Mom thought she saw a bat as she was dropping me off back home Sunday night.
Heard a goose while out in the backyard this morning.
The coyotes were in fine voice and proximity tonight, as they have been a lot lately.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026
RADIO-RELATED STUFF: MOSTLY CATCHES
Too bad CKOL-FM Campbellford is gone.
Picked up WBEE Rochester last night and tonight with country music, coming in really well.
Picked up County FM Picton the last two nights as well: last night with country folk music, tonight with a song that sounded like seventies soft rock.
Picked up WDCX-FM Buffalo tonight with program about the falseness of climate change followed by Christian rock music.
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
HOW THE NO. 2 PENCIL BECAME A UNIQUELY AMERICAN SCHOOL SUPPLY STAPLE
NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth
How the No. 2 pencil became a uniquely American school supply staple
The pencil itself was not invented in the U.S., but American industry and innovation made it iconic.
By Jocelyn Gecker | The Associated Press • Published August 24, 2026 • Updated on August 24, 2026 at 12:58 pm
For generations of Americans, a sharpened No. 2 pencil has represented childhood and coming of age. Still a fixture of back-to-school shopping lists, it outlines a child's first letters, erases their mistakes and lets them doodle in the margins when they daydream.
For decades, sweaty hands clutched the ridged yellow wood on test day. “Bring two sharp No. 2 pencils," generations of Americans were told, as they prepared to fill in bubbles on the SATs and other standardized tests that might shape their futures. Whether it’s true that Scantron machines could only read No. 2 scribbles is up for debate, but those were the rules.
The pencil itself was not invented in the United States. But American industry and innovation made it iconic.
“The idea of painting a pencil yellow and putting an eraser on top is specifically American,” says Caroline Weaver, a pencil historian and author of “The Pencil Perfect: The Untold Story of a Cultural Icon.” Until the mid-1800s, pencils in America had no eraser, and the eraserless pencil is still standard in the rest of the world.
One of America's early pencilmakers was John Thoreau, father of Henry David Thoreau. The writer worked for his dad’s Massachusetts pencil company in the mid-1800s before moving to a cabin in the woods and composing “Walden.”
The young Thoreau is credited with pioneering the concept of grading pencils on a scale of 1 to 4, with No. 2 striking a balance of graphite and clay that is dark enough, yet not too smudgy for writing. (“Pencils have never contained lead. This is a myth!” says Weaver.)
The rest of the world uses a similar scale to grade pencils, known as “HB,” measuring hardness and blackness.
The other end of the pencil contains another American invention. The ferrule is a metal piece that has held the eraser for more than a century — except during World War II, when rationing forced a shift to plastic and even cardboard.
In an increasingly digital world, pencils are less commonplace. Most school testing has moved online. Students use laptops and touch screens as early as kindergarten.
But all this tech has produced a backlash. In the age of AI, many schools and colleges are requiring handwritten exams and paper tests to safeguard against cheating — or just to give kids a break from screens.
And so many will pick up a No. 2 — like generations before. In that way, Weaver says, the pencil represents democracy itself. No matter who you are or where you live, you have written with a No. 2, sharpened its point or possibly, in moments of stress or boredom, chewed on one.
ABDUL EL-SAYED DEFENDS CHILD GENDER MUTILATION AS AKIN TO CIRCUMCISION
National Review
Abdul El-Sayed Defends Child Gender Transition as Akin to Circumcision
By Kamden Mulder
August 25, 2026 9:35 AM
Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed likened sex change surgeries for minors to circumcision in a Monday night interview, arguing that the decision to undergo either procedure should be left to parents, patients, and doctors.
“If you disagree with that — that health-care decisions need to be made by a doctor, and their parents, and the patient — then I think we agree to disagree,” El-Sayed told Fox News’ Jesse Watters. “You want to put government inside a clinic or a hospital, selectively.”
When Watters pushed back, El-Sayed made the conversation personal, asking the host whether he is circumcised.
“Do you really want to have this conversation, are you circumcised?” El-Sayed asked Watters, who had asked the candidate whether he’s okay with the removal of a boy’s “ding-a-ling.”
“It’s a problem that you think you get to decide what happens between a parent, a doctor, and a patient. Circumcision is surgery on a kid’s ding-a-ling so if you really want to bring that up, you can, I just think you guys are really selective about how you want to talk about these things.”
