RiotACT turns 10

Troy Takiari belts johnboy and Pat Carr’s flamefest following the incident from mid-2006.

i’m a bit late weighing in, but i think it wonderful that the site still exists despite some soul searching, sea changes and close calls.

the support that this site provides to local businesses, artists and community groups is truly one of its strong points and something for which i am forever appreciative.

thanks guys.

In my experience the RA is about as accurate as the CT. Still it is a much better read.

Hmmm, So I just read this “Dances with nutters” thread.

I am now left wondering if I am glad for the laugh, concerned such a creature lurks in our society or annoyed I spent my time reading the whole thread and along with it all her dribble.

I have only started reading the site on a regular basis recently but certainly enjoy the madness and particularly love any thread regarding lycra loving left wing lunatics and the havoc they cause the humble car driver 🙂

Me no fry said :

Yes please! Good idea. Oh, and does anyone know what crazy Chester’s original grievance was? Have read some of her stuff and it’s …… disturbing.

It was something that didnt even make it on to the site. We refused to publish a post claiming a conspiracy against CC between CIT and pretty much every government department you’d care to name. In the end Riot and everyone who reads it became co-conspirators by association.

I started reading RA when I heard about it through a work colleague a few years back who told me it was the only ‘real’ news site in Canberra.

I like the rants even though they can push the cringe-worthy boundary at times.

Nice to know I share the same birthday with RA (unfortunately I’m a lot older).

Happy Birthday to us!

Erg0 said :

Riot Police said :

My favorite post was about JB getting slapped around by Troy Takiari. My second was the Wig and Pen episode where they booted everyone for wearing tweed and parking their bikes out the front.

I’d never seen either of those before – perhaps the occasion of the 10th anniversary warrants a “Best of RiotACT” post for those who came in late?

Yes please! Good idea. Oh, and does anyone know what crazy Chester’s original grievance was? Have read some of her stuff and it’s …… disturbing.

Well, I guess you should be careful what you wish for…I have read Crazy Chesters crazy blog of craziness and caught up on all the craziosity that has occured since it went secret.

It is just a shame that there is no capacity to leave comments.

jackal said :

And for the sake of CC’s tally, i incite violence, lots of violence.

I feel incited to violence by your comments and would like to, in turn, incite more violence – violent violence.

CC – for the AVO – my I currently reside in Bronte, Eastern Sydney and have since 20 March 1990.

Riot Police said :

My favorite post was about JB getting slapped around by Troy Takiari. My second was the Wig and Pen episode where they booted everyone for wearing tweed and parking their bikes out the front.

I’d never seen either of those before – perhaps the occasion of the 10th anniversary warrants a “Best of RiotACT” post for those who came in late?

Plenty of good times had over the years. Keep reading – flame a little less than I used to – unless you really deserve it.

Graham Cooke said :

I joined Riot Act because I was in love with one of the contributors

only the one?

My favorite post was about JB getting slapped around by Troy Takiari. My second was the Wig and Pen episode where they booted everyone for wearing tweed and parking their bikes out the front.

p1 said :

VYBerlinaV8 said :

I only believe in gay marriage when both chicks are hot.

Ah, thanks. Had a feeling it was VY, but I didn’t want to offend anyone if I was wrong. 😉

Congrats Riotact! Been here a couple of years, mostly lurking. Sometimes it puts me off that no matter what people write some other tosser will violently disagree and hack the crap out of the poster. Then again, that’s what makes the site interesting. So I swing between loving the vitality of it all and then feeling sorry for the poor gits who seem to get the short end of the stick because they asked who can recommend a plumber etc.

VYBerlinaV8 said :

I only believe in gay marriage when both chicks are hot.

I first found the site about 6 years ago, right before I moved to Canberra, by Googling something or other while trying to figure out what I’d gotten myself into. Rifling through the archives, I can see a few stories from 2006 that look familiar, and I have vivid memories of the kerfuffle about the helicopter noise in Garran (because I moved there shortly afterwards – it’s not that bad), which puts me at three-plus years of semi-regular readership.

One of my earliest memories is of SGS cleaning up at the Australian Blog Awards, which was audaciously amusing at the time (though the obsession with SGS went a bit too far in the end). Like many others, I have fond memories of crazychester’s out-there ramblings. I also enjoyed all of the “I support adjective marriage” one-liners, though I can’t for the life of me remember whose bit that was.

