Mocking Bird: you only live one life if you don't read'

“Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers." 

— Harry S. Truman - today 10 million views recorded on MEdia Dragon 🐉 

"If you haven't read hundreds of books, you are functionally illiterate, and you will be incompetent, because your personal experiences alone aren't broad enough to sustain you." 

- Jim Mattis, Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead

Dinner at Merton

The Merton Bistro, located inside The Merton Hotel in Rozelle (a short walk from the St Joseph’s Genesian Theatre), is widely celebrated for serving arguably the best goat curry in Sydney. Foodies and reviewers praise the rich, multi-layered flavours and melt-in-the-mouth tenderness. The Goat is from farm at Dorrigo.

Genesian Theatre, 2B Gordon Street, Rozelle, New South Wales

Step into 1930s Alabama where the trial of a young Black man accused of a terrible crime shakes a seemingly peaceful town to its core.

Through the eyes of Scout, Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning classic comes alive on stage in a moving story of prejudice, compassion and the fight for justice. 

Anchored by the quiet strength of Atticus Finch, this timeless tale still speaks powerfully to the world we live in today.

Barry Nielsen as Atticus Finch

Barry came late to the stage after attending The Actor's Centre. He has appeared in numerous plays, commercials and short films.

Highlights are "Speaking in Tongues", the triple-gendered role in "Sylvia" and one of three in "Complete Works of Shakespeare". He was the narrator in last year's Genesian production of

"Side by Side by Sondheim".

Barry is no stranger to the theatre - he has been on the board of the theatre for many years, and incredibly proud of our new home in Rozelle.

CODA: Piece of history Buz worked at NSW Bear Pit … Parliamentary Library in 1980s Dr Cope employed him for two years 

In 1986 my neighbour from Bellevue Hill Sonya Todd went to Bratislava - Czechoslovakia with Strictly Ballroom 

To Kill a Mockingbird Adaptor: Christopher Sergel Director: Theo Hatzistergos

Harper Lee’s celebrated 1960 novel To Kill a Mockingbird, set in the fictional town of Maycomb in 1930s Alabama and faithfully adapted by Christopher Sergal, has come under some severe revisionist criticism. However, by drawing the audience into the stagnating world of Maycomb, director Theo Hatzistergos encourages reflection on the parallels between the harsh realities of prejudice, inequality and social injustice in the play and our own disturbed and disturbing times.

Basically a traditional coming-of-age story, the action is triggered by the appointment of lawyer Atticus Finch (Barry Nielson) to defend Tom Robinson (Ibrahim Conteh), a black man, against the charge of the rape of Mayella Ewell (Courtney Miller), a white girl. Atticus’s teenage children, Jem (Reuben Hann) and Scout (Brigid Jeffries), begin to receive some flack at school and events that follow cause them both, especially Scout, to question the values of reason and empathy she has learned from Atticus.

Her innocence is at the heart of the play. When her father is confronted by a mob intending to kill the imprisoned Tom, one of the men is recognised by a bewildered Scout as Mr Cunningham, who previously brought a bag of winter greens to the Finch household to honour a debt. Innocently, she presses him to acknowledge her, and her insistence forces him to acknowledge himself and feel ashamed. At issue is whether Scout will lose her cheerful hopefulness, the symbolic song of the mockingbird, after she witnesses her father and truth defeated in the courtroom.

Scout is given support by wise neighbour Miss Maudie Atkinson (Sarah Marie Stubley), who holds similar values to Atticus. Important to the play in her role as narrator, giving unity to what otherwise would be fragmentary, Maudie’s reflections on life in Maycomb bring some of the warmth of feeling that gives Lee’s novel its charm. Her character is possibly a foreshadowing of a future Scout, or Jean-Louise, as Scout becomes at the close: observant, witty, sometimes sharpish, able to see both the positive and negative sides of Maycomb, and of the world in general. If so, Atticus is not defeated.

