THE centenary of the Armistice was a busy time for Florey man Don Longridge. As a member of Canberra’s Military Reenactment Group – a national living-history group – Don attended several functions across the region serving as a “silent soldier”, handing out information without speaking.

Recently returned from the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Verdun in France, Don also represents family member Pte Francis Craymor Whitfield, who died in 1916 at the first Battle of the Somme.

A RECENT survey revealing a disturbingly high percentage of Canberra women who feel unsafe in public after dark has elicited stories from other women who are regularly harassed in broad daylight. One woman reports being regularly “cat-called” from passing vehicles as she jogs across Commonwealth Avenue Bridge. Another says she is also frequently “cat called” and was once followed during an early morning run around the lake.

IF a local animal rights group has its way, the crowds that head to Thoroughbred Park on Melbourne Cup Day to party will need a new venue. But an attempt by the fledgling Anti-Speciesist Collective this year to shame people entering the event, along with intermittent rain and winds, failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the 5000-strong crowd.

The group set up a protest at the entrance to the venue displaying images and statements of what it called the “dark side” of the sport of kings and urged racegoers to support a petition to ban horse racing in Canberra. The protestors, who joined a nation-wide Cup Day campaign, view horse racing as “countless horses used and abused for entertainment all year round”. The group has also demonstrated at the Bungendore Rodeo and the Queanbeyan Show.

THE member for Fenner, Andrew Leigh, has gone from being called a “weird cat” earlier this year by the Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to being a serious threat to the national economy. An opinion piece by Dr Leigh in “The New York Times” was labelled by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg as “a pathetic attack on his own country”, putting him firmly in the sights of the LNP attack dogs.

The Treasurer urged Labor leader Bill Shorten to rebuke his shadow assistant treasurer while two LNP MPs have called for Leigh to be sacked.

TWO pieces of protest poetry have appeared on security fencing at the redevelopment of a section of the Curtin shops. The more provocative of the two targets developer Nick Haridemos and reads:

Nicolas keeps his fence so clean

But what’s behind it is obscene

The empty shops the story tell

Curtin community go to hell

He wants a tower in the air

For the Master Plan he doesn’t care

THE second part of the posted “prose” seemingly predicts a positive outcome for the community group that has been at loggerheads with developers and their plans for several years. Signed by Vikki and Michael, of Nelson Place, the piece says:

But Mr Gentleman knows the rules

And the Curtin community are not fooled

So let’s enjoy the sun and wait

For a ministerial decision to CELEBRATE!

FORMER 2CA breakfast radio announcer Frank Vincent, who was sacked by Capital Radio in January after a female journalist made allegations of sexual harassment, has issued a statement. Posted on the radio industry site “Jocks’ Journal”, Vincent describes a recently resolved defamation claim against “The Canberra Times” as “hats off, respect to all concerned. I’m so glad we’ve got this matter sorted!”

Vincent boasts “an unblemished, 40-year career” during which he has “enjoyed the respect and support of colleagues” including media heavyweights Doug Mulray, Wendy Harmer, Jessica Rowe, Andrew Denton and Georgie Gardiner.

AFTER a week of the predictably unpredictable Canberra spring weather, an opportunity to tweet about the weather has presented itself. The twitter account @CanberraWeather is up for grabs. The account which has been around since 2007 and has more than 2000 followers, offered: “Want to run this account? DM@cmrn”.