“Personalities” aside, the appeal of the site is that it’s the best, and most timely, source of local news and opinion pretty much anywhere. I’m not much for the social media concept as a whole, but it works here.

Neighbourhood cats make good hats!

I joined Riot Act because so many people like to post the locations of feral cats around Canberra. Makes catching them and killing them so much easier!

Thankyou RA!

Wow – I have just witnessed the power of the Riot-Act. I had just bemoaned the loss of access to Crazy Chesters crazy blog of craziness and *bada-bing* it is open to the public again.

On a completely unrelated matter I think it is a real shame that my oz lotto numbers don’t come up *cmon power of RA, come on*

I joined Riot Act because I was in love with one of the contributors

Ahhh… I have just realised that Riotact is just a front for the Reptoids to take over our feeble human minds.

JB, Jazz, Nik the Pig, etc, were obviously setting up a portal to communicate with our Reptoid overlords.

And I for one, would like to thank them for it.

Thanks for all the hard work Gents.

PantsMan said :

Really thought this auspicious occasion would have warranted a media release from the London Circuit Soviet. Alas, just disability parking permit schemes and all the usual crap.

As if they’d bother even acknowledging such an occassion as the 10th Birthday of RiotACT – they must absolutely hate the caning they get on here. I wonder if Chief Minister Stanhope knows that he is regularily called “Nohope” or “Sonic” on this site?

Actually, it is interesting to note that RiotACT has survived longer than many ACT MLAs!

Really thought this auspicious occasion would have warranted a media release from the London Circuit Soviet. Alas, just disability parking permit schemes and all the usual crap.

Happy birthday RA. The first RA article I ever read was a report on someone’s (Thumper’s?) urbexing trip to Cameron Offices. The enjoyable thing about the site is that its format presents a very in-depth look at Canberra, by presenting numerous angles and topics which mainstream media will often overlook. That, and the immediacy with which news can be presented makes it a valuable resource for Canberrans.

Highlights have included interesting debates about the merits of various suburbs, the pros and cons of Canberra real estate, footy, and the benefits of public vs private education in the ACT. On the whole, these have been sensible and reasonable discussions with folks who respond reasonably to opinions that are different to their own (possible exception of one correspondent, who shall remain nameless, who frequently calls people out for name-calling, but resorts to calling posters “Ayn Rand” if they don’t agree with his PC world-view). On the whole though, the RA readership are good eggs.

The only lowlight is that the site tends to scrutinise the Raiders hard while taking little interest in the Brumbies’ low points (Griffith Oval redevelopment debacle being a case in point). But in the words of Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnell, that’s just nitpickin’, innit?

Mr Evil said :

My big question for the next ten years of RiotACT is: will Canberra’s motorists and cyclists learn to live in perfect harmony? 🙂

Somehow i doubt that Mr Evil

God knows when/how I first came across RA, but it was back in the days of Anonymous Cowardly Canberrans, Nik the Pig, Fat Bastard, et el.

I have to say that I often discover things that are happening around Canberra, faster through RA than any other medium in Canberra.

I also love the way that newbies often come on here to vent about some non issue e.g. “OMG, my child’s playing with a ‘syringe’ that school gave him – and he’s going to get AIDS/become a junkie/vote Green/etc”; and are then genuinely surprised when most of us boo them off ‘stage’ and call them idiots. Yes, some of us can be bastards sometimes, but most of the time I like to think we’re not too bad really!

I too miss reading Bonfire calling people “softheads”, and Ralph’s diatribes. Maybe a 10 Year ‘Reunion’ will bring all these missing posters back out of the woodwork?

Keep up the great work to all of those behind the scenes – JB, etc – and may there be many more years of RiotACT to come. Canberra wouldn’t be the same without it.

My big question for the next ten years of RiotACT is: will Canberra’s motorists and cyclists learn to live in perfect harmony? 🙂

RA FTW! I had to dig out my password to comment on this thread.

I first showed up sometime in late 2002 while hunting around for local music and lurked for about 12 months. When I finally got myself a login, I think I lasted all of 5 comments before Bonfire called me a softhead.

