Wow, it’s a bit slooooooooow. And the lack of any counter/activity after you click on one of the blue squares makes you think nothing is happening. But many seconds later the yellow squares appear.

Magic!

So many of the items are so similar eg all the different bike related ones (bell or no bell). Yep, crap interface as well!

“Charnwood” as a favorite suburb is right up there in the “WTF?” stakes.

“I’m buggered if I can see anything there that is completely unique to Canberra.

Anyone else waded deep enough into the website to find any other gems?”

Cafés and restaurants:
– Lots of McDonalds restaurants

People:
– Very social people
– People are physically attractive
– Relaxed, not status conscious or consumption oriented

Three degrees of separation:
– Bumping into friends

Opportunities:
– You can be a big fish
– High opportunities for getting involved in anything

Cinema, arts, culture and music:
– Queanbeyan swap meet

Suburbs:
– The odd mix of establishments in Fyshwick

Quirky and cool:
– The name Canberra—it rhymes with nothing
– Humans vs Zombies in Haig Park
– The fact that when we drive in other states with ACT plates, everyone avoids us

Lots to do:
– Showing visitors around Canberra
– Lots of stimulating activities for retirees

Politics and government:
– Having our own Legislative Assembly
– Andrew Barr
– Being able to see Julia Gillard
– Most progressive thinking city in Australia

Location and proximity:
– Being able to commute by bicycle
– Proximity to Queanbeyan
– Stumble on kangaroos on the way home

It’s like facebook; there’s no option to ‘dislike’.

Kingsleys! (Sorry Poetix, but at least it’s not pork!)
Actually, think there’s one in Quangers too….

Motherhood statements don’t come much more inane than ‘lovely for pregnant women.’ As opposed to the relentless persecution of pregnant women in Melbourne and Sydney?

Love Canberra…
Hate Website…

Oh God. It’s like the most awful mix between unprompted vox pop and people who’ve called into radio stations to win tacky prizes.
Having said that, I personally can’t think of anything worth adding. Maybe Summernats and it’s magnetic pull for revheads to the Northside causing a quiet few days in the South?

Conan of Cooma said :

It’s like facebook; there’s no option to ‘dislike’.

On FB, this :poop: is quite good as a graphical dislike.

Probably doesn’t work on this weird orange site though.

I particularly like how “Cinema, Arts, Culture and Music” has “Friday nights at the Polish Club”, while “Live music on Monday nights at The Phoenix Pub in Civic” falls under “Pubs, Bars and Clubs”.

“Each suburb has its own local shop”. So long as you don’t count Giralang, McKellar, Flynn, Aranda, Crace, Harrison, Franklin, Downer, Turner, etc as Suburbs.

And why 100? Artibrary number. Why not 50? or 35? Or all the good ones?

“Quest for fitness” only in Canberra? I’m sure all those members of gyms beyond our borders would dispute that, not to mention all those boot campers at Bondi Beach and other locales around the country (and beyond).

Gershwin said :

“Charnwood” as a favorite suburb is right up there in the “WTF?” stakes.

Like Cameron Ling = hottest man in the AFL.

Charny will get votes.

Vote for Page Tavern…What?..;(

Well I’ve just voted for Charny, and will vote for it again from other computers.

They started the p!ss taking, I’ll play along.

Stupid website, with very stupid choices.

Oh God! I just inadvertently voted for ‘the odd mix of establishments in Fyshwick’. I clicked the square thinking it would open up with more information. That’s one way to get votes.

EvanJames said :

And why 100? Artibrary number. Why not 50? or 35? Or all the good ones?

Centenary?

‘Robyn Archer and her ideas for this city’. Chalk monitor for life, whoever submitted that gem.

Then there’s:

‘The artsy youth scene in the Inner North.’ Is this satiric? I mean, artsy? Youth scene? I don’t know the appropriate acronym to express my disbelief, being a middle aged dag, so the word tragic may just have to do.

Bumping into the Prime Minister? Does bumping into Gillard at the Manuka Coles before she was PM count?

Also wtf is ‘Canberra markets’ -
and ‘pretty city’ -
and ‘the turkish restaurant in Erindale’ -

and they have McDonalds and Guzmen but forgot Courgette, Aubergine and Water’s Edge

stuff it. It’s all messed up.

I’m thinking this is why you need to curate user-generated data.

In particular users are awful at consistent categorisation.

where”s the Manuka being pronounced marnika option i thought that would get into quirky stuff

Things to do – People watching….. wouldn’t that be illegal

“Cinema, Arts, Culture and Music” has the national franchise of Dendy, but doesn’t mention Arc Cinema at NFSA, the ANU Film Group, Lights! Canberra! Action! or the local Reel McCoy and Big House film societies?

I call BS on this whole campaign.

Tymefor said :

where”s the Manuka being pronounced marnika option i thought that would get into quirky stuff

Today I had a chat with a person in NZ who checked his Maori dictionary, and ‘Marnika’ is the correct pronunciation. The choice of name dates back to when it looked like NZ might join Australia. Pakeha often stuff it up in NZ, too.

dpm said :

EvanJames said :

And why 100? Artibrary number. Why not 50? or 35? Or all the good ones?

Centenary?

Well the original media release and the website both said you would be able to vote for ALL submissions.

I can’t seem to find the ones I submitted in relation to the lax and inefficient justice system.

johnboy said :

I’m thinking this is why you need to curate user-generated data.

A basic spell check even.

“Only in Canberra – Dress up parties” – I obviously never get invited to those type of parties.

The only unique thing I can see is under Environment – ‘a horizon full of mountains including the Brindabellas’.

Certainly it is unique to be able to see the Brindabellas from practically everywhere in Canberra. If you can’t – I’m sorry.

I sincerely hope we don’t lose this in the name of ‘progress’.

And FWIW, I agree with the general ‘god what a horrible website’ comments.