Podcasts

Newsy gets a new name, cricket’s “batsman” change, new spider app

Sep 29, 2021 Episode 66

Goodbye Newsy Jacuzzi hello Newsy Pooloozi! Cricket also gets name-change, UK spends millions on carbon suckers and new spider app

Episode Transcript

EPISODE 66  – NEW NEWSY NAME!

00.00

OPENING STING – LEELA: “New, new, newsy – Newsy Jacuzzi!” 

THEME MUSIC 

LEELA: Hello and welcome to our last ever episode of Newsy Jacuzzi. 

SFX OF RECORD SCRATCHING

MAMA: Say what?!

LEELA: No – never fear, never fear! – we’re not going anywhere. 

But the Jacuzzi is – 

MAMA: Being drained! 

LEELA: We’ll explain all AND reveal our new name in the next few minutes. 

And we’re not the only big name-change this week – the most important playing position in cricket is also getting an upgrade. 

Speaking of a breath of fresh air, the UK is spending a huge wad of money to find new ways carbon dioxide can be sucked out of the air.

And, finally, there’s a new app to help folks get over their fear ooof… Oh, well, you’ll just have to listen to the end to find out what!

MUSIC UP  

I’m your host of this about-to-be-renamed, weekly world news podcast, Leela Sivasankar Prickitt. 

MAMA: And I’m her sidekick – Lyndee Prickitt.

LEELA: And my Mama. And first up is us! Us.

MAMA: Us. 

LEELA: Us!

BIG NEWS STORY STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “The big news story of the week!”

07.33 

MAMA: Yes, it’s all about us. 

LEELA: Uh-huh. Us as in Newsy Jacuzzi. But, once upon a day – just a few days ago – we ceased to exist.

MAMA: Newsy Jacuzzi is no more. 

LEELA: Cuttum. Finished. 

MAMA: The Jacuzzi is being drained. 

LEELA: And going down the drain. 

MAMA: (coughs) 

LEELA: Well, they started it!

MAMA: They might see it the other way around. Let’s explain. For those who don’t know – and it seems as though many don’t – Jacuzzi is a company. A company that makes – 

LEELA: Jacuzzis. 

MAMA: So called because the original founders of the company were Italian brothers named… 

LEELA: Jacuzzi!

MAMA: It’s a fun name to say, you gotta admit. 

LEELA: I have loved saying it. 

MAMA: But the Jacuzzi Group aren’t happy with us saying it, because it’s their name, which they’ve gone to the trouble of trademarking. 

LEELA: Trade-whatting? Like trading baseball cards or something?  

MAMA: Good question. So, a trademark can be any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these, that identifies a product or a service. You’ll recognize a trademarked brand by the teeny-tiny little capital R – as in registered –  with a circle around it that appears at the bottom right side of the brand name or  logo. See, look. 

LEELA: Wait, that dot? 

MAMA: Zoom in. 

LEELA: Huh. I see it. But Jacuzzi’s such a common word, used just like hot tub. You’re telling me it’s a proper noun I have to capitalize and everything? 

MAMA: Yep. 

LEELA: Oh, brother. Who knew! 

MAMA: It’s not just Jacuzzi. There are loads of words that are now so common in our language, they’ve become generic, even though they started as trademarked brands: Kleenex, Chapstick, Hula Hoop, Styrofoam and even Ping Pong. 

LEELA: Wait, I have to capitalize the P in ping pong and the H in hula hoop? But we use those words all the time! 

MAMA: Yep and that’s one of the contestable points.

LEELA: Contesta what?

MAMA: Debatable. When a brand is so common it becomes a generic word. But Jacuzzi’s biggest argument is that our domain name is, and I quote, “identical  to  our corporate name and business identity. As such, it is likely to confuse the public and make them believe that your business (if any) is in some way connected with or endorsed by Jacuzzi Group. Which it is not.”

LEELA: Wait a minute. They’re saying that someone might walk into a shop selling bathroom supplies, go over to the hot-tub section and say, “Excuse me, I’m looking for the Newsy Jacuzzi podcast – a weekly whirl of news for smart kids and curious adults – but all I see here are, well, tubs. Where do I press play?”

MAMA: Or the other way around, even.

