Message from the Headmaster

Dear Students, Parents and Carers

Xenophobia and Racism in Australian Society

One of the saddest of manifestations in Australia of the current Palestinian crisis is the way latent racism has become more explicit. Antisemitism has once again raised its ugly head in Australia.

If that were the only manifestation of racism, it would be serious enough. However, we are aware from our televisions of continued racist taunts against Indigenous footballers across multiple football codes. It is all too easy to sledge the opposition with a lazy but deeply offensive taunt.

Australia’s modern history is one of the Colonials’ White Australia policy. To the British, Australia was to be a cultural outpost of the British empire. This remained in force well into the 20th century. Unfortunately, it seems it does not take much to trigger this legacy remnant which sits below the surface of Australian society. 

Racism is completely at odds with Christian ethics. Jesus reached out to all classes and races equally. He dealt with the despised Samaritans and the Roman occupier class. He admitted the lower classes of society such as lepers and the poor, and slaves. Following Jesus, the Apostle Paul radically wrote, “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” – Galatians 3:28. This single verse collapses racial groups (Jew and non-Jew), both of whom saw themselves as superior to the other and treated each other with contempt. Paul collapsed gender divisions, thereby expunging the chauvinistic dismissal of women in a patriarchal society. He effectively emancipated slaves in terms of their status and access to Christian community. 

Why do people continue to hold racist views? Partly, I suggest it is fear of the other. I witnessed it visibly in my History classroom over 40 years ago with the top Year 10 class in that school. Vietnamese new arrivals, who initially struggled with English, became more fluent and in assessment tasks began to overhaul the local Anglo-Saxon students. This caused resentment of their presence, overlaid with the sense that they had no right to be there. The antidote I found was to build familiarity. As these students were given voice to describe how their fathers had been executed by the Vietcong and how they had escaped with their mothers in leaky boats (early Boat People, but not as early as our Anglo-Saxon forebears, many of whom arrived in leaky boats as convicts). Other than our First Nations people, all of us are immigrants or from immigrant stock.

Australia is now highly multicultural. This is our future but it is also our present. One of our callings at Shore is to help students to help to understand this reality and learn to live well with people different from themselves. Indeed, difference is part of the blessings of life that lifts us above the drab uniformity of monoculturalism. As the French say “Vive le difference”. Any of our students who cannot accept this reality will be quickly overtaken by the future.

To be explicit and abundantly clear, Shore opposes racism in all its manifestations and regards expression of racism as intolerable.

Dr John Collier
Headmaster

CRU Update

We continued going through the acronym KALCULAS as we explore the gospel of Mark this Term at CRU.

Kingdom

Authority 

Listen

C

U

L

A

S

Following Isaac Lanham’s helpful introduction and reading of the passage Mark 4:1-20, Nathanael Robertson spoke on this parable that Jesus taught while on earth. A parable is an earthly story that actually has a deeper heavenly meaning. In Mark 4, Jesus speaks about a farmer who sows some seed and where this seed falls. In his talk, Nathanael outlined that the seed falling in different areas is really four responses we have to God’s Word. In the story, we are introduced to four areas where the seed falls: on a path, on rocky ground, amongst the thorns and on good soil. Some people are like seeds on the path where they hear the gospel, but Satan takes it away. Others, like seeds in rocky soils, accept the gospel at first but then fall away as they are not rooted in Jesus. Still, others are like seeds in thorny soils, where the Word is choked out of their lives due to worldly distractions, but finally, some accept the Word and produce a crop like seeds in good soil. We were challenged to consider which type of soil we were.

Between the initial parable and Jesus’ explanation, Jesus invited anyone with ears willing to listen to Him, to listen. Nathanael went on to show the simplicity of listening to and following Jesus through verse 20, which says, “Hear the Word, accept it and produce a crop”. He also spoke of the importance of growing and sharing the gospel through the story of a missionary D.L. Moody, and the way God used his work to bring millions to Jesus through Billy Graham down a line of missionaries. So, what will your response to Jesus be?

Shabbots

In addition to our weekly CRU gatherings in the Christian Studies building each Friday lunchtime, the highlight of the CRU calendar is on the King’s Birthday long weekend at Galston Gorge, where the CRU groups from Shore and Abbotsleigh combine to create Shabbots. This year, we are looking at the idea of Identity, and there will be Bible talks and discussions, songs, games, food, new friends and loads of fun. The registration link is here, and more details can be found on the Cru Lampada page under Co-curricular > Clubs > Crusaders > Shabbots.

events.humanitix.com/2024-shabbots-cru-camp

Daniel Becker
11 TY4

Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer Positions

Role Description

Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer: Appointed for one year in each role.
Volunteer basis – 2 Year Shore Parents’ Association Executive Role
Please forward applications to: spachair@shore.nsw.edu.au

The Shore Parents’ Association (SPA) was established to raise money to buy equipment and fund bursaries, support the school, organise social activities and provide relevant wellbeing seminars to the parent body.

This job requires a person with experience in accounting and Excel spreadsheets. The role does not require the production of Year End Special Purpose Financial Statements as these are prepared by Shore Finance. The Role requires up to 10 hours per week during the School Terms. The first year of appointment will be the Assistant Treasurer role and the second year will be the Treasurer role.

