Oh happy day Canberra.
One of our own has made a list on the world’s premier comedy site Cracked.
The list is “5 Bizarre Workers’ Comp Claims That Were Actually Successful”.
Readers will no doubt be relieved to know we’re world class in this area.

Mayor Rattenbury has announced he’s legislating to stop the pokie dens installing audio isolation devices.
Mr Rattenbury said an amendment to the Gaming Machine Act is needed to prevent the introduction of new gaming machines with headphones that encourage gamblers to play for longer periods of time.
“Recently gaming machine manufactures have begun making machines with headphones, [...]

Many thanks to Bugmenot for pointing out a most impressive house in Kaleen.
We salute the effort!
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SbA would like to welcome onboard Luke Brown who has been contracted to help set up the Skatepark Facility Guide. Luke has been involved heavily with the ACT Hubs for over a year now, and we are delighted to work with him in a full time capacity in regards to this monumental project. Here is [...]

The Liberals Steve Doszpot is having a cry that his progress to corporate hospitality at Manuka Oval was impeded by every other idiot like him thinking he could just rock up in his car and be accommodated at an inner city locale:
Manuka Oval has played host to two international sporting events in the past
month and [...]

The Brumbies have sent forth their merchandise selection for the 2013 season.
It’s some good looking gear and I might well pick some up at the ground on Saturday night.
I particularly like how what we used to call a baseball cap is now a “snapback”.

[ 17 February, 2013; 2:00 pm; 24 February, 2013; 2:00 pm; ] The War Memorial has the intriguing news that they’re getting into the movie business:

To complement Remember me: the lost diggers of Vignacourt and its unique images of Australians on the Western Front, the Australian War Memorial presents a series of classic films that all present distinct visions of the First World War. This is a [...]

Katy attempting to smear the new Liberal leader as a “bully” was the clumsiest tactic I have ever observed in Canberra local politics.
So clearly based on Julia Gillard’s UK campaign adviser’s work.
This attempt to drag ACT politics into the hideous federal bare knuckle-and-abuse parliamentary exchanges will not take her and her team anywhere. [...]

Joy Burch has made known the Speech Pathology and Physiotherapy Drop-In Clinics have begun:
Minister for Disability, Children and Young People Joy Burch said parents could directly access information and advice from health professionals across Canberra without a referral.
“In 2012 more than 1200 children were seen through Drop-In clinics, with around half of these children being [...]

The Centenary of Canberra folk are making a last call for registrations for the Masters Games over Easter:
An open invitation has been issued to all masters athletes aged 30 and over to register for the landmark Australian Masters Athletics National Track and Field Championships, being held in Canberra over Easter.
The Championships are proudly supported by [...]

Thanks to @realcanberra for this tweet:
#Canberra fact 664: The Pope resigned just days after the Holy Grail closed its doors. Coincidence?
— realcanberra (@realcanberra) February 12, 2013

For those who missed it the announcement on Vatican Radio is powerful stuff:
After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, [...]

Having last year strenuously denied any difficulties Gorman House is now recruiting for senior roles and tweeting about their revival.
Be part of the @gormanhouseartsrevival. Now recruiting 2 FT roles: Administrator, and Program & Marketing Manager. gormanhouse.com.au
— Gorman House (@gormanhousearts) February 11, 2013

Good luck to them, it’s a special part of this town.

Your correspondent didn’t get to the Multicultural Festival this year. Quite how I missed my favourite event of the year is a source of some confusion but it involves my girlfriend, who did go to the festival, without me. Suffice to say I’m not very happy about all that.
So I’ll just have to note the [...]

Creative Producers PJ Williams and Nick Byrne are delighted with the response to their take on a multicultural fringe festival.

Love motor racing but just can’t afford the time, space or actual cash to live out your dreams of being the next Brocky?
 Maybe it’s time to consider Radio Controlled Car Racing.
 We’re not talking the toys you find in K-mart.  These are sophisticated machines packing technology and features similar to the real thing.
 Thousands of people compete [...]

The Australian Hotels Association has a long history of trying to force Australians into a small number of horrible booze barns owned by their mates.
So it’s not surprise they’re bellyaching about Beer And Meat On A Stick Day:
Industry has expressed concerns about the double-standards being applied to the service of alcohol at Canberra’s National [...]

