Blood Drives Sydney

Lifeblood Donation Week - Project Management Warriors & Warrioresses

Enoch Powell: Rivers of Blood - Roxana Bicleanu

**Enoch Powell: Rivers of Blood** Roxana is now retired after a career in IT. She loves reading and her interests are philosophy, literature, art and politics. Her accent is Romanian. Was Enoch Powell a villain or a prophet? With immigration always a hot topic, let’s have a look at the speech that, almost 60 years later, still divides opinions and at the controversial politician who authored it. The speech: [https://anth1001.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/enoch-powell_speech.pdf](https://anth1001.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/enoch-powell_speech.pdf) Best videos are the ones from the Dick Cavett show in 1971 – there are 2 segments which are short and entertaining: [https://youtu.be/XVFh_CNePJc?si=-eWP8i5HPt7vyaQC](https://youtu.be/XVFh_CNePJc?si=-eWP8i5HPt7vyaQC) [https://youtu.be/MEPtyb9OHP8?si=RpvDHhcqohCqk20b](https://youtu.be/MEPtyb9OHP8?si=RpvDHhcqohCqk20b) **On the second Monday of the month, Philo Agora has a speaker on a philosophical topic and a Q&A and discussion after. On the fourth Monday we meet again for open philosophical discussion.** Philo Agora's format is a talk for 20 minutes starting at 7:15 for 7:30. The presenter then answers any questions of clarification from the floor. We then take a break of 5 minutes for more coffee and to mull over the talk and discuss it within small groups. The microphone is then passed around the audience for comment, opinion, and often counter argument to a maximum of 3 minutes. The presenter is then given a 5 minute right of reply. We usually finish up at 9pm. The cover charge is $5 for the talk. There are tea and coffee facilities available in-house. Sam Alexander - Convener (0457 749 310)

Monopoly (Monday)

Sunset Walk and Chill

Make new friends. Southern highlands!Text Luke RSVP free car ride 0418499490

Southern highlands free drive. Text luke to rsvp & if u want a free car ride 0418499490. Car pick up point is right near central railway station ie [Sydney Central YHA](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=-33.881454%2C%20151.20546) 11 Rawson Place · Sydney Our first stop from sydney is in very pretty and Historic Berrima to look around, toilet break, or experience a free visit to an historic colonial house ! Open sat and sun 11am to 3pm Here is the link for u to look [https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/places/harpers-mansion/](https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/places/harpers-mansion/) 9 Wilkinson Street, Berrima, New South Wales 2577 , Berrima Publican James Harper was having a good year in 1834. The only son of convicts William Harper and Margaret Morgan, he built the [Surveyor General Inn](https://thefoldsouthernhighlands.com.au/listing/surveyor-general-inn-berrima.html) in the centre of Berrima and became licensee in 1835. Meanwhile, he and his wife Mary built [Harper’s Mansion](https://thefoldsouthernhighlands.com.au/listing/k:harpers-mansion-berrima), a beautifully proportioned Georgian townhouse, on the hill overlooking the village. Today, the Surveyor General is Australia’s oldest continually licensed inn and the National Trust runs Harper’s Mansion with its two acres of gardens and significant maze THEN we travel to the beautiful Mittagong Club for lunch (inexpensive and very comfortable). you dont have to order any food...you can just bring your own food, if you like, and snack on the way...your choice. Here are more places of interest that might interest you on this trip or in the future..plz let Luke know and we will make it happen! [https://www.visitsouthernhighlands.com.au/trip-ideas/heritage-trail](https://www.visitsouthernhighlands.com.au/trip-ideas/heritage-trail/)