For a full position description and to learn more please contact the SPA Chair at the email address provided.

Shore Community Fellowship and Prayer Evening

A special evening for members of the School Community to come together to reflect and rejoice in the School’s Christian purpose and to pray for the School community.

We would love to have people from all parts of the School Community – Old Boys, Staff, Parents (current and past) – everyone is welcome.

Thursday 30 May 7.00pm – 9.00pm
Christian Studies Rooms
Light refreshments will be provided
Dress code: Smart Casual
RSVP: trybooking.com/CRRMR

Parking is available in the School Car Park (entry via Hunter Cres). Please forward this to any interested members of the Shore Community.

Music Invitations and Calendar

All dates and events are subject to change, please confirm with the Music Department.

Progress Meetings

Term 2: Notice To Parents – Year 11

• Information will be emailed home with all the details.
• Boys are expected to attend.
• No Co-Curricular activities for students who have Progress Meetings.

Mr S Werakso
Staff Professional Co-ordinator

Da Vinci Decathlon 2024

We are excited to share some fantastic news from the recent Da Vinci Decathlon held at Knox last week. Competing against 174 schools, including top selective schools, our talented students from Years 7 to 10 showcased their exceptional skills and achieved outstanding results in an academic competition designed to challenge the brightest minds.

Every Year group from Shore secured a place in the top 10 overall. Our Year 7 students excelled with 1st place finish in Mathematics, 2nd place in Science, and 3rd place in Drama, ultimately placing 4th overall. Our Year 9 students achieved an impressive 2nd place in Drama. Meanwhile, our Year 10 students triumphed with a 1st place finish in Maths.

Students compete in teams of eight across ten disciplines: Engineering, Mathematics and Chess, Code Breaking, Art and Poetry, Science, English, Ideation, Creative Producers, Cartography and Legacy.

We are incredibly proud of our students for their hard work and dedication. Congratulations to all participants!

Mr M Massey
MIC, High Potential Learners

Excursion to Sydney Writers Festival

This week, the boys in 9EN1 participated in the Sydney Writers Festival’s Secondary School Day. The boys listened to four different authors talk about their books and the craft of writing. Jack Heath, a master of action and suspense with over 30 published books, emphasised the importance of making room for boredom in our lives as those quiet times allow us to hear ourselves think and develop our imagination. The indigenous writer Graham Akhurst encouraged the boys to use their own experiences in their writing. The American poet and novelist Elizabeth Acevedo entertained the audience with her slam poetry. In her writing, she does not overtly try to send a message, but she wants her readers to develop empathy as a practice. The fantasy author C.S. Pacat shared many tips about developing the craft of writing and told the aspiring writers that you need to explain much less than you think. To keep the reader keen to turn to the next page, you should leave something for them to figure out.

Jack Heath went through a quick writing exercise with the audience and stressed the importance of editing. He encouraged everyone not to worry too much about the first draft. There will be many more before the writing project is complete, and editing is a large part of the writing process.

The Shore boys enjoyed the day and learnt valuable tricks for their own writing. Some takeaways discussed on the trip back to School were:

• There are many different ways of starting to write a story, and there is no right way. You have to work out what works for you. The four authors all seemed to do it differently.
• Use your own experiences in your writing.
• Shorter is better.
• Give your characters authenticity.
• Write plenty of drafts.
• Editing is when the story comes to life.
• Refine, refine and refine…
• You create narrative traction by signalling that what we are about to learn is more exciting than what is happening right now.

Mrs E White
Head of Library & Information Services

Top image: 9EN1 with their teacher Mr Nicholas Daunt Watney

Careers in Science

Last Friday, Year 10 was squeezed into the Smith Auditorium as the Science Department invited three Old Boys in to talk with us about their various careers and how the different fields of Science are involved in each.

The first Presenter was Dr A Prudence (’07), who explained to us how his love of science eventually led to him becoming a Specialist in gastroenterology (Working with your digestive system). After leaving school, he tried to gain entry into medicine but didn’t quite make it. Instead, he was led down the path of medical science in the hope of doing medicine afterwards. It was here he discovered his love of research and went on to publish a number of articles in top medical journals. After going on to do honours, he was accepted into the University of Wollongong to complete his medical training. His talk was mainly focused on life in university, his research, and the community of like-minded people his love of science allowed him to join. It was a really interesting insight into life at the frontier of medical science.

Next up was Mr T Allen (’08) – a civil engineer whose interest in physics and maths led him around the globe. Initially working with a Fortune 500 company in Sydney, he helped design part of Barker College before he moved to Canada on a work-holiday visa for two years and stayed in Vancouver, where he learnt about hybrid timber buildings. Once he returned to Australia, he brought that knowledge back and helped design the Atlassian Headquarters above Central Station – which will be the largest hybrid timber building in the world once work is finished. He explained to us how his degree in engineering makes for one of the most versatile and secure jobs in the world and encouraged us to have a look at it – it is apparently one of the easiest degrees to get a working holiday visa with, as there is demand around the globe and can let you apply your love of science to real-world problems.