Initially, the thoughtful staging, costuming and not always consistent Southern accents make it seem as if we are watching a period piece and congratulate ourselves on living in a more enlightened time. However, strategies like having the actors often enter and exit from the auditorium, and the use of overhead vocal responses, create the impression that the audience are implicated in the action. Gradually, the parallels between our own world, riven as it is by racial prejudice, mental health problems, a hardening of class lines and legal justice being the prerogative of the rich, emerge. We are placed in the position of the young Scout, coming to understand that the way of life we thought of as decent and fair is, in reality, neither.

It was a church, a theatre and gave Baz Luhrmann his start. Now it’s Sydney’s latest nightclub

This former church in Sydney's CBD is transforming into a nightclub and performance space

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This….

We trip over our tongues to have a say, but most of what we say is pure rubbish. Just saying

I’m going to promote this story for a simple reason: he’s spot-on, dead right:

The Internet Has Spawned a Generation of Losers

Pray that what you read here doesn’t apply to you

medium.com

I don’t often produce material solely for Medium any more, mostly just on my own website and on other channels. However, Pete’s piece really struck a chord with me for a variety of reasons.

I’ll give just one example. I rarely comment on Linked In, limiting my engagement to posting articles. However the other day I stuck my idiot foot in my mouth when I put something up about being “porous,” a comment about how important it is for us to be open to new experiences and thereby constantly be reminded of how little we actually know.

A few days later I got a note from a very intelligent woman on Linked In who apologized to me- read that again- apologized to me for others’ ill-handling of that comment. Curious, I went back. Sure enough, adult children minus most of their brains did precisely what Pete talks about in his article.

One accused me of using my “cute travel experiences” to make a point. Such trash doesn’t deserve a response.

I sent the kind intermediary a respectful thanks. Her kind of online behavior is rare and deserves to be acknowledged.

I deleted my comment, and didn’t bother to read the others. I am tired of being reminded of the general lack of manners, widespread stupidity and behavior that would get most people kicked out of a pigsty...

You can also read some public letters. Explore the site here, circa 2006. 

Sunflower Glass Studio (based in New Jersey) merges four distinct glass-making traditions into singular fine art panels; fusing vibrant, layered flora created through high-heat kilning, hand painting intricate fauna using traditional medieval techniques, beveling and stained glass construction.

Watching series

Fresh off a 25 hour trek from London to Sydney on my favourite airline (Qatar – KRC February 20, 2024) reminded me I’ve been watching some interesting stuff recently (I’m in the middle of a seven week, four continent ‘Never Ending Tour’).

• Four great sports documentaries from Netflix and their Untold UK series – Vinnie Jones, Liverpool’s Miracle of Istanbul, Jamie Vardy and Ronaldhino.  And …
• The Bus.  The 2010 World Cup scandal – made even more fascinating by spending a day last week in Newport with one of the French players in the middle of the fracas in that tournament – Florent Malouda – their only goal-scorer in South Africa.
• The real story on which Succession was based.  Another Netflix doco – Dynasty: The Murdochs.

• Legends.  Outstanding drama from Netflix.  A UK series which feels authentic, tense, and bloody real.  Great performance from Mancunian Steve Coogan and another favourite of mine – Tom Burke (Strike).
• The Cage.  Brilliant drama from Lancaster’s own Hilary Martin.  On BBC.  Real, authentic Northerners!
• Marcella – Netflix.  I missed this first time round.  Three series.  Dark, intricate, complex.  British / Nordic Noir crime.  Riveting.
• Nemesis.  Crime, heist thriller.  Worth sticking with.  Slow start but picks up.  If you liked The Wire (I did), then this is worth a look.
• And three old favourites:
  • Dutton Ranch on Paramount US.  Rip ‘n Beth ride again.
  • Berlin and the Lady With an Ermine.  Prequel to Casa de Papel and Berlin and the Jewels of Paris.
  • Peaky Blinders.  The Immortal Man.  The movie.

And a couple of shows I’m planning to watch this week:

• Nicolas Cage in Spider-Noir on Amazon Prime.
• Criminal Record on Apple.

Happy Viewing.

Artists and writers argue scrappy nature of self-published booklets is incompatible with artificial intelligence. ‘They’re supposed to be handmade’: zine creators fight to resist AI influence. 