SFX OF PHONE DIALING

LEELA: “Hello, is that Leela Sivasankar Prickitt of Newsy Jacuzzi? Could I please have a  White Fiber Glass 5 Seater Spa Bath Tub in fake teak wood trim?”

MAMA: (laughing) Pretty much. 

LEELA: I see, they might be confused that the Newsy Jacuzzi might actually take them around the world in 80 seconds.

MAMA: Seconds! (laughs) That’s what they’re saying yes. 

LEELA: I think it’s bit unlikely! We really gotta change our name because of that? 

MAMA: it’s contestable. In fact, some say we have a strong case. But – we’d have to go to court. And that takes time and money. 

LEELA: Lots and lots of money. And stress and tears.

MAMA: Yep. So – usually the big companies… Well, let’s just say it’s not worthwhile. But, you know, if we’re getting so big we’re getting notice by big businesses and lawyers and the like, maybe it’s time we make up our own word for what we do. 

 LEELA: Yeah, I think we’ve outgrown the Jacuzzi. 

MAMA: I know. We needed something bigger. 

LEELA: We needed a pool! Not just an ordinary “news pool” though. 

MAMA: Which is a real thing, by the way, when media outlets “pool” together their resources to cover an event.  

LEELA: Kinda like all our kid correspondents working together to produce Newsy Jacuzzi. (Beep) Oh! I can’t stop saying it!

MAMA: I know. 

LEELA: Anyway, folks, you’ll be pleased to know we are not calling our selves the News Pool. Not quite anyway. 

MAMA: No, we’re way too whippity-whappity-zippity-zappity for that. 

LEELA: And since I did love saying “Newsy Jacuzzi-” (Beep)

MAMA: You and all the correspondents. 

LEELA: We’ve come up with something we hope you’ll like as much as we do. 

MAMA: O, yes we have – something bigger and splashier.

LEELA: Cue the drumroll, Mama.

SFX OF DRUMROLL

LEELA: Our new name is: Newsy Pooloozi – the news pool for kids!

MAMA: And curious-minded adults!

7.05

SPORTS STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “It’s time to play ball… Score… Sports News!”

LEELA: As we’ve said before,  the bat and ball game of cricket is one of the oldest organized sports in the world.

MAMA: Yep, it dates back to the 16th century, can you believe it?

LEELA: Being so old, and, well, British, it’s also a bit of a stuffy game full of some reserved fuddy-duds, who like to keep things the way they’ve been always.

MAMA: And, despite women playing the game since the seventies, they still refer to the batters as –

LEELA: Batsmen. Can you believe that? 

MAMA: Until now, as our cricket-crazy England correspondent, Maya Bull, is standing by to tell us. 

LEELA: Maya, over to you!

MAYA: Thanks,  Leela.   

As you may know, I love the game of cricket. 

I’ve been going to cricket matches and watching games with my family since I was a little girl. 

And now – of course – I play cricket too.

And I have to say, when it’s my turn to crack the ball, it’s kinda strange to be called the “batsman.”

Well, I’m very happy to announce that the cricket authorities here in England have decided to get with the times and be inclusive.

It’s out with “batsmen” and in with “batter.”

If you think about it,  the bowler (who bowls or throws the ball) has never been called the bowl-man? 

Nor are those on the field called field-men.

So this change makes sense all round.

Having said that, cricket IS known for some rather weird terminology when it comes to its playing positions 

There’s the square leg, fine leg, forward short leg, silly point, silly mid-off, the gully, the slips and, oh no, the third man.

Hmmmm, this might be trickier than we thought. 

Never mind that cricket is nicknamed “the gentlemen’s game.”

Well, as a player and fan I can safely say batter is a great start!

In Nottingham, England, I’m Maya Bull, reporting for Newsy Pooloozi!

LEELA: Thanks a lot, Maya – you hit a six out of the park!

9.19

WORLD WRAP STING – LEELA: “What’s that? I’ll tell you what. That’s the halftime bell! Which means… it’s time to hear what’s making news around the rest of the world. Hold on tight, it’s around the world in 80 seconds.” 

MAMA: Eruptions from the volcano on the Canary Island of La Palma have intensified. 6,000 people have already been evacuated from their homes, while hundreds of people still in the coastal villages are locked down in anticipation of the lava reaching the sea and releasing toxic gas.