Finally, Mr P Pearce (’75), who is a retired forensic scientist who worked on some of the major events of the past 50 years, such as the Bali Bombing, told us how all the fields of science are required to combine to help the crime lab’s analysis. After a brief outline of his career, he showed us how fields such as chemistry are vital in his work – for example, when they find unlicensed labs such as meth labs, they have to be extremely careful when entering it and collecting evidence – if not correctly managed by a qualified chemist, then there is a high risk of chemicals in poor conditions combining and exploding or forming toxic compounds. In the final part of his talk, he highlighted how identifying deceased persons after natural disasters, such as floods, is unreliable by solely visual recognition, and instead, they rely on things such as teeth, fillings, rings, pacemakers and tattoos to identity them, all only made possible by advances in science and technology.

Thank you to the Science Department for organising this and all the presenters for their fascinating and informative presentations – it was a great event.

Jono Loy
Year 10

Celebrating Young Readers

Shore Senior Library Reading Award

The English and Library Departments are excited to extend their heartfelt congratulations to the 80 students from Years 7 to 10 who have been awarded the Shore Senior Library Reading Award Certificate for Term 1. This award celebrates the students who have read the highest number of books in their respective Wide Reading classes, showcasing their dedication and love for reading.

In addition to their certificates, the award-winning students have received a five-dollar credit to be used at the tuckshop, a small token of appreciation for their efforts. The award is part of a new initiative that will be given every term, encouraging students to cultivate a consistent reading habit, which is essential to success in English!

Reading is an important habit that all students should engage with. Reading nurtures important skills such as writing and vocabulary, which are fundamental to academic success and effective communication. When students immerse themselves in diverse narratives, they enhance their ability to think critically, empathise with others, and articulate their thoughts clearly. The English and Library Departments believe that cultivating a love of reading from a young age sets the foundation for lifelong learning. It is encouraging to see so many students embracing reading and demonstrating such enthusiasm for literature.

To our consistent readers: your passion for reading is commendable, and you serve as an inspiration to your peers. The English and Library Departments are proud of your accomplishments and encourage you to continue exploring the vast world of literature. Keep up the excellent work, and may your love for reading continue to grow.

We look forward to seeing even more students discover the joys and benefits of reading in the coming Terms.

Happy reading!

Ms Z Doutreband
Master Assisting English (Academic Enrichment)

From the Music Department

Concert Group – When George Met Arnold 14 May at Sydney Opera House

When George Met Arnold combines a newly created film with live performance to tell the story of the remarkable relationship between two of the greatest composers of the 20th century. The program of the concert celebrates the music of George Gershwin and Arnold Schoenberg; two composers of very different backgrounds, working in very different styles, who nevertheless became firm friends and supporters of each other’s work. George met Arnold in the late 1930s when the latter joined the influx of refugees from Hitler who settled in California. In Gershwin he found not only a composer whom he admired, but a fellow enthusiast of painting and, perhaps more importantly, tennis. The two would play tennis together each week without fail, discussing that which formed much of the basis of their compositional inspiration: music, art, love, and the political situation in Europe. This continued until Gershwin’s early death in 1937, at age 38, after which Schoenberg would write, expressing his “deepest grief for the deplorable loss to music,” but mentioning too his loss of “a friend whose amiable personality was very dear to me.”

The program included excerpts from Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F and Porgy & Bess, widely respected as perhaps the most successful American Opera of the 20th century, and excerpts from numerous Schoenberg works such as Piano Concerto, Pelléas and Mélisande and Five Pieces for Orchestra. Performing this unique collection of repertoire was Roger Benedict, a world-renowned conductor and violist, conducting the prestigious Sydney Symphony Orchestra and featuring the prominent Australian classical pianist Simon Tedeschi.

Joel Gilmour
Year 11

Congratulations to…

…our Music Scholars Charlie Corbett-Jones, Joel Gilmour, Ryan Gilmour, Russell Jiang, Justin Lee, William Lee, Alan Li, Jono Loy, and Jeddy Sam who performed last Wednesday 22 May at the Scholars’ Recital. The repertoire was of a very high standard, and the technical facility required was impressive. Thank you to Ms Oxley, who accompanied these students and to Ms Wentzel and Ms Fitzgerald for their support in organising this event.

Year 9 Elective Concert

Top image: Year 9 Elective Concert

Year 7 Introduction to Band and Orchestra

Upcoming Events

Year 11 Elective Music Soiree

On Wednesday 29 May, at 7pm in the Orchestral Recital Room, Year 11 Elective Music students will be performing on their specialist instruments. We hope you are able to join us for an evening of high-quality music.

Battle of the Bands Heats

On Friday 7 June, at 3pm in the Band Room, Mr Payne will be auditioning Rock Bands for Battle of the Bands finals, which will be held on Tuesday 25 June at lunchtime. Please see Mr Payne or Mr Dorich for further details.

Instrumental and Choral Concert

Students have been rising early in the morning to rehearse repertoire for the upcoming Instrumental and Choral Concert that showcases Symphony Orchestra, Choirs, Chamber Ensembles and Guitar Ensemble. The concert will be held on Thursday 13 June in the Smith Auditorium at 7pm and will be approximately 2 hours in length, including a short interval. The car park will be open from 6.15pm. This is a free event, and all are welcome to attend.