Read the full article in The Guardian here. And if you’re inspired, here’s a counterculture crash course in how to make a zine.

A reminder to bring a metal detector on hikes:

The Saddle Ridge Hoard is the name given to a hoard of 1,427 gold coins unearthed in Northern California in 2013. The face value of the coins totaled $27,980, but was assessed to be worth $10 million. The hoard contained $27,460 in twenty-dollar coins, $500 in ten-dollar coins, and $20 in five-dollar coins, all dating from 1847 to 1894.

Following the initial discovery of the coins, there was widespread speculation that the hoard represented the discovery of the 1901 theft from the San Francisco Mint by employee Walter Dimmick. Other disregarded theories contend that the hoard is a hidden stash of gold buried by Jesse James, or loot taken by Black Bart, who was known for robbing stagecoaches. A theory has also been advanced that the hoard was part of a treasure supposedly hidden by the Knights of the Golden Circle, to be used to fund a second Civil War. The predominant theory attributes the cache to an unknown individual who chose to bury the coins rather than trust the banks to protect his wealth. While the couple who found the coins have remained anonymous and the location of the find is undisclosed, several individuals have attempted to claim the gold coins or a share of the profits, asserting that the money belonged to one of their relatives or associates.

Found on Wikipedia and National Geographic. 

On Oversocialization Idle Rambler

Why Are Men So Bad at Making—and Keeping—Friends? Derek Thompson

Aussies queue from 1am for basic groceries as cost-of-living crisis deepens: ‘A lot busier’ Yahoo

Younger Adults May Be Aging Faster Than Previous Generations

A philosopher’s 5 tips on how to become the most likeable person in the room

Don't reek of onions or take up too much space.

by 

JONNY THOMSON

June 18, 2026

Thorvald Rasmussen / Public Domain / Artvee

A philosophy column for personal reflection.

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It is a privilege to be antisocial. 

Let’s go back 10,000 years and check in on humanity. While a few communities around the Fertile Crescent have decided it’s a good idea to stay put and grow plants, most people are free-roaming citizens of nowhere. Humans are a nomadic, pack-based species that travel in groups of roughly 20 to 50, hunting animals and gathering wild food. Summers mean long days hunting and preparing because winters are cold, hungry, and dangerousThe clans, tribes, and families roam the landscape, helping each other out. Give Clive a bit of rest, he’s broken his toe. Let Erica have a bigger cut of deer; she’s just found out she’s pregnant. Everyone helps each other because that’s what you do when it’s you against the world. In the Neolithic world of yesterday, people often tried to be prosocial.

Except for Ralph. Ralph is an unquestionable asshole. He hides extra food in his sack, and he cried with laughter when Clive dropped that rock on his toe. “It’s your own fault for getting pregnant,” he tells Erica, as he claws back her extra slice of meat.

Now imagine that, one day, Ralph eats the wrong berries and he’s almost comatose from a dreadful dysentery. The group gets together, and all agree: Ralph’s an unquestionable asshole. Let’s leave Ralph behind.

To be antisocial is a luxury because we no longer live in a world that quite so obviously depends on the pack. Of course, with welfare states and human rights, Ralph would probably make it through and live a long, if somewhat friendless, life. Today, the issue is not so much one of life or death but of advantage and support. We need to be friendly and sociable to make everything a bit easier.

In his 1751 work, An Enquiry Concerning the Principles of Morals, the philosopher David Hume argued that being well-liked is important not only because it feels good but because it reduces social friction. We need prosocial, amiable, cooperative people because it makes everything just a little less rubbish. And so, Hume spent a few months working out his ideas about how to become likable.

Here are his five tips for fitting in and getting along.

The mutual sacrifice of ego

For Hume, humans are naturally proud and prone to ego. We’ve all got a bit of Ralph in us. But if everyone acted on this natural impulse to be the most important person in the room, society would become intolerable. It would become unworkable. And so, Hume argued that we need good manners.

Good manners aren’t just those socially constricting Victorian pleasantries we laugh at on Netflix. No corsets or starched collars required. Good manners are a system of mutual deference. It’s when you signal to others that you are temporarily setting aside your own ego to make space for theirs.