Favourite moments – anything involving CrazyChester or being flamed by preteen monkeybikers. Ahh, good times.

I think that the survey form is incomplete. There should be a “is inconcieveable, but when you think about it was pretty much always going to happen.”

Many Happy Returns RA; & to its pithy, quick-witted and perspicacious editor JB!

* Fav. Riot moments: harangues from Crazy Chester & occasionally Maelinar; good-natured banter from Thumper and Absent Diane. (Apart from Thumps, where are they all?)

* How I started reading: 2004, in a(nother) fit of vanity I googled my name and found it right ‘ere….fame at last. Did me no good.

* Why I’m still here: where else? Letters column of the CT? I don’t think so, not in an old-age Home yet.

here’s to the next ten. it’s the ultimate inside story on canberra!

i think i’ve been reading RA since about 2001.

I completely forget how I first discovered RA, but I was taken down a peg by Granny, and from that point on I was hooked.

But in all seriousness, as others have said, there’s a few reasons:

1) This page is actually locally focused, and moves a lot faster than any other local media source.
2) It’s very diverse topic-wise, and appears to have a membership that’s pretty broad in age, gender, background, and so on.
3) The rest of Australia seems to think that Canberrans are beige, personality-less zombies. Five minutes of reading the Riot Act puts paid to that in no uncertain terms, regardless of the topic.
4) This is a great place to both share good news, and to vent frustrations. Despite the occasional times when it gets a bit vicious, I think the site is pretty balanced: different views are valid and posted, provided they play the issue and not the person.
5) Canberrans are intelligent, passionate people who truly believe in the importance of citizens making their voices heard on many issues. Democracy is alive and well in this forum.
6) A great place to come and see what’s on over any given weekend, or any other time for that matter 🙂

Well done to JB and the Riot Act team, your city is proud of you 🙂

How long have I enjoyed RA? 5 years? They have been all good. Especially the old days before moderation.

Thanks to JB and the team.

Hey JB, can you ever tell us what happens behind the scenes with threats to sue RA? Must have made for funny moments.

Happy birthday RA, provided me with many a chuckle over the years. For me Crazy Chester is one of the highlights, though Fant hasn’t made an appearance for a while.

I think I found you whilst looking elsewhere for Canberra info, mind you this is a far better source than most

Congratulations!
I like it cause it’s a great way to vent opinions.
Keep it up 🙂

I think I cam across the Riot Act searching for more in depth news on Canberra. Liked what I saw and decided to hang around, and even contributed a few articles (mainly about the Raiders). I have also since discovered that I actually know quite a few of the people who post here in the real world too (you know who you are). Good work guys keep it up.

I too droppped in from Crikey’s story on “The Van”, stayed ever since.

I quite liked Old Canberran’s photo series.

BerraBoy: Everyone is in permanent moderation now.

10 years – that’s a long life by internet standards. Well done.

Highlights? The photos – storms, flowers, scenery, old pics.

Lowlights – The intolerance and bullying on some threads, sometimes building up into a feeding frenzy.

Funniest – Too many to count.

Hoppy birthday! I am only a babe in Stromlo forest (pre-bushfires), new here by a few months. I followed a link from the esteemed Whirlpool forums on local ghost stories, and have planted myself here, much as the Aboriginal tent embassy. I am hoping someone will see my nick and work out what it stands for

Watch out JB, Crazy Chester’s going to serve you with an AVO. I miss her rants on RA, but her blogs still make for good reading. And for the sake of CC’s tally, i incite violence, lots of violence. From her latest rant:

Hello!
I’ve come back online because when I went to the Riot Act web site today I see John Griffiths is touting its 10th anniversary and asking for the most memorable stories to be commented on.

Oh and I was reading RA to collect copies of its members inciting violence as I have been for quite a while now. That should prove interesting when I apply for the Protection Order against JB.

It also means in the tiny minds of the morons who inhabit the site my name will come up.

I should probably pay for the fun I get riling up rednecks … I promise to subscribe before the end of the year.

Occasional lurker since the start of the year. More regular recent lurking. Joined up last night, and tonight I get to vote as possibly the newest of newbies! Life is good. Particularly because it’s Friday night and I have a beer on the table next to me.