Band Concert

The Band Concert, which showcases Symphonic Winds, Concert Band, Stage Band, Jazz Ensemble and Trumpet Ensemble will be held on Thursday 20 June, in the Smith Auditorium at 7pm. The car park will be open from 6.15pm. This is a free event, and all are welcome to attend.

Composition Competition

Captain of Music Alan Li and Vice Captain of Music Charlie Corbett-Jones have reinstated the song writing competition. Compositions are due by the last day of Term. Please see their article below for further details.

James O’Donnell LVO KSG

On Monday 29 July, Mr Robert Fox has organised an event featuring the distinguished English musician James O’Donnell LVO KCSG, who, from 2000 – 2022, was the Organist and Master of the Choristers at Westminster Abbey, during which time he directed the music for many state occasions, including the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton, and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II. The event will be held in the Chapel commencing at 7.30pm.

Music Photos

To purchase Music Ensemble photos, please click on the link: https://www.melbastudios.com.au/ and click on “SCHOOLS”. The password is bluewhite

Mrs K Barber
Head of Music

Term 2 Music Calendar

Private Music Lessons 

Please note that the cancellation period to cease private Music lessons at the end of this Term is four weeks before the end of the Term. The final date for cancellation of private Music lessons this Term will be next Wednesday 29 May. Please email privatemusiclessons@shore.nsw.edu.au  if you would like your son to cease private Music lessons, and please give a reason for the cessation. 

Mrs Judy Hicks
Co-ordinator of Private Music Lessons

Composition and Song Writing Competition

Musicians of Shore,

Writing music is an excellent form of self-expression, creativity, and relaxation. It’s also a great way to have some fun and share your passion for music with others!

This year, the Music Committee has brought back Shore’s composition and song writing competition to give you all the opportunity to display your creative energies through writing your own music. You, along with all other Shore boys, are invited to submit an entry to be adjudicated by the Music Committee and a panel of music teachers. 

To enter, all you need to do is follow these simple guidelines:

1. You can write for any instrument and any combination of instruments (including voice). The number of instruments you write for is up to you.
2. You can write in any musical style you wish, ranging from more Classical era music to Rock and more mainstream Pop and Rap songs. (Lyrics must be appropriate!). 
3. The maximum time limit is 3 minutes.
4. The due date is the last day of Term 2. 
5. Submissions must contain both an audio file and supportive evidence (to provide proof the composition is your own work – e.g. GarageBand/Logic Pro/Finale file, etc.). If you are unsure of what this means, speak to one of the Music Committee members or one of the Music teachers. 

Elective Music students are encouraged to submit any works that they have been working on during class time.

The best entries will be shortlisted and have the opportunity to be publicly shared with the top 3 entries receiving gift-card prizes.

Submission Instructions:

Please submit all entries to the following link:
https://www.dropbox.com/request/9BWPsGijqXvqgklxjsRI

If you’ve got any questions at all, feel free to see us or send us a Teams message, and we will do our best to help you out!

Get creative, have fun, and start writing! Just give it a go… because who knows… you might have a hidden talent in songwriting that you hadn’t realised you had. We can’t wait to see what you’ll write!

Good Luck!

Alan Li and Charlie Corbett-Jones
Captain of Music and Vice-Captain of Music

Cover and Contents

Simpler Times

Space

Still the Final Frontier?

H. A. G. Longstaff

THE EPIC SERIES STAR TREK DECLARED SPACE “THE FINAL FRONTIER”

But this is no longer true. Space is crowded, busy and contested. Weather satellites spot rain, cyclones and windstorms. Communication satellites transmit data and voice seamlessly across continents. Navigation satellites power your Garmin/apple watch or car GPS. Spy satellites keep us safe. The numbers are enormous, Elon Musk’s Starlink has 5,874 satellites in orbit as of April 2024, as part of around 9,500 active satellites.

All of this is a long way from the Sputnik satellite launched on 4 October 1957 by the Soviet Union. This basketball sized object that only beeped started the space race which ended with Man on the Moon in July 1969. It started the technological arm’s race between the USA and the Soviet Union that ended in November 1989 with the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union.

Space is now a vital strategic territory. Many suggest that any World War III will begin in space as vital GPS satellites central to weapons targeting and intelligence are knocked out.

Space is also a complex operating environment. Unused satellites remain in orbit. In space, objects are travelling at around 28,800 km/h. Millions of micrometeorites, such as paint flecks and solidified droplets of antifreeze (it is very cold, -270 degrees, in space because there is no atmosphere), can damage solar panels and satellites.

But who administers space? Who decides which satellite gets which orbit? Who mandates the clean-up of space junk, or responsible behaviour about when and how to launch?

Generally speaking, no one owns space. Space is governed by the Outer Space Treaty which outlines that “outer space, including the moon and celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means.” Generally countries claim important and scarce geostationary orbit rights in the airspace above their country, something most contested around the equator and claimed under the Bogota Declaration. But in reality, ‘might is right’, and there’s not much that can be done to address squatters. The fragile consensus operates a bit like ‘first in best dressed’. This will need to change, but like all geopolitical matters, consensus is fraught.

