Brumbies coach Jake White’s YouTube appearances are essential viewing for Brumbies fans. Here’s the latest instalment.

[ 18 May, 2012 to 20 May, 2012. ]

And so we come to the end of another fun filled week in the Capital.

What’s worth seeing and doing around town this weekend?

Just leave your ideas in the comments.

[ 19 May, 2012; 6:30 pm; ]

Self described “hip pop folk punk” and all round good sort Bryony Aziz is launching her EP this Saturday night at Digress and she’s put together a top flight list of singer songwriters to support her.

It’s amazing value with Drew Walkey, Rafe Marris, Matty Ellis and Nigel Mcrae all worth far more than $5 to [...]

The Greens have announced that their little survey (below) of workplace bullying supports the need for government regulation of your workplace relationships.
“The survey results not only show that bullying remains a real problem in ACT workplaces, but that bullying incidents commonly go unreported. People who do report bulling incidents are frequently dissatisfied with the response [...]

Liberal Senator Gary Humphries is crying his crocodile tears for the Department of Climate Change where sackings have commenced:
ACT Labor have again found themselves in a web of dishonesty following the first round of forced redundancies being announced by the Department of Climate Change yesterday.
In an all-staff meeting, Department Secretary Blair Comley announced job cuts [...]

Animator Simon Cottee is calling Canberra home to request your help to make his next animated film:
Hiya riotact!
My name is Simon Cottee and I’m a short film maker and animator. I grew up in Canberra and 4 years ago moved to Brisbane to study animation. Though I still consider Canberra home as all my family [...]

In a more novel sort of charity run we’re lead to believe a world first half marathon has been run this morning on a treadmill in a hot air balloon high over the city.
It’s part of local runner Rob Ginnivan’s Run For Your Heart project to raise money for the Heart Foundation.

The Brumbies have announced their side for the very important game against the Wellington Hurricanes on Friday evening.
As predicted by yours truly in the Monday night rugby podcast Zack Holmes has got the nod to replace the white-hot Christian Lealiifano (right up until he smashed his ankle).
The other change in the side that thumped the [...]

The ACT Territory and Municipal Services Directorate (TAMS) will tomorrow, Thursday 17 May, 2012, conduct a controlled burn, weather permitting, in bushland adjacent to Belconnen Way in Bruce Ridge Nature Reserve, O’Connor.
The ACT Handy Map grid reference for the burn is K11.
For more information on the burn visit www.tams.act.gov.au or call Canberra Connect on 13 [...]

[ 1 June, 2012 to 2 June, 2012. ]

We’ve been sent details on a great reason to look forward to the start of June with two big nights of music to celebrate the opening of Sam King’s new recording studio.

Musicians will use any excuse for a party… and the opening of Canberra’s newest studio ‘I Am Merloc Studios’ was all the opportunity that [...]

ANU Vice Chancellor Ian Young has stuck his head over the parapet to make the case again for what they’re trying to do at the School of Music.
A lot has been said and written about the proposed changes to the ANU School of Music over past weeks.
Much of the talk has revealed the passion our [...]

The Business Spectator has a story on construction group St Hilliers shuffling off this mortal coil:
“The administration of St Hilliers Construction Pty Ltd is due to exposure under guarantees for debts of St Hilliers Ararat Pty Ltd relating to the Ararat Prison project in Victoria,” the company said in a statement.
The administration does not [...]

In February we were intrigued by the Library Service’s efforts to knit the world’s biggest bookmark.
Knitted bookmarks being not particularly useful at the best of times and even less so when 4km long. (I would go so far as to say 20cm of yarn is a more useful bookmark than anything you could knit).
Today they’re [...]

The Liberals Jeremy Hanson has the worrying news that process seems to have broken down for elective surgery:
70 per cent of the Canberra Hospital’s elective surgery admission requests are not properly authorised, according to information obtained by the Canberra Liberals. ACT Shadow Health Minister Jeremy Hanson said a Freedom of Information request shows that the [...]

Doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun?
Chief Minister Katy Gallagher’s been in the big chair for a year now.
How do you rate it?

Katy Gallagher’s first year
Exceeded expectations
Went to expectations
Was worse than I expected
View Results

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Foxsports have the sad news that Canberra boxer Bianca Elmir has tested positive to diuretics (banned because they can mask more serious performance enhancing substances) and won’t be going to the London Olympics:
According to reports, Elmir tested positive to a diuretic while competing at the Australian titles in February where she won the 51kg [...]