Why do I do it? To get the scoop on things that never make it into the lame old CT, and various other mainstream organs.

My favourite Riotous Reading? Anything by Captain RAAF. A man of most manly manliness, without a doubt.

I think I first came across Riot Act when checking out Canberra bushfire photos. I read it on and off after that but over the last few years it is where I get my local news from.

My favourite Riot Act moment is being told to f*** off by WMC.

How could we forget the semi-regular submissions of bogan baby names and the occasional flame-war that followed?

Happy BDay! And congrats to JB and team. I stumbled on the site about 2002 googling taxi incidents and was also pleasantly surprised to see it was someone I went to school with running the joint.

I have lived in sunny Bundaberg for the last 3 years and Riot Act is my best source to keep in touch with the goings on at home.

Here’s to another 10 successful years.

10 years eh? Wow.

Good to see. I joined originally because I found throwing fuel onto the existing fires amusing, but lately have tried to behave a bit better. There’s definitely some interesting stuff here.

Riot ACT works due it being an un-PC world that everybody likes when they agree with what’s being said and they hate when they read comments with which they disagree.

We also get to find out why police cars are where they are, when they are and we get to publically vent on politicians and bogans as well as the judiciary that fail to enforce community expectations on justice.

Highlight No 1: the damned-good that was done though the sexual abuse threads relating to Marist and Dara (I would like still to buy you a beer of your choice JB!)

Lowlight No. 1: being banned for life for not giving the site the respect it duly deserves;

Highlight No. 2: being allowed back to comment, albeit in permanent moderation:)

The ‘Just for kicks’ Funniest Moment: watching the crap hit the fan when a previous poster complained about being turned away by Security from seeing Play School presenter Jay Laga’aia put on a kids show at Community event. All would have been well had the poster in question not also just admitted that he was a regular sex partner of a local pedophile. Oh how we laughed!

Happy Birthday RA! May you long be the best source of information for other journalists!

I came across RA the month it started and was pretty hooked. I anonymously posted a few local music related stories and found RA to be genuinely interested and supportive of the local scene in a way rarely seen elsewhere. Who else would listen to every single shortlisted Canberra entrant on Unearthed in 2001-2 (I bet no-one at JJJ did!) and produce their own scientifically calculated top 10 from the 100-odd songs? And some great reviews of gigs large and small – I remember one of Nuclear Winter which was laugh out loud stuff, or the Canberra trade union choir, oh dear. I worked overseas for a few years and still visited RA pretty much daily to understand what was going on back in the ‘berra.

I’ve also appreciated Johnboy’s approach over the years – generally fair, tho not afraid to put his case and justify his position when he’s not, occasionally personal and vulnerable (I wonder if some of that late night poetry has dropped out of the archive?), and as we’ve seen when he’s occasionally walked away, the place just ain’t the same without him. Thanks mate, you’ve made a real difference and achieved something special.

10 years. Who’da thunk it. From little things big things grow… Well done guys, and girls!

Fiona said :

Oh yeah, and it’s currently my only real local news source. Just the way it is. World and national news I get via Twitter. Local news, if it’s not on the-riotact then I won’t know it.

Happy birthday.

Off topic but I just don’t get twitter.

Our TVs get bigger and bigger.
The hard drives in computers have more and more capacity every week.
Data download speeds are lightyears faster than they used to be.

Now twitter invites people to communicate at 140 characters at a time.

WTF?

Happy 10 years RA!
First stumbled upon here about 2 years ago (like a few others though google). Joined at the start of this year and now visit everyday.
Love the vibe here and enjoy reading everyone’s posts. Best local news site for sure.
Btw, I’m with icantbelieveitsnotbutter, a top stats page would be good.

Oh yeah, and it’s currently my only real local news source. Just the way it is. World and national news I get via Twitter. Local news, if it’s not on the-riotact then I won’t know it.

I came across the riotact after reading ‘Joe Cinque’s Consolation’ in 2004. I guess it’s one of those books that led me to type ‘Anu Singh’ into google for answers to the questions that were left floating in my mind and the riotact popped up.

I lurked for a while, then commented frequently, now I read every day and comment less frequently. I wave a jb when I see him at O’Connor shops and then I remember I don’t actually know him! oops!