There is a precedent for this, and a basis for hope. Antarctica has competing territorial claims (including from Australia), yet there is an international consensus that has (largely) held. The Antarctic Treaty was signed in 1959 by 12 original nations (now there are 56), and it came into effect in the mid-1960s. The core concepts, fully embraced, involve both the freedom of scientific research in Antarctica and the peaceful utilisation of the continent. There was also a consensus for demilitarisation and the maintenance of the status quo. The treaty prohibits nuclear testing, military operations, economic exploitation, and territorial claims in Antarctica. It is monitored through on-site inspections. The only permanent structures allowed are scientific research stations.

Something to think about as you look up at the stars and wonder what’s out there.

Cyber-Attacks

Numbers may be Up but the Cost is Down???

D. H. Kang

I’M SURE YOU’VE SEEN NUMEROUS DODGY ADS, suspicious text messages, had random phone calls dialled in from halfway across the globe; you’re not alone. Yes, they’re 99.999999 percent a scam, bait from a broader web of hackers who aim to get you to bite on that bait – and ultimately get set up with an entryway onto your device to launch a cyber-attack. The expectation was and still largely is that these attacks will only grow more prevalent for the common people, as more and more individuals gain access to the internet and technology becomes an increasingly efficacious tool in launching cyber-attacks.

The future really does seem rather bleak. According to the Identity Theft Resource Centre’s (ITRC) annual report, there were 2365 cyberattacks in 2023 and 343,338,964 victims of those cyber attacks, noting that one cyber attack, on a particular database, can have impacts on numerous individuals directly or indirectly connected to those data breaches, especially given the interconnected nature of the internet. Even national governments, like the US, which are blessed with some of the most advanced cyber-security tools in the world, fall prey. A single data breach can cost on average $4.45 million dollars, according to IBM, and with ransomware gangs like Cl0p, who demand ransom in order not to expose data that they have stolen from numerous governments and conglomerates, victims are inevitable.

Interestingly, as the number of cyber-attacks continues to grow, the quantifiable cost of these cyber-attacks seem to be going down. Look at this graph from The Economist:

Tom Johansmeyer from the University of Kent reports that an astonishing 92 percent of total economic losses from cyber catastrophes occurred prior to 2009. The majority of these damages stem from a decline in productivity. When a hacking incident occurs, devices are frequently rendered inoperable, and even entire company data systems can be compromised, making it exceedingly challenging to carry out any meaningful work. Improvements in technology are a two way street – they improve both the capability of cyber-attacks, but greatly improve that of firewalls and other cyber-security measures.

For us on our laptops, phones or whatever device, there’s not too much we can do to stop disaster-level threats to the internet and national security systems. But next time you send your bank details to the Nigerian Prince promising to give you 100 kilograms of gold for $100 dollars, just think twice, and preferably ignore them.

From Socrates to Sigmas

The real Giga-Sigma of ancient society?

C. N. Vujanovic

FROM ACHILLES TO ALPHAS? FROM SOCRATES TO SIGMAS? Am I just repeating the same social commentary on the brain rot of society but with another ancient fella? Well, yes, yes I am.

Is it any different? Well you tell me. Curious how a philosophising intellectual ‘buffon’ could be Sigma? Well, then read on.

The same guy three times (I cannot tell the difference)

See, if I were to ask you, ‘Can you name some Greek philosophers?’ what would you say? You might start postulating Plato, then add a little Aristotle to the mix, and sum it all up with Socrates, but either way, those are the three philosophers that come to mind. Yet we only have the writings of two of them, or in other words, we do not actually have any written words from Socrates.

Instead he is primarily used as a tool by Plato to convey his philosophical ideas. In the same way that I draw you into reading my articles by using catchy titles that I discard after a few minutes, Plato uses a Sigma as a character in his stories to help his audience listen and stay focused. John Ferrari of UC Berkeley writes that Socrates is “one of the fictional characters in The Republic (good read, would recommend), [and] he is also its fictional voice”, which means that while Socrates was undoubtedly a real person, everything we know about him is based off his students’ representations of him.

All that is to say, we do not know very much about this Sigma. But instead of telling you what we do not know about Socrates, let us turn to what we do know from Plato’s representation of Socrates as a character foil to Thrasymachus (a complete beta character).

In the 4th and 5th century Athens, the city did not have an army, but a militia. That is to say, while they did not have a permanent armed force, all men could be called up to fight, meaning that most men became soldiers. Notice that does not exclude Socrates. And apparently he was a really, really good one.

So to paint a picture, if M. Kwak was the Sergeant Major, then Socrates was that, but in ancient Greece. According to a famous general at the time, Alcibiades, “When you behave as [Socrates] did, then the enemy does not even touch you.” Pretty Sigma, right?

They’re hiding something under that hat. A brain?

But it gets better because, by the end of his life, Socrates was a veteran of over three battles and was well known as a war hero. But during this time he did not turn from his love of knowledge, his peace in knowing. Instead he practised it all the more, famously meditating for long periods of time.