If you live in Canberra there’s a good chance you’ve seen a Big Issue vendor wearing a bright yellow vest and selling magazines.  If you bought one of the $6 magazines, then you’ve helped provide employment and independence to some who has worked hard to help themselves.
The Big Issue provides flexible employment opportunities for people [...]

Mayor Rattenbury is painting the vision splendid of a Molonglo River Park (downstream of Lake Burley Griffin):
“With residential development in the Molonglo Valley, the Molonglo River corridor will be a central feature for protecting the local environment while adding to the amenity of the Valley for new residents,” Minister Rattenbury said.
“The ACT Government has allocated [...]

This morning in Bruce I was disgusted to see that one selfish pet owner had a dog in an almost entire concrete yard with no water or adequate shelter.

Dear Matt,
I was young once, I know how hard it can be when you are trying to work out what girls are about.  Obviously Abbey did something to upset you, maybe she put chewing gum in your hair, dropped your mobile phone in the loo, or kissed another boy. Or maybe she just wouldn’t let [...]

The Health Directorate has announced that kava will once again be gracing Beer And Meat On A Stick Day:
“The Pacific Island community has expressed the importance of kava use to their culture. This exemption will allow Pacific Island people to observe their customs on the occasion of the National Multicultural Festival each year, ACT [...]

Threepaws has sent in some video and pictures of the Convoy for Cancer which has been exciting those portions of the media who’s lips move when they reas.
On facebook and twitter I’m sensing some anger from Tuggeranonites over the noise.

Territory and Municipal Services have some suggestions for getting your children to school on the bus:
“After a long school holiday break, and with some children preparing to catch a bus to school for the first time, a reminder of some useful bus travel tips is sure to come in handy,” said Bren Burkevics, Acting Director, [...]

I was sitting on the bus this afternoon, staring out the window as usual. On my 20 minute commute I spotted three drivers using their mobile phones, hand held, with no hands free kits. One, in a dark blue RAV 4 on Canberra Ave drifted all over the lane, and almost side swiped a car, [...]

Andrew Barr has announced his pleasure at the numbers for Floriade 2012:
A total of 442,243 people attended the 30-day event, an increase of 7.3% on the 2011 figure of 412,024. The event recorded its highest ever attendance for a single day as well as the highest attendance over the Labour Day long weekend, with 35,200 [...]

Chief Minister Gallagher is celebrating the Productivity Commission’s Report on Government Services:
The latest RoGS report shows that the ACT enjoys:
– Some of the highest NAPLAN score results for years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students in reading and numeracy, indicating a school system that is teaching the basics effectively. The ACT also has the highest [...]

[ 9 February, 2013; ]

There is no day so joyous in the Canberra calendar as BAMOASD. So it’s with some joy I note the marquees are going up in Civic Square.

It’s coming up on 9 February.

[ 2 February, 2013; 1:00 pm; ]

This Saturday at Belco Skatepark there is $1000 up for grabs in the TRILOGY Game of Skate! Streetwise Learn to Skate session 10am – 12pm. Rego’s for the game of skate commence at 1pm, free entry. Under 18′s need a parent or guardian to sign off on the rego form.

The Capital Arts Patrons Organisation have announced a new partnership with the Canberra Museum and Gallery:
CAPO President Neil Doody today announced the Capital Arts Patrons’ Organisation (CAPO) will mark its 30th anniversary this year by moving its popular contemporary art exhibition and auction to Canberra Museum and Gallery (CMAG).
CAPO provides a major source of support [...]

I came across this little memorial to Jan Jandura by Sullivans Creek this morning.
has anyone else seen anything else like this around town?

Territory and Municipal Services are getting word out that they run a lost and found service for dogs:
Did you know you can report lost and found dogs on the Territory and Municipal Services website? The lost and found service provided by Domestic Animal Services (DAS) can help reunite Canberrans with their four-legged friends.
“If you find [...]

I have been a fan of services like freecycle that lets people give away stuff they don’t need or want for free, and others to obtain those items. Some while ago I discovered Yepgot,
Yepgot is a service which lets you lend out things you have in return for money, and borrow things you need for [...]