Wednesday, May 3, 2023
War declared on vaping; Tassie AFL team confirmed; Sneaky crochet scam on Facebook; and cats aplenty at Met Gala ball.
LINKS
Today’s Quick Links:
Butler to ban disposable vapes: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/this-must-end-butler-to-ban-disposable-vapes-as-part-of-black-market-crackdown-20230501-p5d4o6.html
Plan to purchase 40,000 vape detectors for public school toilets: https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-plan-to-purchase-40-000-vape-detectors-for-public-school-toilets-20230501-p5d4mr.html
Met Gala photo gallery: https://edition.cnn.com/style/article/met-gala-2023-red-carpet-fashion/index.html
Tasmania AFL team: https://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/news/afl-tasmania-stadium-name-players/vgyf9wgkmjobmp88xskc3ts3
Fake Facebook crochet posts a devious stitch-up: https://www.aap.com.au/factcheck/fake-facebook-crochet-posts-a-devious-stitch-up/
Dig Deeper:
In full – Health Minister Mark Butler’s National Press Club address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBMEYunNaJU
Media release – Taking action on smoking and vaping: https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/taking-action-on-smoking-and-vaping?language=en
Dr Karl’s vape truths: https://www.vapetruths.initiatives.qld.gov.au/dr-karls-vape-truths
Kids + Media Survey Results: https://www.squizkids.com.au/aussie-kids-media-results/
Squiz Kids Book Club: https://www.squizkids.com.au/book_club/april-2023/
Classroom Companion:
Teachers! Want to access free, curriculum-aligned classroom resources tied to the daily podcast? Sign up to be a Squiz Kids Classroom and download the Classroom Companion each day. Made by teachers for teachers, differentiated to suit all primary school ability levels. And did we mention it’s free?
Newshounds
Get started on our free media literacy resource for classrooms
www.squizkids.com.au/newshounds
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Got a birthday coming up and you want a shout-out? Complete the form on our Squiz Kids website. Link: SHOUT OUTS or / send us an email at [email protected]
THE LOWDOWN
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A war on vapes was declared yesterday with the federal government planning to ban the sale of vapes in convenience stores, stamp out vaping in schools and launch an education campaign to highlight the dangers of vaping.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra yesterday, the federal Health Minister Mark Butler said he was determined to nip Australia’s vaping problem in the bud, so that the next generation doesn’t get hooked on the highly addictive habit.
He said that one in six teenagers have tried vaping, a quarter of 18-24 year olds had vaped and that the problem was even starting to seep into primary schools – with part of the problem being that companies that make vapes disguise how bad they are by packaging them in kid-friendly colours and flavours – including bubblegum and watermelon.
Now, I know none of you would be silly enough to vape. Afterall – research has shown that vapes contain more than 200 chemicals that don’t belong in the human body … the same chemicals that you find in weed killer and nail polish remover. Who would be dumb enough to inhale weed killer?
And like cigarettes, they contain dangerous levels of a highly addictive substance called nicotine. Gross.
The government says it is going to make it illegal for shops to sell vapes – and in NSW, there are plans to install vaping detectors in school toilets.
(CCC)
A-ha – its the CCC – letting us know that today’s classroom worksheets are tied to this item in the podcast. And today’s Classroom Companions are especially good: an excellent fact sheet on the dangers of vaping – explaining what’s in them, why it’s bad for you and suggesting some guided discussions you can have in your classroom. If you’re not among the 2,000 odd classrooms across the country who are signed up to receive these free daily resources – hop on over to squizkids.com.au and sign up to Squiz Kids Classroom.
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 New York City – where cats have walked the catwalk at one of the biggest nights in world fashion.
I’m talking about an annual event called the Met Gala .. a fundraising ball in support of the Metropolitan Museum in New York.
It’s one of those parties that everyone wants an invitation to … all the pop stars and movie stars and fashion designers. And they all get dressed up in over-the-top outfits.
Because who doesn’t love a dress up?
