A Salute to Service, the End of a Few Eras, and a Bearista!

Episode
Written By Tracy Kaplan

10 Things You Need to Know: Episode 614

1. A Salute to Veterans Day 🪖

2. Nancy Pelosi's Farewell 🇺🇸

3. The Final Edition 🧑‍🌾📗

4. The Effects of Climate Change 🌊

5. Iran's Water Supply Running Dry 💧

6. The GOAT Clone's His Dog 🐕

7. Government Shutdown Update 🚨

8. America's Top Turkey Day Pie 🥧

9. Starbucks' Holiday Cup Reveal 🥤

10. The Rockettes' Timeless Kickline 💃

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TRANSCRIPT

[SFX: Clock ticking → footsteps echo → paper shuffle → long sigh]

TRACY: Seven more days Pam. I’m officially counting down the days until Ryan gets back.

PAM: I didn’t think you’d miss him.

TRACY: Miss him? Pam, it’s too quiet in here! No ping pong balls flying across the studio, no donut crumbs in the soundboard, no “oops” every time he hits the wrong button.

PAM: Well, at least the snack drawer’s finally safe.

TRACY: Oh right, we better eat all our leftover Halloween candy before he gets back.

PAM: And we should start the show. I’m Pamela Kirkland.

TRACY: And I’m Tracy Leeds Kaplan. It’s Thursday, November 13th

Pam: And this is Ten Things You Need to Know!

TRACY: Tuesday was Veterans Day, an annual federal holiday honoring the brave men and women who’ve served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Originally called Armistice Day, it marked the end of World War I, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. [SFX: Gentle snare roll → soft trumpet fanfare] In 1954, it became Veterans Day, honoring all veterans — living and passed.  What began as a dark day to remember the end of World War I has grown into a national tribute to every American who has served our country. Thank you to all of our Veterans across all branches of the armed forces, including the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Space Force, for your service!

PAM: And speaking of service, after nearly 40 years in Congress, Nancy Pelosi announced she won’t seek re-election. The first female Speaker of the House, she broke barriers and led the Democrats through decades of political change. Nancy Pelosi’s decision to retire marks the end of a historic chapter in American politics, but her legacy serves as an inspiration for women to lead and serve at any level of government. The end of an era.

[SFX: Applause → page turn → transition music sting]

TRACY: And now, more retirement news, but this one involves a print publication that has been around for 208 years! The Farmer’s Almanac, known for long-term weather predictions, fishing and gardening guides, astronomical data, and more, will end its more than 2-century run with its 2026 edition. 

PAM (surprised): Wait, I thought that thing was immortal — like the groundhog!

TRACY: Almost! Since 1818, it’s helped people plan their crops, gardens, and even wedding dates. But the publishers say rising costs make it tough to keep printing. In a press release, the publishers said they decided to call it quits due to the increased financial challenges of producing and distributing the Almanac in today’s rapidly changing media environment. The last edition, Farmers’ Almanac 2026, is available for purchase online, and online content will remain accessible through December 2025. 

[SFX: Old printing press clatter → page flip]

[SFX: whoosh → storm wind + rain build]

PAM: You may have been following the news about Hurricane Melissa and its impact on the Caribbean. It was one of the strongest Atlantic storms ever recorded and it slammed into Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba with winds up to 185 miles per hour. A new study from the World Weather Attribution group found that human-caused climate change made the storm more intense — boosting wind speeds by about 7% and rainfall by 16%. Scientists say warmer ocean temperatures, about 2.5 degrees higher than they’d be without fossil fuels, helped supercharge the hurricane’s power.

TRACY: From too much rain to not nearly enough, another part of the world is facing the opposite problem. The Middle Eastern country of Iran is dealing with no water at all. The country’s facing an extreme drought, with record-low rainfall and nearly empty reservoirs. The situation is so bad that officials say its capital, Tehran might have to ration water or even evacuate if it doesn’t rain soon. According to officials, no rainfall is expected in the near future. Hopefully, that changes soon.

[SFX: light rain fade-in → transition music sting]

PAM: Time for a quick break

TRACY: Hey Ten’ers, when I was growing up, I was taught to always turn off the sink while brushing my teeth to not waste any water. I still do that now! Are there things that you do in your house to preserve water? Let us know and we might share it on the show.

PAM: So, uh, apparently cloning pets is a thing. Retired football player Tom Brady revealed his dog, Junie, is a clone of his late pup, Lua. That’s right, the GOAT has cloned his DOG.