So, don’t talk too much. Don’t make everything about you. Ask questions, be curious, and let someone else take up the space instead.

Take things lightly

We like to be around people who make us laugh and keep us entertained. Being able to joke a bit and make light of big things prevents social interaction from becoming a tedious chore. If we constantly dreaded the company of other people, we’d want to avoid them. We’d all be forced into a Ralph-like assholery simply because being left to die of dysentery is better than long, boring hours of seriousness.

As Hume put it, cheerfulness “carries great merit with it, and naturally conciliates the goodwill of mankind.” A light-hearted conversationalist sparks “the flame that spreads through the whole circle.”

So, learn how to tell a good story and how to keep a conversation flowing. Make a joke. It’s what makes being around other people more than just a prehistoric necessity of survival.

Let others shine

Few things are more universally repellent than arrogance. Hume thinks that excessive and unrelenting vanity is so disagreeable because it directly threatens the vanity of others. In other words, when we celebrate our own beauty, success, power, wealth, or whatever, it makes other people feel worse. We feel ugly, weak, poor, unsuccessful, and so on.

A likeable person carries with them an authentic modesty. This does not mean self-hatred or false humility, but rather a quiet confidence that does not demand constant validation.

Admit your shortcomings, make fun of a past mistake, compliment others on who they are or what they do.

The Scottish Confucian

More than 2,000 years before Hume, the Chinese philosopher Confucius argued that one of the cardinal virtues was Li, or social propriety. Li is that sense of knowing how to read the room and act in a way that fits the context. We play the role required of us at that time. It’s not “two-faced” to talk a certain way to a certain person — it’s a part of being human. If Confucius is right, it’s part of being a great human.

Hume agreed. He points out that behavior perfectly suited for a young person might look foolish in an elder — “How do you do, fellow kids!” Likewise, the bawdy, screaming humor of the tavern is probably inappropriate at a solemn gathering. No drinking games in the emergency room.

The likeable person is highly attuned to their environment and adjusts their frequency to match the room they are in. They change their behaviour and conversation with “a proper regard to age, sex, character, and station in the world.”

Wash your clothes now and again

It sounds surprisingly basic for a philosophical treatise, but Hume explicitly lists physical cleanliness as a virtue immediately agreeable to others.

These days, with modern plumbing and vast-scale manufacturing, most of us can have a warm shower and lather our hair now and then. We can buy deodorant, soap, and toothpaste on a quick trip to the store. Hume’s day was different. If you were to be around other people, you should do your best not to reek.

But while the standards have certainly improved, there is a wider point to acknowledge here: the physicality of our interactions. When you are talking with someone, you are in the same space as them. Yes, this means you shouldn’t smell of onions if you can avoid it. You shouldn’t fart, burp, or scratch your privates. But it also means you shouldn’t take up so much room as to cramp the people next to you. I once knew someone — never really a friend — who would be constantly moving. He’d shadow box while others were talking or even spin on the spot. Whether it’s cocaine or your natural energy, try to think about others’ physical space.

None of this is about being fake. It’s about remembering we’re still pack animals — just with better hygiene. So, set your ego aside, lighten up, let others shine, read the room, and have a wash. If you do all that, nobody’s leaving you behind with dysentery.

Exclusive: KPMG takes $1.3m to teach public servants ethics

Jacqui Curtis - New Public Service Commissioner appointed - Damien Booth

 

At 84 Alex is one of the sharpest journalists down under courtesy of the Bellevue Hill network

 

Alex Mitchell on KPMG

Exclusive: KPMG takes $1.3m to teach public servants ethics

Disgraced consultancy firm KPMG continues to operate a government contract teaching ethics to senior public servants, despite mass resignations over serious ethical failures.

By Jason Koutsoukis

As KPMG’s most senior leadership resigns over governance failures, it can be revealed that the consultancy is still being paid by the government to offer ethics training to top-level public servants.

The contract for the ethics training has been twice extended and is now drafted in such a way that will allow it to run until 2028 without tender.

