AS one sharp-eyed reader noticed, the gilded copper expression of Canberra’s Coat of Arms above the entry to the ACT Legislative Assembly includes the words, “For the King, the law and the people”, while other updated versions of the Arms, such as one inside the Assembly, read “For the Queen, the law and the people”.

Curiously the copper piece, by Lenore Bass, was commissioned in 1960 and first mounted on the North Building over the other side of Civic Square in 1963 – more than a decade after the Queen ascended the throne. It was obviously considered very important to include the exact translation of the city’s latin motto,”Pro rege, lege et grege”, even if that meant the artist referring to a king (rege) who had been replaced by a queen (regina) eight years previously.

Christine’s karma’s going to get you

THEY say a criminal always returns to the scene of the crime, but whoever robbed southside dressmaker and costume-hire company Christine’s Place would have to be thinking twice about coming back.

Here’s what Christine posted on the shop’s Facebook page after the robbery:

“To the people, who thought, ‘let’s break into Christine’s place, damage the doors and steal all her money’.

It may not happen today or tomorrow or even next month or next year. But karma is [a] bitch. I will, I will get my ‘revenge’. Watch out. It’s not wise to piss off a menapausal [sic], cancer surviving , mother who is a dressmaker and knows how to use scissors, pins, needles and thread.”

Sign on the Circle

REGULAR readers would be familiar with this paper’s continual dismay at the lackadaisical proliferation of signposts and traffic lights around the place being shared with commercial entities for no usefully apparent reason other than spruiking their presence and, apart from the cost of the sign, enjoying perpetual free advertising.

Now this blight appears to have cracked the parliamentary triangle with plastic surgeon Tony Tonks succeeding in mounting a sign on the Sydney Avenue traffic light on State Circle (and another on Canberra Avenue) helpfully directing passersby to his National Circuit surgery.

It’s okay, right?

“CITYNEWS” understands the teething problems that come with opening a new restaurant, but Kingston Spanish tapas eatery Bodega de Pintxos should know there is a thing as “too attentive”. On a recent night out, “CC” was asked, in the space of two minutes, whether the food was okay four times by four different waiters.

Bad dates welcome

THE only good thing about bad dates? They usually have a hilarious story to go with them. A Canberra blogger has had her story published on website “Bad date, great story”, which invites downtrodden souls to share their worst dates with the world. Like most of the writers on the site, the blogger wants to remain anonymous but goes under the acronym “desertdates”. If you have a terrible date to share, submit to baddategreatstory@gmail.com or gawk at the shameful stories at baddategreatstory.com

Hmmms…

CHIEF Minister Katy Gallagher in announcing the departure of chairman John Mackay from the ACTEW board: “We thank the chairman for his contribution over 15 years with ACTEW.” He was chair only since 2008.

PROPS to the chap at Bellucci’s in Manuka who downed his cutlery, deserted his pasta and sprinted after a man who stole a woman’s handbag from an outside table on Saturday night. He returned it to her, still intact.

ON the menu of a well-known, select Yarralumla address where chaps like to meet: “Steamed Desire Wedges”. Alas, they meant the decidedly less-naughty Désirée spuds.

THEN there’s this one from a Civic supermarket window (right).

“IT is short sighted to fund this funding out of funding for universities,” says ACTCOSS director, Susan Helyar talking about Gonski.

SINGER Frank Ifield was at the National Library the other day. It reminded folk historian Rob Willis of a delightful misprint (long before spell check) on the cover notes of a ‘60s, US vinyl album Ifield oddly shared with The Beatles, which read: “It is with a good deal of pride and pleasure that this copulation has been presented.” Compilation, maybe?