Friday, 23 October, 2020
Footy finals suspense; Raccoon bank raid; Netball’s Super Shot is here to stay; and leave the crocs alone!
LINKS
Raccoon bank robbers : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/22/give-me-all-your-trash-raccoons-break-into-california-bank
What’s Up Fox?
Listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3ywicffOj4
Reading: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/the-werewolves-who-werent-9781526600813/
Watching: Among Us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3F_N5bGq2gE
What’s Up Fox Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Y8yJprftjmzIosbZ8pZGh?si=Lqpks0CwTkOOzarLEb3Uzg
Squiz Kids Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/squizkids/?hl=en
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
THE LOWDOWN
———————-
It’s footy finals weekend people – and there’s more drama and intrigue surrounding the big games in this COVID crazy year than usual.
Not only is the AFL Grand Final being played outside of Melbourne for the first time ever on Saturday afternoon, the trophy will be fought over by two teams a long, long way from both of their homes as the Geelong Cats battle it out with the Richmond Tigers in Brisbane, Queensland – which is a rugby league state – at the Gabba, which is predominantly a cricket ground. So that makes perfect sense.
All eyes will be on Cats legend, Gary Ablett Jnr, who – after 19 years of football – will be playing his fourth grand final and his last professional AFL match ever – having announced he will retire from the game when the final whistle blows.
Down south on Sunday, in Sydney town, all eyes will be on Melbourne Storm captain, Cameron Smith – as his side takes on the Penrith Panthers to see who will be crowned 2020’s NRL premiers. Speculation is running wild that Smith – widely considered one of the best players in the game – will announce his retirement after Sunday’s match.
But probably the one thing that’s set to be watched more closely even than Gary Ablett Jnr and Cameron Smith will be the weather forecast – with the bureau predicting flooding rains and enormous hail storms in most of the eastern parts of Australia.
From the Top End to Tasmania – storm clouds are gathering preparing to dump up to 50 mm of rain on some parts of inland Queensland and NSW.
Maybe gum boots will be needed more than footy boots out there this weekend…
SPIN THE GLOBE
————————-
Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story from wherever it stops. And today – we’ve landed in California, in the United States, where a pair of raccoons have broken into a bank and run amok.
Customers of the bank were using the ATM outside when they spied a couple of raccoons running around inside.
The raccoons had climbed a tree outside the bank, squeezed their way into the air-conditioning system and fallen through the ceiling. There are some very funny photos of the raccoons sitting at desks in the empty bank.
Animal handlers were called and the raccoons were eventually shooed outside – empty-handed. Bank officials later confirmed that the raccoons did not make off with any money. There’s a link in today’s episode notes to some funny photos of the raccoons in the midst of their bank break-in.
SPORTS TIME
———–
The Super Netball season may be over, but the controversy surrounding the two-point Super Shot most definitely is not. Yesterday, netball officials confirmed the Super Shot will return next season – in which a player gets two points for a goal instead of one if they shoot from the outer edges of the goal circle.
The Super Shot was introduced this year on a trial basis – and according to Super Netball bosses was so successful, it will be back again next year.
Not everyone is a fan however. The new rule has divided opinion in the netball world and was even said to be one factor that drove ace goal shooter, Caitlin Bassett to leave the Aussie league and join a team in New Zealand.
ANIMAL KINGDOM
——–
You’ve heard of fishermen catching fish and throwing them back if they’re too small, right? But what about fishermen who catch a crocodile while they are out fishing, and instead of cutting the line and running as far away as possible in the other direction, they reel it in and take it home. Alive.
That’s what a man in Queensland did this week – catching a 1.7 metre croc in a dam in Proserpine, near the Whitsundays, and taking it home to his house.
He eventually called wildlife handlers to come and remove it. Can’t think why …
The croc is now in a zoo – and Queensland authorities are advising any one who sees a croc to leave it alone. Which you have to imagine is something most people don’t need to be told twice.
JUNIOR MASTERCHEF Q+A CALL OUT
—-
Don’t forget this Sunday night is Junior Masterchef night .. the perfect opportunity for you to do a bit of homework on our next guest in the Squiz Kids Q+A hotseat.
Yes, that’s right, Filo, the Junior Masterchef has agreed to do a Squiz Kids Q+A and answer any questions you might want to ask him.
Did we mention there will be a prize for the best question? So don’t just sit there, start cooking up some questions … and once they are baked and ready to go – send them through to [email protected]. You’ve got until Tuesday …
WHAT’S UP FOX?
——-
Every Friday we check in with Squiz Kids ambassador, Flynn, known as the Fox to his friends, to see what he’s been listening to, reading and watching..
And the book that has captured his attention this week is The Werewolves Who Weren’t – by Western Australian author, TC Shelley .. about half-monster Sam and his attempt to start high-school is derailed when he discover his new friends are not exactly what they seem ..
As for listening .. he’s jumped on board the Fleetwood Mac bandwagon, having been won over by the skateboarding Cranberry juice sipping TicTocker who went viral, and is listening to the dreamy single, Dreams. His dad is very pleased.
And as for watching: he can’t seem to get enough of watching YouTube videos of gamers playing Among Us.
There are links to all of these cool things in today’s episode notes. And don’t forget to search for the What’s Up Fox playlist on Spotify, where every song he’s ever recommended is stored.
THE S’QUIZ
—————–
This is the part of the podcast where you get to test how well you’ve been listening …
- What’s the name of the stadium in Brisbane where tomorrow’s AFL Grand Final will be played?
- A pair of which animals broke into a bank in California and ran amok?
- What did a Queensland fisherman catch and take back to his house?
SHOUT OUTS
——————-
It’s October 23 … birthday of Deadpool and Green Lantern actor, Ryan Reynolds.
It’s also only 63 sleeps ‘til Christmas … yippee!
And because it’s a Friday, with extra long birthday shoutouts, it’s time to crack out the Squiz Kids birthday reggae jaunt …
Happy birthday to these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today … Karri from Kempsey, Heidi from Beecroft, Lucinda, Luke and Bonnie Cannon Hill, Lucy from Padbury,, Emma from Capella, Jesse from Bolton Point, Bianca from Fennell Bay, Emma from Capella, Nathaniel from Ashmont and Lucas – who’s tuning in all the way over there in Taiwan.
Today’s belated birthday shoutouts go to… Xavier from Sutherland and Cooper, Aiden and Charlie from Blacktown.
Weekend birthday shoutouts… Joshua, Archie and Kenzie from Sydney, Ajuna from Eumundi, Matty from Manly Vale, Hugo from Wilson, Kieran from East Gosford, Alysa from Mitcham, Izzy from Greenethorpe, Kaleb from Silverdale, Roxy from North Curl Curl, Layla from Chelsea, Jett from Sunbury and Benjamin from South Kingsville.
Happy birthday one and all!
The S’Quiz Answers:
- Gabba
- Raccoons
- Crocodile