Friday, 1 April, 2022
Ukraine’s president says thank you; the fugitive flamingo from Texas; Pooh bear’s big adventure; and spot the April Fools joke.
LINKS
Pooh’s Big Adventures in Broken Hill: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1575368939343907/user/1153932224
Squiz Kids for Schools: https://www.squizkids.com.au/squiz-kids-for-schools/
Squiz Kids Apple Subscriber Content: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/squiz-kids/id1494238283
How To Become A Squiz Kids Correspondent: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FH2HA28InnLU6UxE91wrLBAbCMT40Mua/view
Squiz Kids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squizkids/?hl=en
Got a birthday coming up and you want a shout-out? Send us an email at [email protected]
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
THE LOWDOWN
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Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, paid a virtual visit to Canberra yesterday afternoont, making a speech via video call to our politicians in Federal Parliament House.
Thanking Australia for its support of his country – which continues to be invaded by its much bigger neighbouring country, Russia – President Zelenskyy called for military assistance from Australia, tougher sanctions against Russia and said that even though our two countries are separated by oceans, we share the same values and the same love of freedom.
“Russia cannot crush our spirit,” President Zelenskyy said to our elected representatives in Parliament, “Especially if we can count on your help.”
It’s not often that the leader of another country makes a speech to our politicians in Canberra like this. There needs to be a pretty good reason for it to happen.
And the war that Russia is waging against its smaller neighbour Ukraine – and which has been condemned by countries and people all over the world – plus the chance for Australia to show its support for Ukraine – is exactly one of those reasons.
Calling President Zelenskyy a ‘lion of democracy’ for standing up to Russia, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australia stood ready to come and give Ukranians whatever assistance they needed to help rebuild their country.
Echoing the comments of the PM, the Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese ended his comments to Parliament’s special guest speaker by saying ‘Slava Ukraini’ … Ukrainian for ‘glory to Ukraine’.
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Hey .. speaking of Federal Parliament and Canberra … if you’ve ever wondered how our government works and how you can get involved, then you’re going to love a brand new Squiz Kids podcast we’re working on.
Called The Sensational World of Civics … and made in partnership with our friends at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Canberra, it’s a fun, four part romp through how Australia became a country, why Canberra was chosen as our capital, what politicians actually do down there in Parliament House, and how you can play your part.
We’ll be rolling them out from the start of Term 2 .. so keep that on your radar … you’re welcome …
SPIN THE GLOBE
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Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story from wherever it stops … and today we’ve landed in Texas, in the United States – where a flamingo that escaped from a zoo 17 years ago has been spotted hanging out in a flock of wild flamingos.
Flamingo 492 – as he is known, because he still has his numbered leg tag from when he was in captivity – which is a fancy way of saying he was in the zoo – was spotted in waters off the coast of Texas hanging out with his wild flamingo buddies.
It’s like something straight out of one of the Madacasgar movies …
The flamingo-on-the-run escaped from a zoo in the state of Kansas a whole seventeen years ago – and has been living as a fugitive ever since.
A fugitive flamingo. How’s that for alliteration?
Authorities say they have no intention of trying to recapture him. And fair enough too … he’s clearly gotten very used to having the wind beneath his wings and the muddy silt of a wild waterway between his claws. Go 492! You’ve got this!
SQUIZ KIDS SALUTES
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A road trip from Far North Queensland to Perth is a big adventure for any teddy bear, but how about if you get lost in the outback; found by a stranger; and then drive with lots of new friends all the way to WA?
That’s what’s happening right now to Pooh, a 20-year-old teddy that Queensland man Gordon Wilson decided to take with him on a big drive to Perth to visit his son – and Pooh’s original owner. For a bit of fun, Gordon was taking photos of Pooh along the way… which went pear-shaped last week when he left Pooh behind, somewhere in outback NSW.
Enter Facebook… Gordon’s wife posted asking if anyone had seen Pooh, and a station owner recognised a photo of Pooh’s last known whereabouts. He drove there, found the beloved teddy, then let Pooh stay at the station before passing him on to a local woman, who yesterday took him on a tour of Broken Hill—there’s a link in your episode notes to 81 photos proving it!. Now he’s heading towards South Australia, and another ride with another kind stranger. So to all of Pooh’s new friends, making sure he gets to Perth: Squiz Kids Salutes you.
POP CULTURE CORNER
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Exciting news for fans of SpiderMan today – with reports the webbed-one is set to perform a Marvel multi-verse crossover, teaming up with Thanos, Captain America and Iron Man to form a boy-band … how cool is that?
According to reports – the super troupe will be known as Spidey and The Marvelettes and they will be singing all their favourite opera hits and TV show theme tunes – and will be trained to dance by the lads from BTS.
Aaahhh … April Fools …. Of course that’s not going to happen. At least I hope not. And if you happen to be listening to his AFTER midday on Friday April 1 – then the joke is most assuredly on me .. because those are the rules.
SQUIZ KIDS FOR SCHOOLS
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Well kids, it’s almost the end of Term One (cheer!), which means that your teachers are already planning exciting new things for you to do in Term Two. Tell them to check out Squiz Kids for Schools! Every day, we’ll give you fun activities to do after you’ve listened to the podcast… plus, we have an audio excursion to a different country every week—we’ve already been to places like Ukraine, Tonga, Afghanistan, and Greece‚—AND a weekly Squiz Kids Shortcut on topics like Hamilton, Autism, Dr. Seuss, and the Winter Olympics. Your teacher can get a free 30-day trial so you can all check it out … and if they sign up for a trial now, they’ll get an extra two weeks on top of that – giving them time to check it out over the school hols. Sign up at squizkids.com.au
THE S’QUIZ
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This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you’ve been listening …
- The president of which country addressed Australia’s Federal Parliament yesterday afternoon?
- What sort of bird escaped from a Kansas zoo 17 years ago?
- What’s the name of the teddy that is hitch-hiking its way to WA?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s April 1 .. on this day in 1976 – the first Apple computer was created.
It’s also a Friday … and that means plenty of birthday shout outs – so time to crack out the ol’ birthday reggae tune …
And it’s a happy birthday today to …Glydel from Kempsey, Ayansh from Blacktown, Isabel from Balwyn, Christina from Glenfield and Zahra from NSW.
Not forgetting of course those Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday over the coming weekend … Aria from Sydney, Hunter and Trinity from Albany Hills, Lucy from Hobart, Austin from Watson, Bentley and Mez from Yarrawonga, Ellie from Mona Vale, Juliette from Hastings, Jeremy from Ryde, Maddie from Turramurra, Caroline from Kippa-Ring, Morgan from
Queanbeyan South and Bea (pronounced Bay-a) from Brisbane.
And two special requests for classroom shout outs this Friday – to Nim in class 5/4B at Abbotsford Public School, who is leaving to go to another school – Mrs Boyle and your classmates are very sad to see you go. And a happy birthday shout out to Miss V at Otford Public School who has been in isolation and is very excited to see her class again next week.
The S’Quiz Answers:
- Ukraine
- Flamingo
- Pooh