Unlike circumcision, gender transition surgeries and hormone treatments leave patients with permanent side effects such as loss of fertility, chronic pain, and sexual dysfunction. A groundbreaking study published earlier this year found that there is no evidence that such procedures improve mental-health outcomes for gender-dysphoric children, as activists often claim.
A Pew Research poll found a majority of Americans support banning health professionals from providing gender transition procedures to minors, and a similar majority also opposes policies that allow insurance companies to cover said procedures.
In Michigan, the debate over accommodations for trans-identifying children has focused recently on athletic eligibility. The state’s athletic association, the Michigan High School Athletic Association, allows trans-identifying students to file for waivers that allow them to compete against members of the opposite sex, drawing significant backlash from parents concerned about safety and fairness.
Asked about the athletic eligibility issue during the Monday night interview, El-Sayed refused to engage with the question.
“You have not asked me one time about the issues that people actually care about in Michigan,” El-Sayed said when asked about the sports eligibility issue.
“You can play this game if you want,” El-Sayed fumed. “I just want to understand what you’re getting at here.”
“I’m getting at whether you think men should play in women’s sports . . . it’s a big issue,” Watters asked again.
El-Sayed again avoided the question, saying “at the end of the day, the decision of who gets to play what sports ought to be decided by the people who govern sports.”
He added that it was “insane” that Watters would ask him about the issue of fairness in sports.
“I’m running for U.S. Senate,” he said. “Jesse, this is insane.”
El-Sayed will take on Republican Mike Rogers in the general election in November.
Send a tip to the news team at NR.
PRINGLES INTRODUCES THICKEST AND WAVIEST CHIP YET TO MAXIMIZE DIPPING POTENTIAL
PEOPLE
Pringles Introduces Thickest and Waviest Chip Yet to Maximize Dipping Potential
By Stacy Lambe Published on August 26, 2026 09:00AM EDT
While Pringles is not typically a go-to chip for dipping, it can be frustrating when that’s someone’s only option and the signature thin crisp crumbles in the moment.
However, to address that issue, the longtime potato snack — which was first invented by Procter & Gamble in 1968 before eventually being sold to and owned by Mars Inc. in 2024 — is introducing its thickest and waviest chip yet in order to maximize the crisp’s dipping potential.
On Wednesday, Aug. 26, the chip brand unveiled the all-new Pringles Dippers, which are described in a press release shared with PEOPLE as “the ultimate one-bite partner for your favorite dip.”
The Pringles Dippers is made of thicker crisps featuring ridges, making it structurally sturdier for dunking action. Per the brand, the new chip is “built to handle any dipping style from light dips to heavy scoops.”
Since Pringles is known for its variety of flavors (from the classic crisp to the unexpected taste combinations), the Dippers will also come in three options.
The original offers the brand’s trademark salty, savory flavor while the French onion variety is said to be a “blend of sweet, caramelized onion notes and rich, tangy, creamy flavor.”
Additionally, there is the bacon cheddar option, which mixes bold cheese with smoky bacon notes.
The Pringles Dippers — along with a new sweet and salty variation of the Pringles Mingles — will hit grocery shelves starting in September. Consumers can also visit Pringles.com for more information about where to find the new crisp.
PANDA EXPRESS DINER STUNNED AS EMPLOYEE STANDS ON FRYER WHILE CLEANING
New York Post
Panda Express guest stunned as employee stands on fryer while cleaning
By Greg Norman-Diamond, Fox Business
Published Aug. 26, 2026, 5:26 a.m. ET
Originally Published by: Fox Business
A video has emerged purportedly showing a Panda Express employee stepping around food while cleaning a frying station, as meals were being prepared.
Paul Elisha Finger, who captured the footage, told Storyful that he “noticed the gentleman jump on the fryer that the lady had just put food into” when he visited a Panda Express location in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in early July.
The worker then “started spraying the chemical and wiping [while] standing right over the food,” according to Finger.
“I could not believe my eyes,” Finger told Storyful.
A Panda Express spokesperson told FOX Business on Tuesday that “We acted immediately when the video was first brought to our attention.”
“The behavior shown does not meet our food safety or workplace safety standards. We took corrective action, conducted retraining, and reinforced safety procedures with the restaurant team and in the region. The safety of our guests and associates remains our top priority,” the spokesperson added.