Since the KPMG scandal broke on March 24, with myriad accusations of misuse of confidential client information, the firm has signed 31 new Commonwealth contracts worth nearly $24 million…

These contracts include work for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission – which is conducting multiple investigations into KPMG – the Department of Finance, the Attorney-General’s Department, the Bureau of Meteorology and the Department of Defence.

Documents obtained by Greens Senator Barbara Pocock – a member of the Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services – show the Australian Public Service Academy is persevering with a $1.3 million contract for KPMG to run a course on ethics for the country’s 300 top public servants.

The flagship induction for newly minted Band 1 members of the Senior Executive Service – the SES is divided into three levels, known as bands one, two and three – was developed by KPMG and is aimed at instilling ethical leadership values in the officials who will shape government policy.

The current contract, first executed in December 2023, puts KPMG at the heart of a program intended to build a culture of integrity, accountability and public trust in the Australian Public Service, the very qualities the firm now stands accused of systematically betraying in one of the most serious corporate ethics failures in Australian history.

Issues with KPMG’s ethics training contract were first raised in June 2024, when Pocock pressed the Australian Public Service Commission on why it had awarded the consultancy a contract that allowed it to identify and duchess senior decision-makers in the public service. At the time she told The Saturday Paper this was “a ‘land and expand’ contract that you dream about – and they got it”.

According to the federal parliamentary library, KPMG currently holds 297 active contracts with the Commonwealth, worth a combined $653 million, including the 31 new contracts awarded since the scandal broke in March.

The Albanese government has since imposed a three-month ban on new KPMG work, but the contracts already in place, including the one paying the firm to teach ethics to the public service’s most senior leaders, remain unaffected.

“Is this a joke?” Pocock asks The Saturday Paper. “Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it does – $1.3 million in ethics and leadership training from morally bankrupt KPMG. You can’t make this stuff up.”

The ethics training, says Pocock, has an obvious alternative. “KPMG could run a great class in unethical leadership: how to monetise confidential information, cover-ups, and how to undermine whistleblowers.”

Pocock has written to the federal minister for the public service, Senator Katy Gallagher, demanding the Albanese government force the immediate cancellation of KPMG’s ethics training contract.

KPMG Saturday Papers

Under-fire firm still has ethics, leadership contracts

Alleged staff misconduct has resulted in KPMG chairman Martin Sheppard leaving the company. (Susie Dodds/AAP PHOTOS)

By Alex Mitchell of Birriga Rd BH fame

A major consulting firm still has a million-dollar contract to train public servants on ethics, despite senior figures being accused of accessing confidential information.

Still reeling from a parliamentary bashing, after which its chairman and two partners quit the firm, KPMG is again in the firing line as questions are raised about its suitability to hold government contracts.

Greens senator Barbara Pocock has pointed out KPMG still holds a $1.27 million contract to train 300 top public servants in ethics and leadership.

The contract runs until December 2026, with a possible two-year extension.

“This is a firm that misused confidential client information to secure more work, misled the parliament and seriously mistreated whistleblowers – among other things,” Senator Pocock said.

“Our most senior public sector leaders should not be undertaking any form of training – let alone on ethics and leadership – from a firm that has, by its own admission, breached the most basic ethical values and whose leadership has failed.”

KPMG’s national chairman Martin Sheppard will step down, along with audit partners Paul Rogers and Eileen Hoggett.

Mr Rogers and Ms Hoggett were named in parliament for allegedly accessing confidential information from long-term audit client Lendlease, with other KPMG staff, to help them win additional contracts.

A whistleblower revealed the purported misconduct and alleged documents from Macquarie Group, Westpac, Dexus and Optus were also mishandled.

Mr Sheppard also received a roasting at the parliamentary hearing.

He was pressed on KPMG’s initial refusal to hand over internal documents, citing confidentiality, professional privilege and the risk of prejudicing the administration of justice.

It was flagged the firm could be investigated for contempt before it later relented.

“The leadership and ethics of KPMG, exemplified by the recent scandals and evidenced by multiple resignations, is precisely the kind of leadership training we do not need in the public sector,” Senator Pocock said.

“Not only did KPMG fail to learn from the awful lessons of the PwC debacle, it sought to present itself as the ethical alternative to secure lucrative contracts – including this one.”