[SFX: Sci-fi lab beep → happy dog bark → crowd “awww”]

TRACY: Only Tom Brady would win the afterlife for dogs.

PAM: Colossal Biosciences and its acquired company, Viagen Pets & Equine, cloned Brady’s beloved family pet using a simple, non-invasive blood draw taken before she died. But he’s not the only celebrity to have a dog cloned. Paris Hilton had a dog cloned in 2023 by Viagen, and Barbara Streisand had her dog cloned not once, but twice. The first ever cloned animal in history was a sheep named Dolly, a product of an adult cell, at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in 1996. And, the first dog ever cloned was produced by South Korean researchers in 2005. 

[SFX: bark]

TRACY: Some good news to share today, the government might finally reopen. After the longest shutdown in U.S. history, the Senate passed the first step in a funding deal. Late Sunday evening, Senate Democrats and Republicans reached a deal to reopen the government, with a vote of 60 to 40, with seven Democrats and an independent joining Republicans to advance the first procedural step on the measure. This legislation still needs to pass the House before the shutdown can end, allowing government employees to get paid again, federal food benefits to resume, and other day-to-day operations to return to normal. 

[SFX: chuckle sting → oven ding → crowd cheer]

PAM: Thanksgiving is two weeks away, and Instacart says America’s favorite pie is — drumroll please — pumpkin pie!  According to Instacart data, pumpkin pie is the most-ordered Thanksgiving dessert. Orders surged more than 2,000% the day before Thanksgiving. 

Following this staple for the dessert table are apple pie, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, and cherry pie, which take the top 5 spots. But taste also varies by state. Out West in California, Oregon, and Washington, pumpkin pie is the favorite, whereas on the East Coast, in states like Maine and Massachusetts, cream pies are preferred.

<SFX: Yum>

TRACY: Starbucks is already in full holiday mode with new red and green cups, and the Bearista Cup, a glass teddy bear that’s making news. 

The new cup features a glass teddy bear wearing a Starbucks-green knit beanie, and it’s already drawing crowds, with some customers lining up outside the Rockefeller Plaza location as early as 4:50 a.m., just 10 minutes before opening, to get their hands on the cup. In addition to selling out at several locations, resale sites are listing the Bearista cup for $200 to $800!

PAM:
 Eight. Hundred. Dollars. For a cup?!

TRACY:
At that price, it better come with a lifetime supply of lattes.

PAM: And for the last thing you need to know, let's go to our Trivia Master, Owen.

OWEN: Thanks, Pam!

OWEN: Which famous venue are the Rockettes most known for performing at? Is it:

  1. Madison Square Garden

  2. Carnegie Hall

  3. Radio City Music Hall, or

  4. Lincoln Center

The answer is… C, Radio City Music Hall! The Rockettes relocated to New York City in 1932 and have called Radio City Music Hall home ever since. And this year, they are celebrating 100 years of dancing! The dancers perform an estimated 200 or more kicks during each show, whether at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, their annual Christmas spectacular, or on stage at Radio City Music Hall, showcasing their talent and unforgettable performances. 

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

PAM:
And only six more days until Ryan gets back.

TRACY: You know Pam, we have just enough time to borrow his Nintendo Switch and for us to play together. 

PAM: Let’s do it, right after this note for the grown-ups and Ten News Snaps.

<AD BREAK> 

TRACY: Time for Ten News Snaps!

PAM: A Ten’er named 12589luna wrote “Best podcast ever!!! I really like this podcast, you should do more episodes about animals, Ryan why are you scared of butterflies? By the way I just want to let you know that my dog died. Please put me on ten news snaps, very sad listener but I can’t help but give you a gift” and then left a bunch of butterflies.

TRACY: So sorry to hear about your dog. That is very sad and we are sending you Ten News hugs. Thank you for the episode idea, we might just do an episode all about animals and why Ryan is afraid of butterflies….but you have to wait until the end of the season for that! 

PAM: That’s it for today.  “The Ten News” is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts, and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.

TRACY: The Ten News creative team is drawing butterflies while Ryan is away 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.

PAM: Our Production Director is Jeremiah “On Fyaaah” Tittle, and our Executive Producers are Donald “Albright, Albright, Albright!” and show creator Tracy Takes the Leeds Kaplan. I’m Pamela Kirkland, thanks for listening to the Ten News. 

Tracy Kaplan
Next

Election Day, Media Meltdowns, and the Chosen Tree