During the war, “he stood in meditation on the spot where he had been since daybreak, pondering some question, and when he had made no progress he did not give up, but stood and sought. … Finally, when evening came, some of the observers after dinner brought their sleeping mats out, to watch and see if he would also stand all night. There he stood till daylight came and sunrise. Then, when he had prayed to the Sun, he went away.” – Plato

Socrates not wearing shoes

Honestly, Socrates appears to be the true Sigma to me, surpassing even Achilles. While the Iliad revolves entirely around Achilles’ rage and primal emotions, Socrates remained grounded even in the most critical moments. And this assessment only scratches the surface when we consider Socrates in the context of his military involvement. Now, imagine delving into his realm of greatest renown: philosophy. Exploring that aspect would extend this article far beyond its current length. However, I’ll leave you with just one contemplation.

In the same way that Achilles became famous because of his death, what if it was the same for Socrates? Maybe the only reason Socrates was Sigma was because he became a martyr? Well that would leave me a bit sad because then I could never be a hero, you could never be a sigma.

Perhaps he didn’t attain Sigma status through his demise or deeds, but rather through his unique perspective—his outlook on life and approach to the world. If we truly grasp his philosophy, we can transition from being like Achilles to embodying the essence of Socrates, and eventually, you can evolve into a Sigma. Such thoughts will only come next week when we amalgamate Achilles, and synthesise Socrates creating a character foil (Hal v. Hotspur vibes) to find the Aristotelian golden mean, to figure out how you can become Sigma.

Tre Cliché Cinematografici di Coppola

Page to Picture Part Four

J. K. Tang

FROM HORSE HEADS TO COTTON-BALL CHEEKS, Coppola’s The Godfather saga has sustained itself as the pinnacle of Italian-American literature. Through the multigenerational gaze of the Corleone family, we watch the seamless projection of Puzo’s canon onto the silver screen and Sicilian familial principle onto the New York crime scene. This projection, across mediums and cultures, stamps its own conventions and trope into the ‘mafia’ genre. Here’s to name a few…

1. Corleone’s Cotton-Chin

As cinema immerses itself into new technologies, we have seen several incidences, where veteran actors de-age themselves back to their primes.

However, in 1971, Marlon Brando and the creatives deemed it necessary to age the charming 47-year-old via facial prosthesis. To achieve the mid-50s to 60s appearance of Vito Corleone, Brando had to sacrifice his red-carpet handsomeness for the leathery mask of the “Don”.

With this in mind, they needed to further accentuate the machismo of the menacing mob boss. Known to all 21st century brain-rotters, the positive-canthal tilt of one’s chin is the answer in maintaining Vito’s mewing streak onto the big screen. Ergo, cotton balls were stuffed into Brando’s jaw, bringing the mogging menace to live-action.

2. Equestrian Evils

Have you seen Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron? A childhood flick that brings us closer to one of God’s most majestic creatures. Innocent. Beautiful. And full of spirit. At least one time in their naïve lives, they should feel the bliss of freedom and happiness.

Unless you race for the successful movie-producer of Woltz International Pictures, Jack Woltz.

In one of the most critical plotlines, the “Don” infamously threatens the producer, as he refuses to cast his ‘superstar’ godson, Johnny, in the studio’s next blockbuster.

The threat was an unexpected nap with the severed head of poor ol’ Khartoum. Rippling from the theatres of the 70s to our streaming apps, this moment forever forewarns the power and control of ‘the mob’ in the crime genre.

3. Forbidden Fruit

“When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some of its fruit and ate it…” (Genesis 3:6)

To assert the Catholic roots of mafia culture, Coppola’s films simulate monothetic moral systems by the fatal contact with forbidden fruits as a determinant of one’s impending doom.

Plucked from the Bible’s first ‘branch’, Genesis, the Puzo canon mirrors the transgression of Adam and Eve to provide narrative and moral consistencies in a saga filled with unexpected betrayal.

In Vito’s naïve purchase of oranges, we witness the usurpation of the Corleone criminal empire. The sweet temptation of domestic life punishes the “Don”, for his soul is chained to the criminal underworld.

After Michael ascends to “Don” status, Vito embraces the comforts of his home garden, where he harvests a small orchid of oranges. With no crime in sight, the mere presence of Coppola’s unforgiving fruits rewards Corleone with his perfect death, and reminds us of the sins in his past life.

Simply, the Godfather films are all great mafia films and all great mafia films are the Godfather films

Do You Want To Lose?

When a Rival’s Failure is Sweeter than Your Own Success

T. G. George

ON THE 15TH OF MAY, Tottenham Hotspurs played Manchester City at home. The result fans were hoping for? Defeat.

Let’s paint the picture and see what outcome you would desire.

As the table stood, Manchester City were on 85 points with a game in hand on league leaders Arsenal, with 85 points.

If you are unaware, Tottenham and Arsenal have a ferocious rivalry, being the two top sides in North London. Their stadiums are only separated by 6.4 kilometres. That is about a 20 minute jog for Lachy Brown.

Arsenal and Tottenham players having a scrap

In recent years, Arsenal have had the edge over Tottenham. Some Arsenal fans have even gone as far as to claim that London is red (it’s blue). Nonetheless, Arsenal have finished above Tottenham in the last two seasons. Prior to that, it had been six years of bragging rights for the Spurs. However, Tottenham have not won a major trophy since 2008, when they won the League Cup.