It’s an end of an era in Germany – the Angela Merkel era. The scientist-turned-politician led the country as chancellor for 16 years. But no clear replacement was voted in during the weekend’s election, so now begins the complicated process of political parties joining forces, in what’s called coalitions, to become the majority government.

Staying in Europe, Switzerland embraces modernity and equality – with nearly two-thirds of Swiss voters backing a referendum on same-sex marriage.

And if you don’t walk your dog regularly – the results could be ruff. Yes, new research finds that dogs that live inactive lives are almost 6-and-a-half times more likely to develop memory loss conditions similar to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease found in humans. So get out that leash and go for a walk. 

LEELA: Thanks a lot for that whippity-whappity zippity-zappity wrap of world news, Mama. And now let’s have a breath of fresh air from the UK. Yep, it’s time for –

11.14 

SCIENCE STING – LEELA: “The world of wow, wow, wow… In other words – science!”   

MAMA: So we talk a lot on this podcast – Newsy POOLOOZI! – about climate change, basically the earth getting warmer. 

LEELA: Right, because greenhouse gasses, like carbon dioxide, trap the heat of the sun and warm up our planet. 

MAMA: And we know that changing habits – like taking fewer airplanes – 

SFX OF AIRPLANE

LEELA: Walking instead of driving. 

SFX OF CAR HONKING

MAMA: Or driving electric rather than petrol cars – will help reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses released into the air. But what if we can also suck carbon dioxide from the air around us?

LEELA: What? Like a vacuum cleaner!

SFX OF VACUUM CLEANER

MAMA: Well, yeah… sucking them up, but maybe without the suction sound. 

LEELA: Oh – like, you mean, using the earth’s natural carbon dioxide suckers: trees! 

MAMA: Right. So we know that trees do this – but is that all? Well, the British are about to spend $41 million dollars finding out. As our South of England correspondent, Jackson Hosking, is about to tell us. 

LEELA: Well, then, over to you, Jackson!

JACKSON: Thanks, Leela. 

You’re right that one reason we’re always being encouraged to plant more trees is because they can absorb carbon dioxide. 

And trees are so clever – they can release oxygen back into the air too!

Well, here in the UK, the government is spending 30 million pounds, or 41 million dollars, to find out if there are any other ways to remove excessive carbon dioxide from the air. 

Their ideas include spreading large fields with a charcoal-like substance made from  wood or organic waste, called bio-char, which may reduce carbon dioxide. 

They’re also going to make use of – 

SFX OF VOLCANO

Yep – the rock chips that are formed once spewing volcanic lava cools down might also absorb carbon dioxide when as they break down and biodegrade.

And then there’s peat. 

No – not as in Peter. 

P-e-a-t is a type of soil found in boggy, or wet, areas made of plants and vegetables that haven’t completely rotted away.

The study plans to replant large peatlands to see if they can store tonnes of carbon dioxide!

If successful, these methods could help the UK reach its target of being “net zero” by the year 2050.

That means – however much we mess up the atmosphere, we have to clean it up by just as much.

Sounds a bit like what my mom wants me to do with my bedroom. 

In the south of England, I’m Jackson Hosking, reporting for NEWSY Pooloozi!

(Hey – like the new name, Newsy Pooloozi?!) 

LEELA: Thanks a lot, Jackson – I know what you mean about moms and clean bedrooms.

LEELA: And finally… I would like everyone to know for the relaunch we’ve actually spruced up the Lucky Dip machine and I have it right here at my finger tips. Really.  

14.15 

ODDBALL STING – VARIOUS VOICES: “Step right up, step right up… Have a go at the lucky dip machine… What’s it gonna be today, eh? An oddball, no doubt!”

LEELA: An odd… oh, no!  The machine’s malfunctioned! I don’t want this one. Put it back, put it back! Yuck! Let’s pick another one. 

MAMA: Relax, Leela. What do you mean, pick another one? 

LEELA: Another story from the Lucky Dip Machine. You know, not this one. It’s more of a tech story anyway. Ho-humm. Next story, please. 

MAMA: Let me see – oh. I see. Yes. This one isn’t so much odd, but creepy. Then again, it is about a solution.

LEELA: Are you kidding me? It’s a nightmare. It’s torture. 

