Friday, May 15, 2020

China’s beef with Australia; goats invade the suburbs; Naomi Osaka’s brave confession; and Bluey does it again.

LINKS:

Goat invasion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSljYzdkQfQ

What’s Up Fox?

Reading: Encyclopedia Brown: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/319201/encyclopedia-brown-boy-detective-by-donald-j-sobol/

Listening: Level of Concern https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loOWKm8GW6A

Watching: Dude Perfect: Backstage Pass: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbK24iwrYbY

 

– EPISODE TRANSCRIPT – 

 

THE LOWDOWN

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Have you ever heard the expression, what’s their beef? It means, what’s their problem? And it’s a question being asked by farmers and politicians this week – specifically, what exactly is China’s beef with our beef? 

Let me explain. China has slapped a sudden ban on some Aussie beef. Meaning, it is preventing some Australian grown meat from entering the country and ending up on Chinese dinner plates. And last weekend, China said it has a problem with some grain we send them called barley. China says it’s because there’s a problem with our farmers following world trade rules. . But most people here suspect it’s actually because Australia has called for an investigation to take place into how China handled  the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

In the world of international trade: this is called retaliatory action. In simple terms, it’s a theory that maintains China is unhappy with us for suggesting a coronavirus investigation is needed, and so they are retaliating by being difficult with our beef and barley exports. 

And it’s no small threat on China’s part. Beef exports to China are worth $6 billion a year.  There you go: a lesson in international trade and diplomacy in a couple of minutes. 

***

Calling all South Australian Squiz Kids … did you feel the earth shake under your feet a little bit yesterday afternoon? No wonder. A 4.3 magnitude earthquake rumbled through your state – which seismologists, who are scientists who study movements of the Earth’s tectonic plates – say is the biggest quake to hit SA for the last ten years. 

Thankfully there was no report of serious damage or injury. But hang on: what’s 4.3 magnitude mean? That’s the way scientists measure the size and intensity of an earthquake – where 3 or 4 is a minor quake and anything in the sevens or eights can cause significant damage.  

 

SPIN THE GLOBE

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Each day we give the world globe a spin and find a news story wherever it stops … and today we’ve landed in the United States .. where the residents of a suburban street in the town of San Jose looked out their windows on Tuesday evening to see about 200 goats storming down the road – chomping their way through their flower beds. According to reports, the goats broke through a fence of a paddock outside the town and launched their assault – trundling through the resident’s gardens as if they owned the joint. They were eventually herded back to where they came from – but not before making quick work of a flower bed or two. There’s a link in today’s episode notes to a video of the goat-vasion. And no, that’s not a real word …

 

SPORTS TIME!

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Naomi Osaka is one of the best tennis players in the world. Two years ago she won the US Open and the Australian Open back-to-back. She hits forehands that wipe the court with her opponents. You’d think, that in order to get to the top of the international tennis players tree, she must be fierce, right? Think again. The 22-year-old yesterday admitted that she suffered from crippling shyness – and had spent her life wishing she was brave enough to speak up for herself. And now, she’s decided enough is enough. Taking to Twitter, Osaka said: “Im done being shy. It’s really a waste of my time. I could’ve shared so many ideas by now, I could’ve had conversations with so many different people. All the things I could’ve learned.” 

Osaka said she had been using the down time she’d had in lockdown to learn something new or improve herself. Naomi Osaka – Squiz Kids salute you. 

 

POP CULTURE CORNER

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Bluey the wonder dog has gone and done it again. Fresh from picking up an Emmy award – which is the most prestigious award a TV show can win in America – the animated cattle dog from Brisbane has just won Book Of The Year at the Australian Book Industry Awards – becoming the first children’s book to be given the award. Because you just can’t keep a good cattle dog down. 

 

WHAT’S UP FOX?

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Every Friday we check in with Squiz Kids ambassador, Flynn – known as The Fox to his friends – to see what he’s been reading, listening to and watching. 

And it’s been another not-as-busy-as-he-ought-to-have-been with home schooling for The Fox – which has left plenty of time for reading, listening and watching.

The books that have been occupying his reading time this week are … the Encyclopedia Brown Box Set … it’s a collection of the excellent adventures of neighbourhood boy detective, Encyclopedia Brown. An oldie, but a goodie.

On the listening front .. this week’s recommended tune is Level of Concern by Twenty One Pilots. It’s a super-catchy tune from the musical duo from Ohio in the US of A.

And as for watching: he leapt on the Dude Perfect feature-length documentary, ‘Backstage Pass’ the minute it dropped on YouTube. It’s an hour-long glimpse into the lives of some of the world’s most famous YouTubers. 

As always: there’s a link in today’s episode notes to all of these cool things. 

 

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 …

  1. What magnitude was the earthquake that rattled through South Australia yesterday?
  2. Name the tennis champ who this week admitted to suffering from crippling shyness.
  3. Which popular animated cattle dog from Brissie has just won Book of the Year? 

 

SHOUT OUTS

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Okey dokey – Friday .. birthday shout-outs … hold on to your hats … here we go …

Today’s birthday shoutouts… Jack from Glenbrook, Gabe from Dubbo, Kiera from Lysterfield, Aadya from Wentworthville, Henry from Curtin, Harrison from Alexandria, Ki and Lieve from Sydney, Theo from Heidelberg, Hazim from Perth, Michael from Clifton Hill, Abbie from Narraweena, Aleeah from Brisbane, Darcy from Kedron, Tatiana from Wagga Wagga, Neeve from Glenelg, Joel from Lilli Pilli, Silas from Moranbah, Dhyan from Constitution Hill, Thomas from Perth, Isabel from Brisbane, Lachlan from Cairns, Lily from Minnamurru, Rhiania from Plumpton, and Kylie and Avanie from the United States.

And some belated birthday shoutouts to Dylan from East Gosford, Himank from Sydney, Bea from Reservoir, and Oscar from California. 

And some birthday shoutouts for the weekend… Charlize and Tad from Melbourne, Rupert from Glebe, Brendan from Ipswitch, Vihaan from Murarrie, Christopher and Josephine from Lane Cove, Isla from Redlynch, Archie from Chewton, Rosie from Wodonga, Jasmine from Essendon, Logan from Newcastle, Sophie from Launceston, Tyler from Brisbane, Ava from Sydney, Evie from Tallarook, Blake from Turramurra, Kiara from Baldivis, Sena from Footscray and Jayden from Russell Lea

Happy birthday one and all.

 

The S’Quiz Answers:

  1. 4.3
  2. Naomi Osaka
  3. Bluey