Tottenham Trophy Cabinet

Arsenal hasn’t accumulated much silverware to flaunt over the years. Since 2004, their major triumphs have been limited to the FA Cup, which they’ve won five times. That particular year holds significance as it marks the last time Arsenal clinched the Premier League title. Many regard that squad as the epitome of Premier League greatness, famously dubbed the “Invincibles” for their unbeaten run throughout the season. Featuring legendary players like Henry, Bergkamp, Pires, Vieira, Cole, and Campbell, this team seemed invincible, and even two decades later, Arsenal fans still hold onto those memories dearly. Last year, Arsenal fans could almost taste Premier League glory once again, spending 248 days at the top of the Premier League table. No team in English top-flight football has ever led the league for so long without winning the whole thing, much to the delight of the Tottenham fans.

This year, Arsenal have been neck and neck with Liverpool and Manchester City at the top of the table. After 31 game weeks, Arsenal held the advantage in the title race, tied on 71 points with Liverpool (ahead on GD), while Manchester City sat on 70 points. However, in game week 33, the Gunners lost 2-0 to Aston Villa in a game where they had the majority of shots and possession.

L to R: Guardiola, Klopp, Arteta

Since then, both Arsenal and Manchester City have been perfect, with the seemingly deciding fixture being Tottenham vs Manchester City. The only potential twist in the title race, as Manchester City had not won a Premier League away game against Tottenham since 2018.

However, with a Champions League spot on the line, and genuine prospects of victory, there were cheers heard around the ground… in favour of the away side.

Australian manager Ange Postecoglou, was furious even before the game. “If you go by social media there’s probably 99 percent of Spurs supporters who don’t (want Spurs to win against City).”

He went on to say, “I understand rivalry. But I have never, and will never, understand someone wanting their own team to lose.”

Following the game, Postecoglou went as far as to attack the very foundations of the club stating, “I know what’s important to build a winning team, that’s what I need to concentrate on.”

Big Ange

Perhaps that is what is holding Tottenham back. The mentality that they are happy to fail, if it means their rivals do not succeed.

So, what would you do? Would you cheer against your own team?

State of Origin

Game 1, State of Origin Predictions

A. J. Baker

MATE VERSUS MATE, STATE VERSUS STATE. The famous words almost every rugby league fan anticipates to hear Phil Gould declare prior to kick off. Considering that the State of Origin is only 17 days away at the point of writing this article, this has inspired me to provide my prediction for team lists and the result. I would like to apologise in advance to any Queenslanders who may be reading this for my heavy NSW bias.

NSW Team List:

1. James Tedesco (C) (Sydney Roosters)

2. Brian To’o (Penrith Panthers)

3. Stephen Crichton (Canterbury Bulldogs)

4. Bradman Best (Newcastle Knights)

5. Josh Addo-Carr (Canterbury Bulldogs)

6. Matt Burton (Canterbury Bulldogs)

7. Nicho Hynes (Cronulla Sharks

8. Payne Haas (Brisbane Broncos)

9. Reece Robson (North Queensland Cowboys)

10. Stefano Utoikamanu (Wests Tigers)

11. Haumole Olakau’atu (Manly Sea Eagles)

12. Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)

13. Isaah Yeo (Penrith Panthers)

14. Connor Watson (Sydney Roosters)

15. Liam Martin (Penrith Panthers)

16. Cameron McInnes (Cronulla Sharks)

17. Reagan Campbell Gillard (Parramatta Eels)

Other Candidates:

Scott Drinkwater, Apisai Korisau, Dylan Edwards, Hudson Young, Mitchell Moses and Zac Lomax are all having outstanding seasons and are proving to be genuine candidates for the team. Furthermore, Tedesco’s sub-par 2023 State of Origin performance is leaving many questioning whether he will be picked.

QLD Team List:

1. Reece Walsh (Brisbane Broncos)

2. Selwyn Cobbo (Brisbane Broncos)

3. Valentine Holmes (Nth Queensland Cowboys)

4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (Redcliffe Dolphins)

5. Xavier Coates (Melbourne Storm)

6. Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)

7. Daly Cherry-Evans I (Manly Sea Eagles)

8. Reuben Cotter (North Queensland Cowboys)

9. Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)

10. Lindsay Collins (Sydney Roosters)

11. David Fifita (Gold Coast Titans)

12. Jeremiah Nanai (North Queensland Cowboys)

13. Patrick Carrigan (Brisbane Broncos)

14. Ben Hunt (Illawarra Dragons)

15. J’maine Hopgood (Parramatta Eels)

16. Moeaki Fotuaika (Gold Coast Titans)

17. Jaydn Su’a (Illawarra Dragons)

Other Candidates:

Murray Tualagi, Kurt Capewell and Daine Gagia are all viable options Billy Slater could implement into the team in the case of injury; however, their predecessors are in too good form to place these players above them.

Game One Prediction:

NSW have been plagued with an injury crisis ruling out gun players Nathan Cleary and Cameron Murray in particular. Queensland, on the other hand is in prime form, looking to extend their State of Origin dominance to a potential 3-peat. NSW is definitely entering this battle as the underdog. However, with a home crowd, a new coach and many players fighting for their position within the squad, I can see the Blues getting over the line in a tight, hard fought battle.