Territory and Municipal Services are warning of increasing numbers of the winged menace known as the European Wasp:
The number of European wasp nests reported in Canberra this year has increased by 15 percent in comparison to the same period last year, Dr Philip Spradbery, wasp expert with Territory and Municipal Services, announced today.
“The European Wasp [...]

ACT Policing has released CCTV images of the two offenders responsible for the burglary and theft which occurred at McDonald’s Westfield Woden on Sunday 6 May, in the hope someone can identify them.
Between 1.00am and 2.00am, two men entered the premises through the rear door and stole approximately 200 hamburger buns and 20 drinks.
The first [...]

Territory and Municipal Services advise us that they’re lowering the speed limit on the eastbound part of the Federal Highway after being surprised by cold weather at night and the effect it has had on their resurfacing.
No really.
The ACT Government wishes to advise motorists and other road users that the speed limit on the eastbound [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher has tweeted about the tsunami of tvs and computers coming in to the recycling scheme opened this very day.
Just wait for the weekend!
Day 1 new e-waste recycling scheme est 35 tonnes of TVs & computers dropped off since 730am (approx 1400 items) @ Mugga & Mitchell #canberra
— Katy Gallagher MLA (@KatyGMLA) May [...]

Joy Burch has been celebrating Canberra’s volunteers at the Vounteers of the Year Awards.
Volunteering ACT have announced the winners:
The 2012 ACT Volunteer of the Year was Mary Webb. Mary was nominated by Multiple Sclerosis Limited. Dr Mary Webb has provided invaluable volunteer service to those people in the Canberra Community with Multiple Sclerosis. Having served [...]

The Canberra Times reports Screen Australia funding for a second feature film based on Anu Singh and the killing of her boyfriend Joe Cinque.
Apparently the Helen Garner book will be the basis of the film.

CityNews is taking much joy in further reports of decline at the Canberra Times:
“The Canberra Times” fell below 30,000 paid sales for its Monday to Friday editions recording a 6.6 per cent drop (to 29,441 copies) and the flagship Saturday edition falling by 8.18 per cent (to 49,178) and Sunday dipped 5.55 per cent (to [...]

Inspired by Ben Dover’s Mt Taylor photography yesterday Mossrocket has upped the ante:
Here’s some more photos from the top of Mt Taylor. I skipped work on Thursday and decided that hiking and photographing would be a better use of my time.
I didn’t realise you could climb up a walking track on the east side of [...]

The Folk Festival is a strange beast for a few reasons:
– It relies on vast armies of volunteers working for free (often in highly professional capacities).
– It charges like a wounded bull. Seriously it hoovers money out of my wallet harder than any casino I’ve visited.
– It pays the most cursory to negligible [...]

Martyo has sent in this shot of Woden at sunset a week ago.
Got an image of Canberra you want to share with the world? Email it to images@the-riotact.com .

ACT Policing has issued its online crime statistics for the first quarter of 2012, reflecting a decline in assaults and property damage and an increase in motor vehicle theft and robberies reported to police compared with the same period (January to March) in 2011.
Acting Superintendent of ACT Policing Intelligence Chris Meagher said CrimeStatistics allow members [...]

Rob, and I mix up the rugby ideas in Duxton and expound on matters rugby.
The beer for review is the Grolsch and the music is by the Ellis Collective.
You can download it now.
Our tips this week are:
Rob – brumbies, Landers, saders, reds, sharks, stormers, rebels
John – brumbies, Landers, saders, reds, cheetahs, stormers, rebels

[ 12 June, 2012; ] The Welsh touring groups have been advertising a Canberra game for some time.

But this afternoon the Brumbies have finally got on board:

ACT Rugby fans will see international Rugby this winter with Wales committing to a game against the University of Canberra Brumbies at Canberra Stadium, 12 June.

The midweek game will be a good [...]

The Canberra Times reports that the mass sacking of School of Music staff is now not going to go ahead and instead there’s going to be a redundancy program to trim numbers by a still hefty third.
All other parts of ANU facing cuts will no doubt be planning their own rowdy protests to apply pressure.
[Photo [...]

ACT Policing is seeking witnesses after two incidents occurred in Fisher early yesterday morning (Sunday 13 May) involving a white ute.
Around 12.30am, a white station wagon was driving along Ballarat Street when a white Holden Commodore sedan and white ute attempted to box the vehicle in and force it off the road.
A short time later [...]

Orangedrummaboy has sent in pictures from today’s protest in defence of the School of Music and these words:
The usual quiet of the ANU campus was intruded upon by a large, loud though peaceful march, protesting the cuts proposed for the School of Music.
After meeting in Union Court for music and speeches of solidarity, the [...]