In 2023, PwC was found to have ​shared confidential federal government tax information with prospective clients.

It was banned from new contracts for more than a year and ended up selling its government advisory business for $1.

KPMG, which has 297 active federal contracts worth $653 million, allegedly misused confidential board papers to win new audit contracts and mistreated a whistleblower who raised concerns.

KPMG has yet to face any major penalty but is under a three-month moratorium on new finance department work.

The Greens want the leadership and ethics training contract cancelled and all of KPMG’s federal contracts reviewed.

News all day, every day at CityNews.com.au.

UNETHICAL KPMG HIRED FOR ETHICS TRAINING

2026-06-27

The Labor Government continues to hire morally-bankrupt KPMG to run ethics and leadership training for senior public servants despite the ongoing fallout over multiple scandals.

KPMG currently holds a $1.27 million contract to provide training on ethics and leadership for 300 top public servants through the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC). The contract runs until Dec 2026 with the possibility of extension until Dec 2028. 

The Greens are demanding Labor cease the contract immediately and end all ethics and leadership training by KPMG. 

Further, Labor must review all of its 297 active contracts with KPMG worth $653 million to root out and terminate any similar contracts that touch on ethics or leadership, and ban KPMG from all government work until they have been investigated.

Lines attributable to Greens finance and public service spokesperson Senator Barbara Pocock:  

“Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it does. 

“$1.3 million dollars in ethics and leadership training from morally-bankrupt KPMG - you can’t make this stuff up!

“KPMG could run a great class in unethical leadership, how to monetise confidential information, coverups and how to undermine whistleblowers. 

“What exactly has the Government paid for? This is a firm that misused confidential client information to secure more work, misled the parliament and seriously mistreated whistleblowers - among other things.

“Our most senior public sector leaders should not be undertaking any form of training – let alone on ethics and leadership - from a firm that has, by its own admission, breached the most basic ethical values and whose leadership has failed.

“The Government is paying disgraced KPMG for their so-called ‘ethics expertise’ at the same time it is conducting an ‘independent review’ into KPMG’s governance, culture, ethics and integrity frameworks. Is this a joke?

“Labor needs to wake up and listen to the outrage of ordinary Australians.

“The leadership and ethics of KPMG, exemplified by the recent scandals and evidenced by multiple resignations, is precisely the kind of leadership training that we do not need in the public sector.

“Not only did KPMG fail to learn from the awful lessons of the PwC debacle, it sought to present itself as the ethical alternative to secure lucrative contracts – including this one. 

“Labor has rose-coloured glasses for KPMG even when they behave unethically. The Government is completely addicted to KPMG.  

“The Government needs to review all contracts with KPMG and ban dodgy firms from government work. It needs to establish a consultant regulator and increase penalties for egregious behaviour and ethical failures.”

MEDIA CONTACT:

Charlotta Lomas - 0466 339 862

KPMG holds a $1.27 million  contract with the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) to provide ethics and leadership training to 300 top public servants. Despite the recent resignations of the firm's national chairman and two audit partners amid a massive whistleblower and confidential information scandal, the contract runs until December 2026 with an option to extend until 2028. 

The controversial arrangement has sparked intense political scrutiny, with Greens Senator Barbara Pocock publicly condemning the decision. Here are the key details of the contract and the ongoing fallout: [1]

• The Contract: Valued at \(\$1.27\text{ million}\), the program provides ethics training to 300 senior public sector leaders through the APSC. 
• Duration: The current deal runs until December 2026, but is drafted in a way that allows for a two-year extension without requiring a new tender. 
• Leadership Resignations: KPMG's national chairman, Martin Sheppard, alongside audit partners Paul Rogers and Eileen Hoggett, stepped down following admissions of governance failures and improper access to confidential information. 
• Broader Footprint: KPMG currently holds 297 active federal government contracts worth an estimated ($653  million). 
• Political Response: The Australian Greens are demanding the immediate cancellation of the ethics contract and a thorough review of all active agreements with the firm. 

You can read more about the fallout and the Greens' demands on The Saturday Paper or view official statements via the Australian Greens Media Release. [1]