CD Review - Simone Penkethman - “Fall”

Simone Penkethman has been a local musician for more years than she will thank us to remind her of.

Her album “fall” consists of  thirteen eclectic songs, which focus on the quirky aspects of human nature.

Her album is laid back with bluesy guitar and soft drumming by Ken Vatcher.

I noticed myself giggling quietly to “The Ballad of a Thin Man” as it accurately describes a self absorbed “bloke”, while “Cry For love” is poignant and heartfelt.

As much as I appreciate this album, I believe that nothing really compares to watching her perform live onstage.

Fans of PJ Harvey and Patti Smith will especially appreciate this recording. 

“fall” is available to at www.cardboardcharlie.com.

[ED - And welcome to our new CD reviewer Georgia. If you’re a local artist looking to be included in our revitalised local CD review program use the contact button above to get in touch]

Knitting mafia to stitch up Soft Sculpture

With the wonderful Soft Sculpture exhibition due to end in a week’s time the National Gallery have announced that they’re bringing it to a conclusion with a festival dedicated to the widely feared knitting community.

The National Gallery of Australia will be holding Knitta Please, a festival of events starting from Sunday 5 July. The week will culminate in a community project, Stitching up the NGA, which is being held from Tuesday 7 to Sunday 12 July. Magda Sayeg, founder of Knitta Please, Sydney artist Denise Litchfield and a team of volunteers will transform six large concrete poles at the front entrance of the Gallery. Knitters all over the world have been invited to help create squares of knitting for the coverings, and the Gallery has had a great response, receiving contributions from as far as Sweden and the USA.

…

Knitters are still invited to send in their yarn samples that measure 10–20 cm wide and 140 cm long. Any colour, yarn and technique will be accepted, but they need to be sent to the National Gallery of Australia before 7 July!

State of the Riot - June 2009

[First filed: July 02, 2009 @ 15:58]

So June is done and dusted.

Here’s our monthly look at where the site is going, where it’s been and what brings people here.

Key Stats:

(Note: These statistics are prepared by Google Analytics and compare the 30 days of June to the previous 30 days)

Visits: 161,102, up from 156,195
Pageviews: 458,489, up from 437,973
Absolute unique visitors: 58,489, down from 63,107

So the reader’s we’ve got are reading more. Hooray! Will have to keep an eye on where the unique numbers go next month. June did happily lack dramatic killings.

Housekeeping:

While I’ve got you here a few house-keeping announcements.

If you’re one of the tens of thousands of Canberrans enjoying reading RiotACT perhaps you should consider supporting us?

– You can just make a donation if you so choose.

– Alternatively you could take out a premium subscription, and get the much sought after RiotACT pin, as well as some improved functionality from the site, and the chance to win some pretty good give-aways.

– If you have goods or services to advertise, or a brand to build, you can advertise with us.

– Failing that Facebookers can just become a fan. We like fans.

Fun stuff:

So the 20 most read stories on RiotACT in June were:

(more…)

DIY Wotz on guide for the weekend of 3 July

[First filed: July 02, 2009 @ 08:10]

For our American friends it’s a red, white and blue Fourth of July weekend coming up.

But here in Canberra what’s worth seeing and doing around town?

Just leave your suggestions in the comments.

Horace Madden’s George Cross goes on display at the War Memorial

The War Memorial has announced that the highest decoration awarded to an Australian in the Korean War has now gone on display in the “Conflicts 1945 to today” galleries.

Awarded posthumously to Private Horace ‘Slim’ Madden in 1955, the George Cross is a symbol of his strength and cheerful spirit during his time as a POW in Korea.

Slim Madden, of 3RAR, was captured by Chinese forces at Kapyong in April, 1951. Despite ongoing maltreatment and abuse, ‘Slim’ Madden remained cheerful and optimistic. His health soon deteriorated as he shared what little food he was afforded with the men around him. Madden died of malnutrition in late 1951. His willingness to help others made him a true hero, his courage in the face of continuing hardships fuelled by an indomitable spirit.

The medal is on loan from an anonymous donor.

Tools, Weapons and Artefacts at Tidbinbilla

Here’s an interesting listing on Canberra Calendar:

Hear stories about how indigenous people survived in this area in the past. Learn about the tools, weapons and artefacts that were crucial to their survival. Meet at the Visitor Centre. Bookings essential on 6205 1233.

Sounds like a good one for those trying to entertain inquisitive kids.

Skippy slaughter to turn-off tourists?

The Canberra Times brings word of plans by the National Kangaroo Protection Coalition to organise a boycott of tourism to Canberra in response to recent ‘roo culls.

“We’ve been talking about it the last couple of days and we think it’s one of the options we’ve got and probably the strongest option we’ve got to get the ACT Government to stop killing these kangaroos,” Mr O’Brien said.

He said he believed the Canberra culls were based on unproven science and were motivated by an ACT Government ”hatred with kangaroos”.

It seems unlikely to us here in the bunker that endemic kangaroo hatred is driving policy.

Queanbeyan Hospital bollocksing health throughout the region?

The ABC brings word of trouble at the shiny new Queanbeyan Hospital.

Apparently Greater Southern Area Health Service haven’t managed to staff the facility properly, which is throwing pressure back onto Canberra’s facilities:

Doctor Ross Hendry says mismanagement at the new hospital is having an effect on waiting times in Canberra.

“With such an under under-utilisation of the theatres in Queanbeyan, one would think if Queanbeyan people and the Southern Area Health people were looked after locally that the waiting list in Canberra would be better,” he said.

