vote.  On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Seema Mohapatra, MD Anderson Foundation Endowed Professor in Health Law and Professor of Law Zoe Cullen, Assistant Professor of Business administration, Harvard Business School Mandi Woodruff-Santos, Career Coach, Co-Host of the Brown Ambition Podcast Molly Rosen, VP of People, theSkimm Graelyn Brashear, Senior Director of Audio, theSkimm Sophie Riese, senior manager of consumer insights and UX research, theSkimm Skimm’rs Leslie, Katlin, and Jenny Want more Skimm?  Sign up for our free daily newsletter Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now  Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Will Livingston, and Blake Lew-Merwin with help from Hannah Parker and Alaisha Key. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: We’re breaking down the biggest headlines of the week: US GDP numbers, Ye's (aka Kanye West) fallout, and what you need to know about RSV, a respiratory virus that’s pushing some hospitals to their capacity.     Then: A major investment conference dubbed ‘Davos in the Desert’ took place this week in Saudi Arabia. And despite dirty looks from Team Biden, America's top finance bros attended. We’ll Skimm the drama in the desert…in 60 seconds.  Next: We’re tapping an expert to help break down three of the biggest issues voters are thinking about heading into midterms – from abortion access, to the economy, to the future of democracy.  Plus: In partnership with our friends at Slack, we're taking listeners behind the scenes of our digital HQ to show how certain Slack channels help us do our jobs better. First up: #skimmr-feedback. Finally: In honor of Taylor Swift’s Midnights, we asked music critic how we should actually be listening to albums. Because it turns out: we’ve been doing it wrong this whole time. As a bonus, Alex asks the big question: is this Taylor Swift’s most millennial album ever? On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Dr. Stephanie Davis, pediatric pulmonologist, UNC Children’s Research Institute Laura Barrón-López, White House correspondent, PBS Newshour Sophie Riese, senior manager of consumer insights and UX research, theSkimm Nora Princiotti, co-host of Every Single Album, The Ringer Want more Skimm?  Sign up for our free daily newsletter Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now  Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Will Livingston, and Blake Lew-Merwin with help from Hannah Parker. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you let your baby cry it out at night? Is it ever OK to give a toddler melatonin? And maybe most importantly — will you ever get a good night's sleep again? This week, we're teaming up with Boston Children's Hospital to answer your biggest questions about parenting and your kids' health. And for our final episode, we're tackling every parent's favorite topic: sleep. Dr. Judith Owens, director of the hospital's pediatric sleep center, puts a lot of our worries to bed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's virus season again — though if you feel like it's been virus season nonstop for years, you're not alone. This week, we're teaming up with Boston Children's Hospital to answer your biggest questions about parenting and your kids' health. And today it's all about those respiratory viruses your kids keep bringing home from daycare. We're talking to infectious disease specialist Dr. Kirstin Moffitt to get the rundown on how to manage risk, how to navigate the latest vaccine news, and what to look out for your if your kid does come down with a cold, RSV, flu, or COVID. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve all heard of the “terrible twos.” But what’s really going on when a toddler has a tantrum? And what’s “normal”?This week, we're teaming up with Boston Children's Hospital to answer your biggest questions about parenting and your kids' health. Starting with those spectacular meltdowns. We've tapped psychologist Dr. Erica Lee to help us understand why kids tantrum, how to help your own toddler when they do, and (crucially) how to stay sane through all of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First: We’ve got the context on the week’s biggest headlines: Liz Truss is out after 44 days in office, new tax brackets that could mean more cash in your wallet (thanks inflation), and Netflix’s Hollywood comeback. Then: The U.S. government has officially launched the application for people to apply for student debt relief. We’re breaking down all the info you need to know if you’re eligible. Plus people keep saying it takes less than a minute to fill out… so we’re putting that theory to the test, all in 60 seconds. Next: We’re Skimming the stakes of the midterm elections - who’s going to control congress, who might run in 2024, and what the future of our election systems looks like. Want to learn more? Check out our midterm election guides. Also: We’re in a mental health crisis in America. And work, aka the place you spend over 50% of your time, could be to blame. We're talking to the government's top doc about his latest guidelines on how companies can protect their workers mental health. Finally: There’s been a lot of BGE this fall – Big Gourd Energy. We sat down with one of the nation’s top female mega-pumpkin growers to get a behind the scenes look at the wild world of mega-pumpkins. On this episode, you’ll hear from:  Jen Palmieri, Co-host of The Circus, Showtime Dr. Vivek Murthy, U.S. Surgeon General Cindy Tobeck, giant pumpkin farmer Want more Skimm?  Sign up for our free daily newsletter Email us your questions about what’s going on in the news right now  Subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts Skimm'd by Alex Carr, Will Livingston, and Blake Lew-Merwin. Engineered by Andrew Callaway and Elie McAfee-Hahn. TheSkimm’s head of audio is Graelyn Brashear. We had additional help this week from Hannah Parker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices