Wednesday, August 16, 2023
Miracle at sea for Aussie surfers; China’s shop on a cliff face; Matilda madness takes hold; and Baboons 1 – Cheetah 0.
LINKS
Shop on a cliff face
Cheetah vs Baboons
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4t7208qkPc&t=2s
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THE LOWDOWN
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There were seven sets of very relieved mums and dads yesterday – seven families both here and in Indonesia who had every reason to celebrate – after four missing surfers and three Indonesian sailors were found safe and sound yesterday after being lost at sea for two days.
The Aussie surfers and their Indonesian crew mates went missing late on Sunday night when the boat they were travelling in en route to a remote surf break, got caught in stormy seas.
For two long days their families had no contact from the travelling party – fearing the worst had happened.
So it was with an enormous sense of relief yesterday afternoon that they received news that they had all been found – the surfers clinging to their surfboards on calm seas – in the middle of nowhere.
A huge search and rescue effort was launched on Monday when the surfers disappeared – including planes and helicopters. But finally it was a volunteer searcher on his catamaran that spotted the surfers bobbing in the water and plucked them to safety. Gnarly.
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That’s the good news for today .. as for the bad news – a massive clean up is underway on the Hawaiian island of Maui as authorities and residents there take stock of the worst fire disaster in the island’s modern history. A combination of dry and windy conditions fanned a firestorm at the weekend which devoured everything in its path. And while the devastation has been total – with the fire destroying almost every building in the town – so has the community effort that has been launched to help those who have lost everything – with locals rallying to provide food, water and shelter. Because especially in the darkest moments, generosity and kindness shine bright.
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 China – where a shop on a cliff face is causing quite a stir.
Deep in the Hunan Province, and bolted on to a sheer cliff face popular with rock climbers, 120 metres from the ground, is a small wooden box big enough for one shop attendant and a pile of snacks and drinks – stuck there to provide climbers with a little refreshment as they make their way to the top.
Sheer is a fancy word for steep – and you’ll often hear it used in when describing a cliff face that is close to being perpendicular – which is to say, straight up and down.
Each day one lucky shop attendant climbs up into the teeny tiny shop, and each day a supply of drinks and snacks are lowered down to him or her from the top of the cliff.
And while I’m sure the view is spectacular – that is seriously one retail job I would not enjoy.
I’ve stuck a link to photos of it in today’s episode notes – do you reckon its the sort of shop you could work in?
ANIMAL KINGDOM
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If a cheetah took on a baboon … which one do you reckon would win? Ok – so how about if a cheetah tried to take on a troop of baboons … like, one cheetah versus twenty baboons? Yeah – well – I think you can imagine how that would turn out. Well, actually, you don’t have to imagine it, because a visitor to a wildlife reserve in South Africa has captured it on video – which I’ve stuck a link to in today’s episode notes.
And let’s just say: the old adage: biting off more than you can chew has never been more appropriate.
It’s fair to say the cheetah came off second best – and had to retreat with its tail firmly between its legs.
SPORT TIME
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Have you got your Matildas scarf on? A little smear of green and gold face paint on your cheeks? Are you ready to holler the house down? Or maybe you’re heading with the family to a Live Site somewhere to watch tonight’s game … maybe you’re one of the lucky 50,000 or so that’s heading to Stadium Australia in Sydney to watch it all with your very own eyes …
However you’re planning to take in tonight’s World Cup semi-final clash between Australia and England – just know that pretty much the whole nation will be doing it with you … as Matildas fever continues to sweep the country.
Even the Aussie men’s basketball team know when they’ve been outgunned … the Boomers have moved forward their own World Cup basketball game against Brazil at Melbourne’s Rod Laver arena so that it doesn’t clash with the Matilda’s 8pm kick off.
C’mon Tillies! You’ve got this!
Book Week Competition
Hands up who’s ready for Book Week? Who reckons they’ve got the best costume planned in ALL of Australia? Then why don’t you share a photo of it with us … and maybe even win some cool prizes for your troubles?
Earlier today I ran into Catch the Reading Bug from the Squiz Kids Book Club – and while she knows you;re all probably busy with your glitter and hot-glue guns preparing your Book Week costumes for next week – she’s offering three fabulous prize packs to the kids with the best costumes. To enter: all you have to do is get your parents or teachers to upload a photo of you in your Book Week costume to their social media – either Instagram or Facebook – tag us @squizkids or #squizkids, and give our page a follow, and you’ll automatically go into the running to win one of three fabulous prize packs from our friends at Walker Books. And teachers: there will be a prize for best-dressed teacher too – give Squiz Kids a follow on Facebook and upload your pic to your socials tagging us – and we’ll re-post them to our own socials pages and pick a winner. Because who doesn’t love Book Week (with the possible exception of every working parent … but that’s another story …) Happy glue gunning!
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 …
- What sort of big cat took on a troop of baboons and lost?
- In which country is a tiny shop half-way up a cliff face?
- Which team will the Matildas be playing to beat in tonight’s World Cup Semi Final?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s August 16 – birthday for Thor and Star Wars director, Taika Waititi – and it’s also the Ekka Public Holiday in Queensland … so a day off for all you lucky Squiz Kids in the Sunshine State … what’s the Ekka? I hear the rest of the country asking. It’s short for The Exhibition … Sydney has the Royal Easter Show, Melbourne has the Royal Melbourne Show and Adelaide the Royal Adelaide Show … in Queensland they call it the Ekka.
It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today … Manaia from Oyster Bay, TJ from Ainslie, Audrey from Warnervale, Blake from Gulgong, Samuel from Queensland, Charlotte from Wagga Wagga, Jackson from Glenwood Hill, Nittin from Greystanes, Matilda from Mitcham,Mike from Gladesville and Carty listening over in England,
And belated birthday shout outs to the following kids who celebrated a birthday yesterday (oops we forgot to include them in Monday’s podcast)… Esther from Vermont South, Natalia from Oyster Bay, Zachary from Canberra, Elijah from Somerville, Luca from Doubleview, Iris from Calamvale, Reese, Juliette and Eden from Sydney, Maayra from Bentleigh, Bella from Maitland, Malia from Dee Why, Anna from Wagga Wagga, Caitlin from Lane Cove West and Bianca from Camden.
Classroom shoutouts today go to …
Class 5/6T at Middle Harbour Public School and happy birthday to Miss Tattle for yesterday, class 6B and Mr Cracknell at Willows State School in Townsville, class 5B and Mr Smith at Villa Maria Catholic Primary School in Hunters Hill, class 5/6H and Mrs Hoye at Plumpton Public School and class 5H, Mr Henley at Tanilba Bay Public School and lastly to class 6B and Mrs Englefield at The Riverina Anglican College in Wagga Wagga.