PAM: No! No problem, I think it’s great. I’m just surprised bc you normally would be playing through your Switch back log… in preparation for, you know…

RYAN: No, I don’t know what you’re talking about…I’m enjoying this hardcover copy of The Misfits, A Copycat Conundrum, by Lisa Yee. Because–

<SFX incoming text message> <SFX Pam types a response>

PAM: One sec…

RYAN: Because it’s SCREEN FREE WEEK, Pamela, and I’m practicing healthy habits! Ya know?!

<SFX Text message SENT>

PAM: Well I was just wishing my Mom an early happy Mother’s Day, but I am proud of you. I am also…Pamela Kirkland.

RYAN: And I’m Ryan Willard. It’s Thursday, May 8th.

PAM: This is Ten Things You Need to Know.

RYAN: As I mentioned earlier, it is SCREEN FREE WEEK! Every year, the first full week of May is an invitation for everyone from children to grown-ups to ditch screen time altogether for a well-deserved break. Maybe you can use that time to take a walk, have some heart to heart conversations, read a really cool book or listen to new music or a podcast. It’s up to you HOW and WHEN you want to celebrate; it should happen when it suits your event’s or family’s needs, and it doesn’t even have to be a full week. It could just be everyone logging out of their favorite apps for a week. Or you could do screen free Sundays for the month of June, or host screen free parties over the summer. The possibilities are endless, and if you want to learn more, go to screenfree.org or click the link in our shownotes.

PAM: Last Monday, a major power outage swept across Spain and Portugal, raising questions about the electricity grid that isn’t usually known for blackouts. It was the worst outage ever in Europe, affecting tens of millions of people and disrupting businesses, hospitals, transit systems, cellular networks, and other critical infrastructure. A little after 12:30 pm local time, Spain lost 15 gigawatts of electricity, which is roughly 60% of the country's demand for a population of 49 million people.

RYAN: It has been reported that, before the outage, power quality sensors in homes throughout the Madrid area showed warnings of an unstable grid, according to Bob Marshall, the CEO of Whisker Labs. However, it’s unclear what caused the instability. Authorities in Spain and Portugal say a cyberattack likely didn’t cause Monday’s power outage, though Spain is still investigating. Some experts also wonder if relying heavily on solar and wind, which don’t provide constant power, made the grid more unstable.

PAM: On the other side of the globe, a climber had to be rescued from Japan’s Mount Fuji not once, but TWICE in one week. The 27-year-old university student, who has not yet been identified, was first airlifted from the peak of Mount Fuji on April 22nd after experiencing nausea and losing his crampons, which are spiky metal frames for shoes that make it easier to walk on snow and ice. And, just 5 days later, the climber returned to Mount Fuji to gather his phone and other items that he had left behind from his first attempted hike. But this time, he was carried off the mountain on a stretcher from a station on the Fujinomiya with signs of altitude sickness. Mount Fuji is no joke – the mountain's shortest trail takes five hours to hike up and three hours to get back down. Plus, any hikers planning to visit Mount Fuji are advised to train before their ascent.

RYAN: Up next, a not-so-funny prank. Shedeur Sanders, a standout quarterback from Colorado, entered the 2025 NFL Draft as a highly anticipated prospect. Once expected to be a first-round pick, Sanders fell to the fifth round and was selected 144th overall by the Cleveland Browns. But his draft-day drama didn’t end there. Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, reportedly accessed his father's iPad and got Sanders’ contact information. One of Jax’s friends then impersonated New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis, calling Sanders and falsely claiming that the Saints had drafted him. To make matters worse, Sanders was livestreaming at the time, broadcasting the prank in real time to a broad audience. The NFL has since fined the Falcons $250,000 and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich $100,000. Jax Ulbrich has since apologized to Sanders and made a public apology via Instagram. I do love pranks, but that wasn’t even a good one, that was just mean. I’m glad he apologized!

PAM: For ten points, can you name this type of DOG? <SFX WEINER DOG BARK> <SFX clock ticking for three seconds with a DING!> Hot diggity dog! A weiner dog is finally home safe after being on the loose since November 2023. Valerie, the miniature dachshund, ran away during a camping trip with her owners when she dashed out of her pen into some bushes. It was from that moment on that the great search for Valerie began. Her owners searched the 1,700-square-mile island for days before giving up, and the pup wasn’t seen for more than a year after that. Until video surveillance and locals on Kangaroo Island began spotting her, leading up to volunteer searchers launching a hunt that lasted more than 1,000 hours, covering over 3,100 miles, and deploying many cameras, traps, and lures in an effort to catch Valerie. She was frequently spotted on video visiting a trap site set up with a dog crate, blankets, and toys, and she was eventually lured in by scents from pieces of her owner’s shirt. After 529 days of being on the loose, or off-leash, some would say, Valerie was treated with dog food and her favorite dish, roasted chicken. And her owner, Georgia Gardner, has expressed her gratitude to the volunteers for bringing Valerie home.

RYAN: In honor of Screen Free Week, I’m really excited to announce that the Ten News is now playing on Yoto! Yoto is an interactive audio platform for kids, the Yoto Player and Yoto Mini are connected audio players that kids control without using a screen. It’s got a catalog of over 1,000 audio cards that inspire creative play and learning. There’s no microphones, no cameras, no ads. Just audio to power your curiosity, creativity and imagination! So if you have a Yoto Player, try listening to the Ten News on it and let us know how it sounds! Also let me know if I sound cooler on a Yoto Player, or if I just sound normal. Alright, back to the show!