MAMA: Pull yourself together, kid. Jump into the Newsy Pooloozi to cool yourself off and tell the story like a trooper. Come on, you got this.

LEELA: Ohhhhh. Ok… Deep breaths…. Play the music then, Mama…

MUSIC

LEELA: Once upon a time – just a few days ago – researchers from Switzerland’s University of Basel developed a very helpful tool for people suffering from arachnophobia.

MAMA: In other words, a deep –

LEELA: (And very understandable.) 

MAMA: Phobia, or fear, of spiders.

LEELA: So this torture app, I mean wellness training app, lets smart-phone users put virtual spiders into their real world, you know,  using augmented reality. 

Like when Google came up with those 3D dinosaurs that appear through your phone’s camera lens – so it looks like there are dinosaurs in your kitchen. Remember?

MAMA: Oh, yeah.

LEELA: Except we all know dinosaurs no longer inhabit the earth. But seeing an image of a real, hairy, creepy spider, seemingly crawling on your sofa or even on your hand is… bonker brains! 

Why would anyone want to do that?

MAMA: Now, hold on, Leela. You just said it’s not real. 

LEELA: But it looks real! Look!

MAMA: Yeah, it’s pretty effective. But I think the idea is that fear of spiders, or other creepy critters, can limit the way people live. Like, you know, not wanting to walk into a certain area where you think they might be lurking, like across the patio. Anyway,  research has shown one of the most effective treatments for such phobias is “exposure therapy.” 

LEELA: (Shudders) 

MAMA: That’s when patients are guided through exposure to the situations they fear in order to gradually break down that fear or phobia. 

LEELA: No, thank you!

MAMA: Right, so this treatment is rarely used because people are rather reluctant to expose themselves to real spiders.

 LEELA: You said it. 

MAMA: But that’s what makes THIS app – appropriately called PHOBYS – so great. Realistic 3D spiders are only projected onto your real world. And I believe it’s proving successful. 

LEELA:  Yes, yes. The researchers conducted a study with real arachnophobes. 

After six 30-minute sessions on the app – they showed “significantly less fear and disgust” to real-life spiders than those who hadn’t used the app. 

MAMA: And were even able to get closer to spiders then before. 

LEELA: Yeaaaaaah… Still, I think it might be a while before I’m brave enough to try this myself. I prefer just jumping on your back when I need to, Mama.

FAB FACTS STING – LEELA: “And it’s time to wrap up the podcast with the top five fab facts heard today. Here goes…” 

MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 1 – The Jacuzzi Group  were not happy with our former name, Newsy Jacuzzi, because Jacuzzi is a registered trademark. What is a trademark?

A trademark can be any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these, that identifies a product or a service. 

LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 2 – You’ll recognize a registered trademarked name or logo by the teeny-tiny WHAT that appears at the bottom right of the brand name or  logo? 

A teeny-tiny capital R – as in registered – with a circle around it.

MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 3 – The UK is about to spend a big wad of money on new tests to see how carbon dioxide can be removed from the air – beyond planting more trees. One idea is spreading large fields with a charcoal-like substance made from  wood or organic waste, which is called what? 

Biochar

LEELA: FAB FACT NUMBER 4 – Another idea to decrease carbon dioxide is creating a forest of peat. What’s that? 

Soil made of plants that haven’t completely rotted away found in boggy areas.

MAMA: FAB FACT NUMBER 5 – An augmented reality app developed by Switzerland’s University of Basel is helping people face their fear of spiders, which is called what? 

The fear of spiders is called arachnophobia 

LEELA: And that brings us to the end of this episode – the first episode under our new and improved name – Newsy Pooloozi. 

MAMA: We’ve outgrown the Jacuzzi, really. 

LEELA: Way too small.

MAMA: Totally. And in case you’re wondering – pooloozi is a made up word, ours. And, yes, that means our website has changed too – newsypooloozi.com – that’s p-o-o-l – 

LEELA: As in “pool.”

MAMA: Uh-ha. O-o-z-i dot com. 

LEELA: So – go have a look and drop us a line. Go on, show us some love! We need it right now!

THEME MUSIC

LEELA: Alrighty then. We’ll see you next week in the bigger and splashier Newsy Pooloozi!

-ends-