Game 1: 22-18 (NSW win)

Cross Country Report

Knox/Cranbrook Invitation, UpJohn Park, Saturday 18 May 2024

Well, the time had come to stop speculating and see where we are ‘actually at’ in the 2024 Cross Country Season last Saturday. Conditions were great at our regular haunt of UpJohn Park, and the boys seemed excited to put their best foot forward in the first competition run of the season. We ended the day with some promising performances and also realising we have plenty of work to do should we wish to hoist the Emery Trophy again come season’s end.

The Juniors lead us out strongly, with Toby Ward back this week to run alongside Henry Grieve toward the front of the pack for the duration of the race. Henry started a little more conservatively than Toby and closed in on him as the race progressed. They eventually ended up alongside each other, and they then pushed each other brilliantly in a fine display of team running. Toby prevailed at the line over his younger teammate to secure a solid 19th overall to Henry’s 20th, 7th and 8th, respectively amongst the GPS. I’m convinced these finishing positions will drop as the season unfolds! Archie Watson continues to be a reliable member of the age group and closed in on George Harvey throughout the race and squeezed past on the last lap. George was not the slightest deflated, nor should he be, and continued to push hard to hang onto Archie. They ended up 37th and 41st overall, 17th and 18th in the GPS, securing another solid team result of 3rd, only 1 point adrift of King’s in 2nd, yet with some work to do to catch Scots who were well ahead amongst the GPS Schools. Another notable result came from Leon Field, who jumped five places at the finish in his new kicks! Nice! I also liked the pre-race advice to the Juniors from Senior Cross Country stalwarts Bestic and Gilmour.

We were super excited to see what our Intermediates could do on their first competitive and point-scoring outing in 2024. We were certainly not disappointed as the team gelled well together. Jonty J stepped it up again last Saturday, once again leading his mates, his team, for the duration of the race as he placed 11th, oh so close to an overall Top Ten, to be 4th amongst GPS rivals. Will Bestic ran well in a cap as he tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to tame his exquisite coiffure and maintained better contact with Jonty as he was 16th, 6th GPS. James Warren and Ben Frantz were in an excellent in-school battle for pretty much the duration of the race, with James stepping on the gas as the finish line approached to be 22nd with Ben not far adrift in 28th. Mr Benn and Mr Friend supplied live scoring updates again trackside and were convinced we had done enough to secure the team win. Yet maybe it was the subtle light blue of King’s that allowed them to sneak under the radar of such sage spectators as they secured the win to our 2nd. Thankfully the gap was only 6 pts. Here’s looking to turn the tide next week!

Blow of blows came early Saturday morning with the news that our Captain Lachy Brown was sick in bed. Drat! Covid, in fact! Double drat! However, after the shock and disappointment of losing the ‘rock’ of recent Shore Cross Country successes, the Open lads did their best to run well and salvage what they could from proceedings! Ryan Gilmour led our assault on the

Remove break

UpJohn course and was in the hunt for pretty much the duration. A few Cross Country superstars just managed to sneak away from him at the end, yet he should be most pleased with his result of 6th overall, 4th GPS. James Bestic stepped it up from last week as he snuck ahead of gutsy and pleasingly reliable recruit Isaac L. In the absence of Lachy, it was left to the Intermediates ‘running up’, Tom Gray and Hugo Stewart, to complete our Open team result. Thankfully they were there, or it would have been super ugly. Tom started possibly a little too quickly, dropping a sub 3:30 first km and paid the price for his enthusiasm. He did regroup and finish solidly in 26th overall to complete our team result, with Hugo a bit further back in 39th. I’ve no doubt these two will improve hugely as the season continues. All they need is that one confidence building ‘I can do it’ performance. Unfortunately, Scots have skipped away from us in the Opens by a sizeable margin of 20pts. Though that may seem unassailable, we were in a similar situation last year and fought our way back! Well, the fight is certainly ahead of us, and thankfully, it is a long season, and anything can happen! I can’t wait either way, yet I’m already certain whatever happens, we will be proud of the performances and effort from the Blue Street Boys!

Shore Cross Country Machine of the Week

There were so many options for ‘Machine’ honours last weekend! As discussed at lunch on Monday and Tuesday by Shore Cross Country staff… We couldn’t, in the end, go past Isaac L whose fine performance ‘saved our bacon’ for seasonal aspirations in the Opens!

Good running,

Mr M Spratt
MIC Cross Country

Top image: Teamwork #2!

Golf Report

Saturday 18 May 2024 – Individual Stableford and 2B Medley

The third round of the season was held at Northbridge on Saturday. The weather was poor again this week, and rain and an icy wind made the playing conditions extremely difficult. The greens were also fast, and an additional challenge of the day was playing off the championship tees. The team’s scores reflected the difficulty of the day; however, Zach France scored a respectable 31 points. This placed him in the top 20 out of a 100-player field, and he took home a $4 prize as an A-grade placegetter. Overall, the performance of the team was respectable, bearing in mind the very hard playing conditions. The boys are all looking forward to next week for (hopefully improved conditions) and another opportunity to perform well.

Thomas Livingstone
Golf Captain

Scores

Mr R Ward
MIC Golf