I love this site- it has made Canberra feel more like home.

Happy bird day to you RA

That brief moment of stillness, after the first drop of blood hits the water, is something that keeps me coming back.

I was once an ‘anonymous cowardly Canberran’ – and I reckon I’ve read the Riotact for near enough ten years…

Favourites? Plenty. I used to enjoy calling out CT journalists for plagarism of the CT – I’m looking at you Jessica. I used to laugh at Ralph’s work, and still believe it was a pseudonym of JB used to wind left wingers up in the RA’s version of Piers Akerman.
Lowlights? The bullying of SGS that occurred that many including myself undertook.

Best topics – Mully, Summernats every year, GMC400 whinging/support.

Good luck JB, may Canberra read the riotact for another ten years

MarkS said :

Congratulations RiotACT on making it to your 10th birthday. I read it with a deal of interest…sometimes even self interest. And I like it.

As just an average faceless person in Canberra, the fact that our locally notables can just drop in and be a temporary focus of discussion is one of its strong points.

I quite liked the Margo Kingston thread of a few years ago.

I had actually forgotten about Margo completely.
Looking back we were a bit harsh on her, but she didn’t really do herself any favours.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

Crazy Chester (who incidentally has shut off public access to her blog – where do I get my dose of crazy now?)

Um, just go back to her site later?
She goes through phases of locking her site down, then opening it back up again saying how she was fearful of the pubic’s reaction to whatever she was writing (mostly accusations against organisations that have wronged her and the public officers thereof).
There may or may not be reptoids involved, I frankly don’t care.

According to the power of the Great Google-Moogly, her contribution to today is that wants to take out Protection Orders against Jb and possibly the rest of commenters in celebration of 10years of RiotACT. I look forward to receiving mine.

I first read a few years ago (06/07) after a friend told me about the site…

I now come here for my daily update of well articulated, often down right funny, overly obvious ‘what everyone is thinking… but i’m just going to say it’ comments.

Johnboy – Are you going to post something of a stats page about the first 10 years? Most commented story, number 1 topic, etc…

Congratulations RiotACT on making it to your 10th birthday. I read it with a deal of interest…sometimes even self interest. And I like it.

I was introduced to Riot Act when a mate alerted me to the appearance of a Spitfire over Canberra video I had made. Been here ever since, burned through some logins, especially when comments were being censored a bit too closely.

Favourite thread? Definitely the Dominos Pizza and the pepperoni slices kerfuffle. I admire a person who takes businesses to account for assuming we are all stupid sheep.

colourful sydney racing identity said :

I was thinking about the changing face of RA earlier in the week – maybe we need a vale rioters page to mark our respects to those that have left our community, immediately springing to mind are Big Al, VYBerlina the one they all try to copy, Granny, Vic Bitterman, Jakez, Crazy Chester (who incidentally has shut off public access to her blog – where do I get my dose of crazy now?)

maelinar. flap flap flap.

where is granny?

I was thinking about the changing face of RA earlier in the week – maybe we need a vale rioters page to mark our respects to those that have left our community, immediately springing to mind are Big Al, VYBerlina the one they all try to copy, Granny, Vic Bitterman, Jakez, Crazy Chester (who incidentally has shut off public access to her blog – where do I get my dose of crazy now?)

Only 10? I seem to have been reading RA since before I was born, it’s become a part of daily life and hard to imagine this idea can’t be franchised across every medium size town globally 🙂 I’ve no idea when I first started reading RA but I know JB’s sojourn down on the South Coast and his later (temporarily) quitting the editorship were low points so good to see RA (apparently) on the up and up. Here’s to the next 10 years guys.

Get over yourself Johnboy,

This blog would be nothing without ACT Self-Government, a polity that does not know the Berlin wall came down, an appallingly planned city, the Canberra Times’ unique ability to remain unaware of happenings in this fine city, cyclists and those who hate them, and a transient Commonwealth PS workforce that is almost universally beguiled upon arriving by the disarray that is Canberra

If you could take responsibility for any of those things, you would not be running this blog: you would be Chief Minister.