Clearly Doja Cat likes a dress-up – because she showed up wearing a sparkly silver all-in-one cat suit, complete with cat’s ears – and the most remarkable make-up that made her face look like that of a cat. Check out the photo gallery in today’s episode notes.
Billie Eilish, the Little Mermaid’s Halle Bailey, rapper Lil’ Nas X and pop star Dua Lipa all put on their Sunday best and struck a pose for the cameras upon arrival at the ball – but it was actor Jared Leto that turned the most heads when he arrived in a furry, white cat costume. A tribute to fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld’s cat, Choupette.
I thought his outfit was purrrrrrfect (DAD JOKE ALARM) … oh dear, the dad joke alarm. It has been a few weeks between dad jokes – cut a fella a break.
SPORT TIME
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Hands up if you live in Tassie? Keep your hand up if you’d love to play footy for your state one day? Well – you’re in luck – because yesterday the Apple Isle got the official green light for a Tasmanian team to the join the AFL.
(FIREWORKS sound effect)
I know right- isn’t that amazing? The presidents of the 18 clubs that make up the AFL all got together yesterday and voted unanimously to invite a team from Tasmania to join the comp.
A unanimous vote means every person voted the same way: in this case, in favour of Tassie joining the comp.
What happens now? A Tassie team – most likely called the Tassie Devils – will join the competition from 2027. Which means you lot have four years to practice your marks, goals and tackles. So don’t just sit there! Get out and practice already!
NEWSHOUNDS
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Every Wednesday, Squiz-E the Newshound sticks his snout into Squiz Kids HQ to report back on suspicious things he’s come across on the internet .. and this week, Squiz E has been up to his very droopy ears in a great Facebook crochet scam.
Yes, you heard right. Crochet. That gentle, delicate craft involving crochet hooks and yarn. The Facebook scammers post photos of crochet animals, for instance, with a message saying ‘this is my own design, please like and share it’ – and when Facebook users do just that, the crochet photos turn into real-estate ads and the users personal information is collected.
It’s another reason to always do as Squiz-E says – and that’s to STOP, THINK and CHECK before believing everything you see, read or hear on the internet.
Oh – and a shout out to the 1070 classrooms around Australia that are currently undertaking our FREE media literacy course, Newshounds … a fun, easy way to make sure your kids learn how to spot misinformation on the internet. Get involved at squizkids.com.au or via the link in our episode notes.
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 …
- Which Aussie state will join the AFL in 2027?
- What sort of needlework craft, involving a single hook and yarn, have Facebook scammers been using to suck people in?
- In which American city is the Met Gala ball held each year?
SHOUT OUTS
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It’s May 3 – today is our 750th episode of Squiz Kids (FIREWORKS) – no wonder I feel so tired ..
It’s also a special day for these Squiz Kids celebrating a birthday today … Valentino from Regentville, William from Woongarrah, Sophia from Oran Park, Viaan from Point Cook, Ethan from Chatswood, Noah from Homebush, Millie from Waitara, Kaidence from Ashmont, Kenzo from Canberra, Adele from The Gap, Charli from Wellington Point, Zavier from Croydon Hills and Harry from Leopold.
Belated shoutouts from last week go to…Alana from the Sunshine Coast, Mia from Elermore Vale and Avena from Chapel Hill.
And because many of you celebrated a birthday over the Easter holidays – we’re still making our way through them – so we’re pressing pause on Classroom Shoutouts for one more day to make sure no one misses out on their birthday shout-out …presenting the very last of the belated Easter Holiday birthday shoutouts ..…
Nate from Holsworthy, Serah from Ivanhoe, Laec from Forster, Kabilan from Point Cook, Jamaya from Elermore Vale, Layla and Ella from Mount Gravatt, Drew and Zach from Arana Hills, Agnes from Parramatta, Maddy from Portland, Luna from Albany Hills, Nina from Warragul, Jude from Nedlands, Madalyn and Audrey from Helensvale, Richard from Sydney, Mason, Rosita, Jayden and Lucy from Ruse and Aurora listening in Davao City, Philippines.
The S’Quiz Answers:
- Tasmania
- Crochet
- New York