Make-A-Wish Foundation Charity Ball - August

The Canberra Branch of Make-A-Wish® Australia invites you to their annual Wish Ball to be held on Saturday 29 August at the Hellenic Club of Canberra.

Commencing at 6.30 pm this wonderful evening includes a 3 course meal, beer, wine and soft drinks as well as live music by Heuristic. There will also be live and silent auctions and raffles during the night. Help raise valuable funds for children with life threatening illnesses.

Tickets are $95 single, $180 double.

Please contact the Hellenic Club on 6281 0899 or Karen on 0412 193 755 or alternatively kkeunen@jjmh.com.au to purchase your tickets.

C’mon guys, show your support! Heres a bit about the Make-A-Wish Foundation

(more…)

Greens website taken over by spammers?

RiotACT’s all seeing eye has noticed a strange thing. It’s a link to an online payday lender on the ACT Greens’ website.

Now if you go to that website with a modern browser you won’t see it there. The all seeing eye doesn’t use sophisticated web rendering.

But if you take a look at the source code (and I’ve printed out a copy) you’ll find it’s definitely there.

Down at the very tail end of the code there are links to a staggering array of viagra products.

Perhaps time for a revamp?

Channelvision goes national

Canberra’s TransACT based local TV service Channelvision has announced that they’re going to be taking Canberra to the rest of the nation.

From July 5th 2009 Channelvision will broadcast Nationally on Aurora (Foxtel, Austar, OptusTV platforms) a half hour magazine styled programme on Canberra, each Sunday evening at 7.30pm and repeated each Wednesday evening at 9.30pm. The National Broadcast platform allows Channelvision to reach a potential audience of 9 million Australians twice a week. The programme content will provide a unique and valuable promotional asset to the ACT and Region, showcasing the Nation through the eyes of it’s Capital.

A year in the life of the RSPCA

The RSPCA has released some numbers on their activity in the past financial year.

Interestingly while total numbers of animals dealt with have risen 3% to 8,125, the numbers of domestic animals is down to 4,905 from 4,965.

For the many of you who speculate on these things they’ve also released the numbers on animals that have to be destroyed:

We also boast a very low euthanasia rates for dogs, only 8%. Keeping this rate low is very important to us, but we also realise that not every dog that comes to RSPCA will be able to find a home. Some dogs come to us in very poor condition or with very poor social skills. Our staff and volunteers do everything they can to ensure a dog becomes homable and the fact that we find homes for 92% of unwanted dogs proves our commitment to this cause.

Every dog is given every change, there are no arbitrary time limits, no unrealistic expectations, just caring people doing what they do best, correcting other people mistakes and taking pride in the work they do, every day of the year.

Our work with cats is almost as successful and we boast a homing rate of over 66% for domestic cats, almost 30% better than the average homing rate across Australia.

In total during the financial year we found new homes for 2,127 animals and reunited 950 lost animals with their owners.

The ACT’s Sustainable Cities winners

Simon Corbell has announced the winners of the ACT Sustainable Cities Awards for 2009:

This years’ winners include;

– Community Partnerships - Oz Harvest;
– Environmental Innovation - Papercut;
– Dame Phyllis Frost Litter Prevention - Orana School;
– Resource Recovery - Corinbank Festival;
– Protection of the Environment - Jervis Bay School - Booderee Junior Rangers;
– Energy Innovation - Hawker Primary School;
– Sustainable Buildings and Gardens - Project Co-ordination for ANU SHRIMP Building;
– Young Legends - Baringa Group Cub Pack, and

The overall winner is Oz Harvest.

Congratulations to all.

Schadenfreude Thursday - Bogged up to the axle

I came across this scene at Yarralumla Bay this morning. The truck is bogged even deeper on the other side and they’re trying to use the bobcat to lift it out via a chain.

It didn’t work.

So no matter how bad your day’s been at least you weren’t out in the rain trying to shift a bogged truck.

Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email it to images@the-riotact.com

Mischievous Zed pledges support to the ALP Secretary Bill Redpath

Zed Seselja is very excited by mutterings and differences from the Labor party over the future of the new party secretary, Bill Redpath.

“It was reported in today’s Canberra Times that Mr Redpath had lost the support of the party including his own left faction,” Zed said.

“The Chief Minister and the right factional Minister, Andrew Barr, where asked about the resignation of Bill Redpath, this morning on radio. Their answers differed widely, clearly demonstrating the rifts that have formed between the left and the right of the Labor party.

“The Chief Minister was robust about Mr Repatch not receiving loyalty from the party;

‘I think Bill hasn’t received, perhaps the support and loyalty he would have expected. Having been supported into the position just six months ago on the expectation his appointment would be for 18 months. He has chosen, and I think, he’s reasons are around supporting the party first, putting the Labor party first, which we would like to think all members of the Labor party would do all the time’ (ABC News 9am, 2/7/09).

“Andrew Barr was asked repeatedly the same question, about whether Mr Redpath had his support and repeatedly he refused to express his support;

‘I am not commenting on internal party matters, I’ll refer you to the party president it you would like any further comments about the Labor party’ (ABC 666 8.45am 2/7/09).

“Andrew Barr’s lack of support for the Secretary, which is at odds with his leader, highlights the serious rift in the ALP Caucus over the leadership handover.

It’s handy that Zed’s keeping track of all this stuff for us.

UPDATE: The ABC reports that Bill has resigned. Perhaps too nice a guy for the rough and tumble of politics.