Fresh from her performance at the the Burlesque Hall of Fame Weekend at the Palms Resort Las Vegas in June, Canberra's very own burlesque queen, The Magnificent Miss Liberty Belle (aka performer Lani Gerrish), is back to promote her next fabulous venture a burlesque convention to be held in the national capital next February with Fringe '09. In what is the first comprehensive programming announcement of next year's popular Fringe Festival, held in Civic Square each year, Liberty Belle has been appointed to coordinate and host A Stacked Deck @ The Fringe a series of performances, workshops and events designed to bring burlesque and associated art forms together for a three-day celebration. Think showgirls, fan-dances, ladies with beards, and 1950s pin-up girls. Featuring teachers and scholars from around the country for the workshops and presentations, Liberty Belle says, ''The highlight of the three days will be a massive burlesque variety night in the Fringe Civic Square tent on Friday the 13th, running all night, where burlesque and cabaret stars from around the country will flock to perform in and see my 'stacked deck'.'' Indeed. Details of all performances and events will be released in the Fringe '09 program, due out in mid-October.
He's not mad as hell
THE new manager of Canberra community radio station 2XXFM (Today, July 8), Peter Finch, is used to the jokes about his name. He usually tells people straight up he's no relation to the late great actor of the same name. Although he has been an extra for some TV soaps and on a Just Right cereal commercial and reckons the directors always got a buzz out of saying they had Peter Finch on board.
Life's little mysteries
IDIOSYNCRATIC life observations from reader Frank Milburn. ''When oh when, will Canberra drivers see the light and switch their lights on when visibility is limited on wet mornings?'' And on another subject, ''I have been looking to make up a set of golf clubs for my 10-year-old and have checked both 'Revolves'. There is every style and size of club but not one putter. Where do they go? Is there a great pile of them thrown by frustrated players at the bottom of Lake Burley Griffin?'' Just one of life's little mysteries, we guess.
End of the world
IN RESPONSE to our piece yesterday on the Melbourne v Sydney feud, Robert Willson wrote, ''I was fascinated to read that Melbourne continues to beat Sydney in popularity for business travel. It has come a long way over recent years. In 1958 Americans made the movie On The Beach, about the survivors of a nuclear war which I watched scenes of being shot in the streets of Melbourne. Afterwards the female star, Ava Gardner, was asked what she thought about Melbourne. She is said to have replied that Melbourne was a wonderful city in which to make a film about the end of the world.'' We think we know where Willson's loyalties lie.
Debate duxes
MY, MY, what a clever bunch the current crop of Canberra students are turning out to be. St Clare's College student Laura Birchall has been selected to represent the ACT in three prestigious national events this month. Sixteen-year-old Laura will captain the ACT Schools Debating Team at the National Schools Debating Championships in Sydney; be a part of the ACT contingent to the United Nations youth conference in Hobart; and travel to the Gold Coast with schoolmate Elle Fittler to represent the ACT at the National High Schools Mooting Competition at Bond University. Goodness gracious! The National Schools Debating Championships bring together the best debaters from each state and territory. Laura was one of the youngest students ever selected when she first made the team in 2006, and the Year 11 student is now in her third year as a member of the team.
The United Nations youth conference involves 140 young people from Australia, New Zealand and South Korea. Delegates act as representatives of a member state of the UN in mock sessions of the General Assembly and compile a youth declaration on issues confronting Australia and the global community. Mooting involves a simulated appeal in a superior court based on a mock scenario and judgment from a lower court, and the national championships are hosted by the Bond University faculty of law.
The regional rounds attracted entries from more than 100 schools. Laura has also been offered a scholarship to study at Bond University, based on her performances in the regional rounds. Well done indeed.
Words take flight
YESTERDAY we brought you poetry on buses. Today? The artistic medium finds itself on a different playing field altogether. The work of eight Australian poets will take to the skies in the inaugural pigeon poetry championship (yes, you read right), taking off on August 3. This world first sees poems from across the country strapped to the leg of a thoroughbred racing pigeon, in an unusual sporting event, to determine which poem truly does have wings. Pigeon poetry is a laconic and cheeky exploration of the intersections between sport, racing, gaming, poetry and culture, and will bring poetry to new audiences and communities. It is inspired by the wealth of Australian writing about racing, sport and birds, including that of Robert Adamson, a project participant himself. As well as the race meet, pigeon poetry involves an online form guide and sweep, allowing people to pick a pigeon and a poem to win. Including background on each poet, pigeon and poem, the bookies are open now at www.pigeonpoetry.com and Canberra poet Alan Gould will take part, flying with pigeon Old Man Time. Gould is a poet, novelist and essayist and was co-winner of the 2001 Courier-Mail Book of the Year Award and a recent winner of a ACT Creative Fellowship. Now for the important stats. Old Man Pigeon weighs in at 450g and was born on May 16 last year. The little flyer has a wingspan of 57cm and, according to Gould, likes to read fictional works set in palaeolithic or pre-literate societies, or in which anthropological fieldwork plays a major role. Cute.
Never on Sunday
THE results are in on Australia's favourite baby names. And not a Sunday to be seen. The Top 10 girls' and boys' names are as follows.
1. Jack!!!1. Ella
2. Joshua!!!2. Emily
3. Lachlan!!!3. Mia
4. William!!!4. Isabella
5. Thomas!!!5. Chloe
6. Riley!!!6. Charlotte
7. James!!!7. Olivia
8. Cooper!!!8. Sophie
9. Ethan!!!9. Lily
10. Noah!!!10. Sienna
Thinking alike:
A whopping one in four babies have one of the top 10 names, which says something about Australian parents' originality.