The video shows a female employee reaching through the cleaner’s legs to drop a bowl of food into one of the fry baskets, as the male worker apparently was cleaning the exhaust hood area of the fry station.
Panda Express says on its website that its food is a “flavorful combination of Chinese regional cuisine and technique with bold American tastes.”
“Panda Express, the nation’s largest Asian restaurant chain, has revolutionized American Chinese cuisine. Founded in 1983, the family-owned business has grown into a culinary powerhouse, seamlessly marrying authentic Chinese flavors with American tastes,” adds Panda Restaurant Group, Inc., on its website.
“With over 2,600 locations worldwide, Panda Express has played a pivotal role in popularizing American Chinese cuisine to millions around the world.”
ICE CREAM TRUCK OWNER MAKES SURE KIDS GROWING UP IN POVERTY AREN'T LEFT OUT
Daily Mail
Meet America's kindest ice cream truck driver who makes sure children growing up in poverty don't feel left out
By ADRIANA TARDUGNO
Published: 12:58 EDT, 24 August 2026 | Updated: 13:39 EDT, 24 August 2026
One of America's kindest ice cream truck drivers has served underprivileged and low-income communities in Tucson, Arizona.
Matthew Lenne and his fiancé, Korina Quiroga-Ramirez, are owners of Sweet Tooth, an ice cream truck widely known for its low prices.
Their sweet treat options come as low as $1 to $3, with an array of snacks for customers to choose from.
'I don't let any kid walk away without ice cream. If they can't afford it, it comes out of my pocket,' Lenne told the Daily Mail.
His business supported a people over profit motto that supplied treats to customers no matter where they come from.
Lenne said a large part of his inspiration started from his own life challenges.
He started the business back in February after his mother was experiencing health complications. While she was in and out the hospital, he hit a low point and was dealing with depression. It was his mother's advice from childhood that sparked the beginning ideas of Sweet Tooth.
'My mom raised me to break bread with my friends and my community. She taught me that kindness repays kindness,' Lenne said.
He recalled fond memories of eating ice cream and how it always cheered him up.
Lenne said he knows what it's like supporting a big family and how expensive it can be as he raised six of his own children.
'Buying ice cream and candy for my six kids from an ice cream truck cost $58,' he said. 'It shouldn't cost you an arm and a leg to buy ice cream.'
With support from his fiancé, they partner with other organizations such as Barrio Restoration who volunteered to beautify neglected spaces in Southside Tucson. As they created a safe and clean environment for residents, Lenne handed out free popsicles to volunteers around the neighborhood.
He also worked closely with Para Todos, an organization that hosts all-inclusive monthly birthday parties for kids.
On Sunday, Lenne stopped by the August party hosted by Amore for Medically Complex Families.
Krystina Diaz, the founder, told KGUN News that their partnership reflects a shared commitment to the community.
'It's really nice when you get to collaborate with people who have the same vision as you and they just want to help the kids and make memories and just lasting things they can talk about later,' Diaz told the outlet.
Lenne said the best reward he can receive is seeing people walk away with a smile.
'Because at the end of the day it's about helping your community. I know if I'm struggling then there's other people out there, other big families struggling the same way too,' he added.
Lenne has shared how him and his community have experienced a lot of hardship recently but giving back to Tucson is what inspired him to keep moving forward.
'You don't see a lot of kindness today. When you're good to your friends that builds relationships,' he said.
When he was in a time of need his community tried to repay his kindness and give back to the business as much as possible.
In a recent setback, Lenne needed to buy a new generator to keep the ice cream truck up and running.
K. Alexandra Monaco, a community member, started a GoFundMe fundraiser in support as he navigated the unexpected expense.
The message in the description said: 'We are so grateful for their donations of time and goods, and now it is our turn to help them get back on track and remind them that Tucson cares too.'
One Facebook user commented: 'This selfless soul pours himself out onto this community EVERY SINGLE DAY, and truth be known, gives away most of his profits. Please support his gofundme with ANYTHING you can spare. It may mean that the next child he meets gets their first ice cream.'
Lenne shared how much the kind gesture from his community meant to him.
'The gesture was monumental. As a low-cost business, we don't make a lot of profit. It's not about the money. It's about helping people.'
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