Thursday, 19 August, 2021
Look out! The mice are back!; the 10 year-old skate park king; Dua Lipa’s Elton John moment; and beware the bear in the bin.
LINKS
Squiz Kids Survey … (just for adults!) https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DWMQFJW
Elton John + Dua Lipa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qod03PVTLqk
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https://www.instagram.com/squizkids/?hl=en
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Squiz Kids is proudly supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
THE LOWDOWN
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Mice … they look so cute with their pink little ears and tiny little whiskers. And if it was just one of them running around a paddock and you were a farmer – you probably wouldn’t bat an eyelid. But when there are gazillions of them – and they are eating all your crops and getting into your grain silos and over-running your house – that’s another story altogether.
And it’s a prospect that farmers in Queensland and Western Australia are nervously anticipating – which is a fancy way of saying, they’re worried a mouse plague might soon be upon them.
The number of mice in farming towns like Biloela – in Central Queensland – and across the Grain Belt – which is a large stretch of farm land in Western Australia has been starting to grow at an alarming rate – leaving land owners worried it’s only a matter of time before the problem is out of control.
You’ll remember of course that large parts of NSW and Victoria were in the grip of a mouse plague earlier this year.
So why are we seeing such an explosion in mouse numbers across the countryside? Because the rains that have fallen this year have seen lots of crops grow – giving mice plenty to eat. And where icy temperatures would normally keep mice numbers under control, a warmish winter means they’re ready to rumble.
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Remember yesterday we told you about how a new daily record had been set for Aussies getting COVID vaccines? And how the outbreak of Delta variant clusters in our big cities was prompting record numbers of Aussie to roll up their sleeves .. well kids aged 12-15 might soon be next in line. Reports say that government planning is already underway to get vaccines into schools. Because the sooner we’re all jabbed – the sooner we can say goodbye to these lockdowns and get back to normal.
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 Lake Tahoe, in the United States … where a man was startled when he opened his garbage bin to find a bear inside.
The man was throwing out dog pooh … seriously, this story has it all … when he opened the lid of the dumpster only to find a bear inside it.
The man was so scared that he fell backwards. No word on whether the dog pooh made it into the bin or not.
Apparently, the bear was just as surprised as the man. And quite possibly annoyed. There’s nothing worse than trying to settle down for a meal in a dumpster and having someone open it to throw dog pooh on your head.
Don’t you hate it when that happens?
SPORT TIME
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We love a good story of kids taking matters into their own hands, and this one’s a cracker. A 10-year skateboarder in country New South Wales has designed a million dollar skatepark for his town, in the hopes of pushing the grownups along to actually build it. Xavier Lehoczky, who lives in the coastal town of Merimbula, has set his sights on competing at the Brisbane Olympics in 2032, but he reckons his town needs a much better skate park for him to practice in. The local skateboard association totally agrees – it’s been trying to get one built for five years, but the local council isn’t so sure.
So… Xavier watched YouTube videos on how to use a computer design program, then created plans for his dream park. He and his mates have since been collecting bottles from the tip and holding bake sales to raise money for it, too. Legends! Now they just need the council to come to the party. You’ve got this Xavier!
POP CULTURE CORNER
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Look, I know it’s early days … but I’m going to call it. The new Dua Lipa-Elton John collaboration Cold Heart – a mashed up reimagining of Elton’s 1980s hits Sacrifice and Rocket Man – is set to become the sound of the Aussie summer.
Why do I say that? Because it’s just exploded in Europe and America – where it actually is summer right now, given they’re in the northern hemisphere and all – and it’s just so catchy – and it’s one of those songs that very cleverly appeals to Dua Lipa fans (that’s people your age) and Elton John fans (which is people my age … ahem).
The song was voted most popular new song by Billboard readers in a poll this week – edging out Aussie rapper The Kid Laroi’s collab with Justin Bieber, the equally catchy ‘Stay’.
And the cool bit? The Elton-Dua song is the handiwork of Australia’s own Pnau … a dance music trio from Sydney.
Because it’s a Thursday, and given the week we’ve had, we all need a little lift. There’s a link to the video in today’s episode notes. Turn it up and dance like no one’s watching …
SURVEY CALL-OUT
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Attention teachers and parents of Squiz Kids … your favourite daily news podcast for kids has a teensy-weensy favour to ask of you.
We’ve created a survey – to get a sense of how we can improve the podcast to better suit your needs. But what is a survey without people to fill it out?
It only takes five minutes – and everyone who fills it out goes into the draw to win a $200 Booktopia voucher — woo-hoo!
There’s a link to the survey in your episode notes .. but it closes this Friday … so don’t put it off.
As they say in the classics… it would be enormously appreciated …
Q+A TIME
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Yes folks ,, the wait is over. The day has arrived, when all your questions about goalball and the Paralympics will be answered. Tyan (tee-ahn) Taylor graciously took the Squiz Kids Q+A hot seat before jetting off to Japan. With the Paralympics starting next Tuesday, it’s the perfect opportunity to get excited about a whole new raft of cool sports and incredible athletes from all over the world.
If you’re listening on a podcast app, the Q+A should play immediately following this episode. Otherwise, look for it on the Squiz Kids website. It’s a cracker.
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 …
- A plague of what animal is threatening to overrun farms in Queensland and WA?
- What did a man in Lake Tahoe find inside his bin?
- Which pop artist has joined forces with Elton John to produce a cracking new song?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s August 19 .. World Photography Day … National Beekeepers Day in the Ukraine, and International Talk Like Jar Jar Binks Day … which is highly controversial … you know I feel about Jar Jar Binks .. Not. A. Fan.
It’s a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today….
Romy from Darling Point, Riddhima from Hornsby,
Alicia from Henley Beach South, Angus from Hunters Hill, Hugo from Withcott, Nina from Mount Annan, Bella from Narraweena, Ollie from Yarraville, Lola from NSW, Ben from Mount Gravatt East, Liam from Melbourne, Albertine from Springwood, Rebekah from Perth, Taylor from Wallaroo and Jessica and Emma from Glen Innes.
Belated birthday shout outs go to….Blade and Charlize from Mornington, and Ardal from Kilmore.
Plus!! … Because our friends in Melbourne, Canberra and all of NSW are in lockdown – we’re sending out Home Learning Herograms …
Andrew in Year 5 at Dural Public School would like to give a shout out to Miss Fitzgerald, Mrs Barhon and all of year 5 – he cannot wait to get back to school to see everyone.
Max sends a home learning hero gram to Mrs Hockey from 3/4H at Balgownie Public school and says thanks for being such a great teacher. Arisa and Siobhan from Grade 6 at Dee Why Public School send a home learning herogram to all of their Grade and especially the incredible Grade 6 teachers.
A home learning shout out also to the Grade 3’s at Dee Why Public School. And one last home learning shout out to all the students at Kew Primary School in Melbourne for doing such an awesome job in their 6th lockdown.
Plus a couple of classroom shout outs to those of you not in lockdown…
To the hard-working students in 5N and 5F at Our Lady of the Angels’ School at Wavell Heights. Also to class 5P at St Francis Xavier Primary School in Geraldton and their teacher in training, Mr Hood.
The S’Quiz Answers:
- Mice
- A bear
- Dua Lipa