RYAN: We all misplace things here and there, like the TV remote, our homework, or whatever it may be… but could you imagine losing an entire plane? Last Monday, the U.S. Navy lost a fighter jet, a F/A-18E Super Hornet, along with the tow tractor that was pulling it, when it fell off the deck of the U.S.S. Harry Truman into the Red Sea. And, get this, the jet is worth a whopping $67 million. According to a statement, “The F/A-18E was actively under tow in the hangar bay when the move crew lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft and tow tractor were lost overboard.” While the Navy hasn't exactly said how the plane fell into the Red Sea, an investigation is underway. While it’s unfortunate that the jet is lost at sea, all sailors were accounted for and unharmed, aside from one crew member who suffered only a minor injury.

PAM: Canada’s 2025 federal election results are in, and Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal Party secured 169 of 343 seats in the House of Commons, known as the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. But, the Liberal Party fell short of securing the majority, so they will need the support of smaller parties like the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party to pass laws and stay in power. Voter turnout hit 68.5%, its highest since 1993, showing the importance of this election for some voters with the ongoing tariffs and Trump suggesting that Canada should become the 51st state in the U.S. Carney was victorious over Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who not only lost the race but also his seat. In Carney’s victory speech, he promised to push back on the United States' economic pressures with counter-tariffs and domestic support. He also addressed other challenges, like rising living costs and immigration.

RYAN: Last Saturday was the 151st Kentucky Derby, and roughly 17.7 million people tuned in to watch “The Greatest Two Minutes in Sports” at Churchill Downs, making it the most-watched derby since 1989. Viewership hit about 21.8 million for the race as spectators watched Sovereignty sprint down the final stretch to claim first place. Close behind in second was Journalism, followed by Baeza, Final Gambit, and Owen Almighty.

PAM: But, there was something special about all 21 horses at this year’s derby: each is reportedly a descendant of one of the most famed racehorses of all time, Secretariat. Also known as Big Red, Secretariat won almost every race he ran by significant margins and achieved the Triple Crown, which includes winning each of the three major horse races in one season, the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. So, no matter which horse took home the trophy from this year’s derby, Secretariat's legacy would be honored.

RYAN: Are you ready for an epic summer movie watch list!? <SFX Rollout the red carpet! <paparazzi camera SFX>> For our superhero fans out there, Marvel Studios has two big releases this Summer, “Thunderbolts,” which premiered last weekend(and was AWESOME! I watched it), and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” set to release on July 25th. Thunderbolts opened with $76 million in ticket sales across the U.S. and Canada. Back to the watchlist line-up: the New DC Universe from James Gunn will have its first film debut… “Superman” will hit theatres on July 11, and I’m honestly hyped for the new DCU. Memorial Day will mark another big movie weekend with the live-action “Lilo & Stitch” and “Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning” releasing on May 23rd. And throughout June and July, you can catch “Jurassic World Rebirth,” the live-action “How to Train Your Dragon,” and a Formula One racing movie, “F1,” in theatres near you. I LOVE SUMMER MOVIE SEASON!

PAM: So do I, I cannot wait for _____(insert movie)_______! And for the last thing you need to know, let’s go to our Trivia Master, Owen.

OWEN: Thanks Pam! Spring is springing and Summer is just around the corner… but do you know what the busiest weekend of the year is for restaurants? Is it:

Valentine’s Day
Mother’s Day
Thanksgiving
Father’s Day

OWEN: The answer is… B! Mother’s Day marks the busiest weekend for restaurants as families take their beloved moms out for meals like breakfast and brunch, as well as lunch and dinner to celebrate. Speaking of which, this is your reminder to make those reservations, or craft your handmade cards for this year’s Mother’s Day on Sunday, May 11th! It’s an extra special day set aside to recognize all of the moms and mother figures who make an impact on our lives!

PAM: And that was Ten Things You Need to Know.

RYAN: Thank you for that reminder, Owen. I’m gonna make a card for my Mom, my Step Mom, my Godmother, my grandmother, Abua and of course, Mother Earth–

PAM: Wow, Ry, I think it’s so great that you’re hand making cards and leaning into Screen Free Week.

RYAN: Well, I have to thank them for all they’ve done for me. And all they might do.

PAM: Might do?

RYAN: Yeah, like giving me more screen time or buying me a Switch 2–

PAM: Okay, yeah, there’s the Ry I know. I think we should give Ten News Snaps to one of our listeners…

RYAN: But first, here’s a quick note for the grown ups!

RYAN: Time for Ten News Snaps!

PAM: Over on Spotify, Linus and Zelda said, “We love this podcast! We wish you made more episodes!” I wish we made more episodes too, Linus and Zelda! I’m curious: what are some topics you’d like us to cover or explore?

RYAN: I wish my name was as cool as the names Linus, or Zelda. Thank you for the comment! And two extra notes for the grown-ups, you can now get ad-free versions of our episodes when you join the Ten’ers Club on our website.

PAM: And if you want to help support the Ten News, you can make a tax-deductible donation at the link in our show notes. The whole team thanks you for your support!

RYAN: “The Ten News” is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.

PAM: The Ten News creative team is taking a break from their screens and checking out the YOTO Player and includes Tracey Not a Crooks, Adam the Great Bambino Bernard, Brian Not Ryan Douglas and Carson Not So Harry Potter. Big thanks to Owen, Not Slowin Down for Anybody.

RYAN: Our Production Director is Jeremiah “On Fyaah” Tittle, and our Executive Producers are Donald “Albright Albright Albright” and show creator Tracy “Takes the” Leeds Kaplan. I’m Ryan Willard.

PAM: And I’m Pamela Kirkland, thanks for listening to the Ten News.

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Screen Free Week to Mother's Day - 10 Things You Need to Know

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