Sheboygan Falls, Wis. – September 11, 2026 -- Johnsonville is running "Sausage" as a mock candidate for "Dinner 2026," a campaign built on new Harris Poll research showing Americans are worn out by both politics and nightly meal decisions.

Survey finds political fatigue is bleeding into dinner planning

The Johnsonville-commissioned National Temperature Check found 81% of Americans believe society has become too political, and 66% expect the 2026 midterms to make news even more overwhelming. Seventy-four percent say they hate political advertising, and 84% think their communities could better use the estimated $10 billion being spent on midterm ads this year.

On the dinner side, 31% of respondents say they've forgotten to plan a meal at least once in the past year due to distraction from current events. More than half, 53%, say they hate deciding what to make for dinner, and the same share wish someone would just hand them an idea.

Singapore – September 11, 2026 -- Voiskey has released a new Keyboard Input feature for its AI voice typing app on iOS and Android, combining manual typing with voice recognition in a single tool.

The update merges typing and voice into one workflow

The company calls it the first all-in-one solution covering "Speak, Polish, Type, and Edit" in the AI voice-typing space. Users can now switch between speaking and typing without leaving the app, letting them manually enter specialized terms, acronyms, or rare proper nouns that voice recognition might miss.

Manual corrections are saved to each user's personalized dictionary, which Voiskey says improves the app's speech recognition accuracy over time with continued use.

Cologne – September 11, 2026 -- German broadcaster WDR has produced a second batch of 1,000 free "Maus" school-start packages for first-grade classrooms in North Rhine-Westphalia after the initial run sold out within days.

The free kits, tied to the long-running children's show Die Sendung mit der Maus, are designed to ease the transition into elementary school and introduce young children to responsible media use.

Demand exhausted two full print runs in days

The first 1,000 packages were claimed by teachers almost immediately after launch. WDR responded by printing 1,000 more, but those were also fully requested by educators shortly after.

WDR Director General Dr. Katrin Vernau said the response shows strong demand for reliable, child-friendly educational materials, and that the broadcaster plans to expand the program further in 2027.

Munich – September 11, 2026 -- Italian restaurant chain L'Osteria is putting fresh black truffle on its pizza menu for the first time, launching the dish as part of a limited-time "Mamma Mia" promotion running September 12 to 20.

The Pizza Tartufo, topped with freshly shaved black truffle, costs 11.95 euros in participating restaurants across Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and France. The same pizza is priced at 345 Czech koruna in the Czech Republic and 22.90 Swiss francs in Switzerland. Availability is limited to stock on hand.

Truffle moves from fine dining to casual pizza tables

John Schlüter, CMO of L'Osteria, said truffle is typically associated with white tablecloths and multi-course tasting menus. He said the chain wanted to bring freshly shaved black truffle to its pizzas without turning it into something complicated, aiming instead to give guests an accessible special moment.

Hamburg – September 11, 2026 -- Philips has unveiled the Lumea IPL 9900 Pro, a new at-home hair removal device priced at €799.99, now available on philips.de and through retailers.

Live audio feedback guides users through treatments

The device pairs with the Lumea IPL app, which tracks movement in real time during leg and arm treatments. It delivers live audio cues to help users maintain correct technique, while step-by-step visual guidance for legs ensures no area is missed.

Results can last up to five years with monthly upkeep

Philips reports hair reduction of more than 80% on legs after just two treatments. After an initial treatment phase, users need only one monthly touch-up session to maintain smooth skin for up to five years, according to the company.

Cologne – September 11, 2026 -- Rescue dogs got a shot at new homes at a Bark Date event held on September 6 at Beethovenpark in Cologne, where TV presenter Laura Wontorra and dog expert Jochen Bendel helped connect shelter animals with potential adopters.

Bark Date lets people meet rescue dogs on neutral ground instead of in a shelter

The initiative brings together dogs from animal welfare groups and prospective adopters on dog-friendly meadows rather than in traditional shelter settings, allowing animals to show their personality in a relaxed environment before any adoption decision is made.

Around 350 animal welfare associations and more than 1,000 active foster homes now work with Bark Date. Since the initiative launched, over 4,000 dogs have been presented and more than 1,000 have been successfully placed in new homes.

Bristol, Tenn. – September 11, 2026 -- Brad Pitt will serve as Grand Marshal for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race on Saturday, Sept. 19 at Bristol Motor Speedway, appearing alongside Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris six days before Pitt's new film opens in theaters.

The Academy Award-winning actor and producer will take part in Bristol's pre-race ceremonies and help give the command to fire engines before the NASCAR Cup Series race begins under the lights at 7:30 p.m. ET. It marks the third race of the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase, a 500-lap event on Bristol's 0.533-mile concrete oval.

San Antonio – – September 11, 2026 -- Complex breast implant revision surgery is not a simple swap of one implant for another, according to Dr. Gary Lawton, a Yale-trained, American Board of Plastic Surgery-certified surgeon practicing in San Antonio. Dr. Lawton, who has performed tens of thousands of breast implant operations over more than 25 years, says durable correction depends on the surgeon first reconstructing the history and mechanics of the original operation before making an incision.

Chicago – September 11, 2026 -- Ernesta, a custom-sized rug retailer, has opened its 11th showroom in Chicago's Southport Corridor, marking its first Midwest location.

The showroom sits at 3530 N. Southport Ave, Unit C2

The new space is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visitors can browse wool, natural fiber, and performance-material rugs, with customization options including stair runners, corner shapes, and fireplace cutouts.

The location includes a dedicated consultation lounge for designers

Interior designers can use the space to meet with clients and review samples on-site. Ernesta also offers white-glove delivery and installation as part of the showroom experience.

Upper Saddle River, N.J. – September 11, 2026 -- De'Longhi has launched a new global ad campaign, "Hot or Cold, Always Perfetto," starring longtime brand partner Brad Pitt and directed by Spike Jonze, to promote its new Magnifica Duo coffee machine, now available for $999.95 at DeLonghi.com and select retailers.

The Magnifica Duo makes both hot and iced coffee from one machine

The fully automatic machine features 20 preset hot and iced recipes, along with dedicated technologies for espresso, drip coffee and cold brew. It uses De'Longhi's LatteCrema Hot & Cool Technologies to let users switch from a warm cappuccino to an iced latte at the touch of a button.