I too saw RiotACT mentioned in Crikey and had a look and stayed. I’m a very rare commentor but enjoy the posts, rants, complaints and general information about canberra and it’s varied inhabitants.
Well done and I look forward to another 10 years.

was introduced to the riot by an erstwhile colleague (and erstwhile rioter, as it happens…) partly on the scouting furore thread; was enthralled at the genuine discussions by canberrans on things canberran and have stayed and contributed pretty much for the same reasons.

happy tenth, the-riotact (why o why was a hyphen put in the domain name, can anyone answer that?) and many many happy returns!

🙂

btw, i was overcharged five whole dollars for a pizza once. and i saw a duck. fancy that!

Oh, she was ‘interesting’ all right.

The Margo Kingston thread also demonstrates one of the problems for RA (and the web), of chasing off potentially very interesting people

And yes, the Margo Kingston thread was very entertaining.

– bonfire calling anyone who disagreed with him ‘softhead’.

(I still wonder where he(?) went.)

– ‘Big Al’, one of the most successful trolls of all time.

I don’t even remember how I found this site – probably referred from a Google search. I think it was 2004 or 2006.

I started reading in 2004ish and have burnt through a profile or two in that time.

What attracted me was the alternative perspective on Canberra that RA provided, I could find out stuff that wasn’t going to be on the news but my friends/social network weren’t aware of either.

The iterations that RA has gone through (free for all, tight control, JB down at the beach, the nice balance of today) all take a bit of getting used to, but each has its pros and cons.

By and large most posts have some readable qualities but I don’t care for people whingeing (neighbour’s dogs, landlords, bad drivers, cyclists, lack of testicular fortitude etc). If you want to have a cry, please make it funny.

All things considered, Canberra is better for having the Riot Act. Well done team.

I like RiotACT because it encourages and publishes all points of view, one of the last remaining forums in this city to do so.

A few years ago The Canberra Times took a sharp lurch to the hard left and now refuses to print any letters or articles which do not reflect that ideology. After writing letters to the editor since 1973 and almost every one being published, I wrote a letter criticising the paper’s gung-ho promotion of “climate change” and found myself on a black list, unable to get any further letters into the paper. The recent election campaign is a case in point. I sent three emails during the election campaign urging voters to return Gary Humphries to the Senate and none of those were printed. No other letters supporting any party other than Labor or The Greens were printed either. I (and the majority of Canberrans) had the last laugh when The Greens were rejected (despite the support of the paper) and Gary retained his seat.

There is little doubt that RiotACT and other new media will outlive the dead tree medium so those of us already on board have booked our ticket into the future.

One thing I was surprised at is that RiotACT is now ten. I first heard about it on crikey.com.au which quoted a story in 2006 or ’07 and assumed that it was a new site back then. Keep up the good work and continue the larrikin tradition we appreciate in this country.

i found riotact after doing a google search on a mate’s stabbing http://the-riotact.com/?p=9692

i stayed because there are people on here who are crazier than i am…….

Skidbladnir said :

Sure, they still talk -about- RiotACT threads, but having totally anonymous strangers get quoted directly into Hansard was notable. 🙁

How could I forget that? Being quoted in Hansard has been a highlight of my rather boring life.

Congratulations!

The first article I remember reading was this entertaining account of a singles night at the Holy Grail (which did a great job of putting me off both singles nights and the venue).

Still here because it’s a great source of local news — all credit to you for that, Johnboy, given how things went downhill during your time away — and has a big enough community to stay interesting.

I first started being a regular of RA in January 2007 when a story I was a character in was given the usual RA touchy feely treatment.

Favourite moments during that time:

Fact: If you put a wig on a dolphin, it looks better than Delta Goodrem. (Also known as Granny being voted Canberras hottest),

Reptoids (need I say more),

The banishment of evil (and possibly gays and arabs) from our city, and

and an uncountable number of threads on cars-v-bikes, overprices pizza, and the ubiquitous Mully.

I started out just as a reader back in 2001, then became a lurker, and now just fling shit at passers-by. Its fun being part of the zoo.

