Entertainment
Canberra's Star Wars fans out in force, awakened by new movie
MEGAN GORREY 9:29pm All the proud, self-style geeks were out in full costume as their favourite Star Wars characters, for the first screenings of the new movie in the franchise, The Force Awakens.
Horrible Histories exhibition opens in Sydney with illustrator Martin Brown
JULIE POWER Horrible Histories illustrator Martin Brown knows the worst about the terrible Tudors, rotten Romans, vicious Vikings and pirates, funny pharaohs and the very smelly Saxons.
The Nostalgia Box: Perth's first gaming console museum
PIP DOYLE Many think it all started with the Atari. But really, it was the Magnavox Odyssey.
Janis Joplin's Porsche sold at auction
Janis Joplin's customised Porsche has fetched $US1.8 million ($A2.47 million) at an auction in New York.
North Korean pop group Moranbong Band cancels Beijing concert
An all-female North Korean pop group formed by leader Kim Jong Un abruptly cancelled a Beijing concert due to "communication issues" and headed home, Chinese media and the concert venue said.
Meredith Music Festival: where getting the boot rocks
Michael Harry It's one place where getting the boot is a good thing. When crowds at the Meredith Music Festival approve of a song or act, it's customary to raise a single shoe in salute.
Humour: overheard in Gertrude Street, Melbourne
Oslo Davis Here's the quick way to get a lot of calls on the phone.
How Angela Ahrendts rocks the meetings at Apple
Maggie Alderson The 25th most powerful woman in the world shows how to master the art of CEO: chic executive outfits.
The Source: Stylish storage and long-haul luxury
Alexia Biggs Unique solutions to packing things away.
Giveaways: Win tickets to a retro New Year's Eve bash
Kay Stewart Movie tickets, DVDs and New Year's party passes are up for grabs this week.
Gatecrasher at the NGV, Chadwick Christmas party and Biggie Smalls opening
Mik Grigg Gatecrasher: Contemporary culture makes its mark in Melbourne.
Dame Edna: 60 years of mega-stardom
Neil McMahon "My jubilee in the theatre is being celebrated in Australia in such a wonderful way. There's postage stamps.There's a coin. I'm on a coin! They've named a street in Melbourne after me. Melbourne is a city in Australia." Dame Edna.
Gardening: Eat Your History looks at Australia's edible past, from 1788 to the 1950s
Robin Powell From mutant peaches to wild hibiscus tea, a new book delves into Australia's edible history.
Does my head look big in this? Dough sitters rise to the challenge
ANDREW STEPHENS Artist Soren Dahlgaard asks a lot of his subjects. So far, they've all survived.
Wanted: the perfect holiday house (doohickeys and whatsits not necessary)
Simmone Howell The annual search for a holiday house prompts a desperate longing for simpler times.
Amy Schumer's Pirelli moment may not be the leap we were looking for
Jane Rocca Amid the hype over Pirelli's 2016 calendar, some say the change is only skin-deep
We don't need another Mel: why tomorrow's women deserve their own screen heroes
Monica Dux Let's hope that little girls with a taste for adventure can look up and see how it's done.
Postcard from San Francisco: in the footsteps of Kerouac and other 'mad ones'
TIM RICHARDS The home of the Beat Generation proudly clings to its Bohemian past.
Are these the best-looking books of 2015?
Ray Edgar A 1600-page architectural monograph is among this year's visual page-turners.
Watch out for falling turtles: why famous authors sometimes finish weirdly
Jim Bernhard A new book charts the unexpected endings of some of history's most famous writers.
Bjork emerges from her internal battle, with strings attached
STEPHANIE BUNBURY Fans worried when the Icelandic songstress cancelled shows in August, but she has emerged with fresh fire.
Cal Wilson: Taking a walk on the festival side with Ron Sexsmith
Cal Wilson I've finally experienced my first Queenscliff music festival, which has been running since 1997.
Serial Season Two
Serial Podcast season two launches online
MATT BUNGARD Serial, the world's most popular podcast, has launched into its second season.
Harrison Ford's French voice strikes back in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Julien Oeuillet When the new Star Wars movie comes out, French-speaking people will be welcoming back a very familiar voice.
Perth's Top 5 Christmas Day lunch spots for 2015
Gail Williams So this is Christmas….. And what have you done? Hmm, bugger all as it turns out, writes Gail Williams.
The Project
Waleed Aly takes on Andrew Bolt over climate change: 'Let me nip this in the bud'
The Project tracked down the scientist behind the graph Bolt keeps using on his show. 'He has a message for you.'
New Australian lottery could raise funds for heritage projects
JULIE POWER A mega national lottery - similar to the Sydney Opera House lottery that financed its construction - could be introduced to fund and preserve Australia's most iconic landmarks and institutions.
Friday, December 11
Drop by Graham Norton’s offering to see Exhibit A, the one where guests are invited, offered a drink and then allowed to pretty much say what they like while the host gently steers the conversation to make sure things stay lively.