Looking back, I kind of miss the days of logging on and seeing interviews with some of Canberra’s barely notables, such as Magnet Mart guy. :`(

Or when Richard Mulcahy kept the Assembly interesting by firing angry barrages at everyone who came within striking distance.
Sure, its been nice not having the constant threat of being sued when talking about his alleged corruption, but at the same time its been a while since we were quoted into Hansard as a source for debate arguments. (Pg P3735 of Hansard, but Pg 11 of linked ducument, is sourced from this RiotACT thread)
Sure, they still talk -about- RiotACT threads, but having totally anonymous strangers get quoted directly into Hansard was notable. 🙁

I came across the site when reading Crikey – i think there is a quote from the article that appears at the top of the page every now and then. Lurked for a long time and now find it hard to stay away.

Take a chill pill Sepi.

Chicks dig blokes, not metrosexuals, because blokes don’t use up all of their ‘product’! If I was a chick I’d be trying to get one in with the RiotACT boys fursure!!!

Happy birthday dudes.

On a more serious note;

I keep coming back because I enjoy the odd petty spat from behind a wall of anonymity.

That and I reckon it is a far better resource for local news than any of the mainstream media in Canberra.

For that I am greatful, I’m also greatful that JB is afforded the opportunity to work on this full-time once more.

Congratulations – to all! Now that its a tweenie, will it be listening to Lady Gaga, having ‘dates’ at the mall and demanding a mobile phone?

I came for the ‘real’ Canberra information – I’ve stayed for the humour and agro/rant factor.

I am a new reader here and am finding the RiotACT to be the most informative resource for Canberra news available, well done team. The commentary is often hilarious and as I am finding out very addictive.

I like the immediacy of RA – people comfirming that they got buckets of rain when the BOM registers Canberra as having none, etc. I also like getting a bit of insider goss on some news stories. And I love the photos of around Canberra.

I hate the incessant blokeyness. Strangely, in my teens Girls! Cars! were not high on the agenda. If RA is men only why not just say that up the top of the page permanently and be done with it. This is not just nit-picking for the sake of arguing. You are ignoring and/or pissing off half your potential audience with lame lines like that. You could at least personalise it to yourself, ‘ah – I remember my teens – girls! Cars! booze!’ so as not to give the impression that you only want to be speaking to men with RA.

I come here about a week before the infamous Pizza was too expensive post. I am not sure when I joined though, I am not a big contributor, but I do find it an interesting and entertaining site most of the time and I do like a good whinge to read.

Congratulations for lasting so long! Just out of curiosity – how many original posters are still with you ? Who is the ‘oldest’ member still active ?

Wow, Well done on 10 years JB and crew. Favourite moments….Hmmm… How about Teej and JB’s public spat over his shoes?

Hippo birdie, two ewes
Hippo birdie, two ewes
Hippo birdie dear RiotACT
Hippo birdie, two ewes

Ahh the memories.

I love the internet archive 🙂 great for reminiscing. Not that I have many memories of it. I just remember I stumbled this way at some point, because a regular when I realised I was moving here.

Hip hip hooray!

I stumbled across this site perhaps about 18 months ago looking for something locally on Google, I think I found a Dominos Pizza complaint or at least that got me talking. It was love at first site (pardon the pun) and my love has grown.

Three reasons I’m still here:

The above love mentioned, finding out about Damien Caeser’s funeral so I could attend & I have always had it as my homepage.

Here’s to another ten.
Cheers
Belinda

Happy anniversary, happy anniversary, happy anniversary, haaaappy anniversary. I came to the Riotact to read an anti-nimby post/thread written about the infamous Tuggeranong gas fired power station … and I kind of just stayed around; more infrequently than in the past. I sometimes find the nastiness and intolerance towards some contributers (especially the newer, somewhat naive ones) really unpleasant, but over all I think Riotact is a brilliant source of local knowledge – especially in relation to services, restaurants etc… Keep up the good work.

Congratulations to the RA team! 10 years, driven just by the whinging of we Canberrans is a great feat.

Happy birthday!

I first read the site about 4-5 years ago I guess and, yes, it was car v cyclist thread. Something about a 4WD hitting a cyclist out near the Cotter Pumping Station. I then lurked on and off for a while and starting become a regular 2-3 years ago.

There’s a bit of crud to sift through from time to time, but overall, the quality is there to keep me coming back. Keep up the good work!

A search of the NLA’s great Pandora service seems to indicate that RA is not on their regular archive schedule. Perhaps it should be, given how much of the Nation’s Capital’s news and sentiment is captured here?