Manipulation: What It Is, Why It's Bad, What to Do About It

How often are your decisions really your own? Every day we are surrounded by advertising, social media, political campaigns, news headlines, influencers, sales techniques and well-meaning advice — all competing for our attention and trying to shape what we think, feel and do. But where is the line between persuasion and manipulation? Can manipulation ever be ethical, or is it always something to resist? And in an age of personalised algorithms and increasingly sophisticated AI, are we becoming easier to manipulate than ever before? Come and join us as we explore these fascinating and relevant questions of modern life. **Book: *Manipulation: What It Is, Why It's Bad, What to Do About It* (2025) by Cass R. Sunstein** **Companion Reading: *[A Guide to Understanding Manipulation](https://1drv.ms/b/c/adb4f7488b2eef0a/IQDHXT_8qUk6SaS0K3l8wqrwAQGmTmBNSjEbvmGyDm5emUM?e=A1kJfd)*** (prepared for this meetup) Cass Sunstein is almost uniquely placed to write this book. He is the co-creator of nudge theory (with Richard Thaler), a former senior adviser in the Obama White House, and one of the most cited legal scholars in the world. He has spent decades studying how human psychology shapes decisions, and has seen from the inside how governments and corporations exploit that knowledge. The result is a book that is simultaneously rigorous and readable: part philosophy, part law, part behavioural science, and part catalogue of the tricks being played on us every day. Sunstein moves from abstract definitions — what exactly separates manipulation from persuasion, and why does it matter? — through case studies of dark patterns, deepfakes, deliberate bureaucratic friction, and the social pressure traps of platforms like TikTok, before arriving at what may be the book's most important question: as AI makes manipulation more precise and more powerful than at any previous point in history, do we need a new legal and moral right — a right not to be manipulated — in the same way that a previous era recognised, for the first time, a right to privacy? This is one of those discussions where prior reading is not just encouraged but genuinely necessary — the conversation will move quickly into territory that only makes sense if you already understand Sunstein's conceptual framework. The companion reading guide is designed to make that framework accessible quickly, so even if time is short, a read-through of it will set you up well. But if you can get hold of the book itself, we think you'll find it genuinely easy to read or listen to — and it comes with a notable endorsement: Tim Wu, whose book we discussed just a couple of months ago, has named it as one of his top book recommendations. So join us for a drink (and optional meal) at 6:30pm on Monday, 5th October, on the 2nd floor of the Keg & Brew Hotel in Surrey Hills (i.e. up two flights of stairs). The venue is conveniently located near Central Station and the Light Rail. We look forward to seeing you there! P.S. Please adjust your RSVP if you have indicated that you will come but are no longer able to do so. This is courteous to others if there is a waitlist. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- These are just optional links to consider to supplement the reading of the book and document. Feel free to pass on other useful links in the discussion section. **Videos** * Cass Sunstein in an overview, seminar and podcast: [Overview of the book (3 mins)](https://www.cambridge.org/news-and-insights/talking-manipulation-with-cass-sunstein) [Online Seminar - Fifty Shades of Manipulation (43 mins)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9sopDkcLYM) [Sunstein on Manipulation vs Influence](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aPzxitrWCE&t=2s) * 5 Insights on the book (The Next Big Idea Club) by Sunstein. Note that the audio version is more detailed than the written summary below it: [These Are the Silent Manipulations Most People Don’t Notice](https://nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/silent-manipulations-people-dont-notice-bookbite/56807/) * An explainer video and TED Talk on Dark Patterns: [What are Dark Patterns in UX?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yj1GH111Xc) [Dark Patterns - How design seeks to control us](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJUW0iZzAaQ) * Netflix: *The Social Dilemma* (2020). This is a well known documentary examining social media platforms including how dark patterns are employed to manipulate users. **Written** * The *Deceptive Patterns* website has a great collection of manipulative, deceptive and coercive design patterns in the digital world: [Deceptive Patterns](https://deceptive.design/) * A Cass Sunstein article in The Guardian: [Why we need a right not to be manipulated](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2025/jul/27/why-we-need-a-right-not-to-be-manipulated) * Cass Sunstein in an interview: [Cass Sunstein on Manipulation and AI](https://apablog.substack.com/p/cass-sunstein-on-manipulation-and)

IFF 26 - The Echo Chamber + dinner/drink beforehand

MAKE NEW FRIENDS! FREE car ride to KURNELL Botany Bay & cheap & great cafe etc!

**MAKE NEW FRIENDS! FREE car ride to KURNELL Eat or just chat at Botany Bay Silver Cafe..your choice!** **FREE car ride in the car from YHA Rawson Place central, right next to Central Railway station at 10am, so please text Luke to reserve your car seat asap 0418499490 ASAP!** **(Sometimes there are cancellations, so you may still be able to come, as we will add you to the waiting list and text you if someone cancels! easy!).** or if you are driving yourselves, please meet us at the INEXPENSIVE cafe and ph Luke when you arrive 0418499490 You can also bring your own food-no problems (and dogs are allowed too!) [https://www.facebook.com/kurnellpostoffice/](https://www.facebook.com/kurnellpostoffice/) [Silver Beach Cafe, Post Office & Newsagency](https://www.facebook.com/kurnellpostoffice/) at 152 Prince Charles Parade, Kurnell NSW 2231. **Location and Details** * **Address**: 152 Prince Charles Parade, Kurnell NSW 2231 * **Phone**: +61 2 9668 9933 After (your choice) you can visit with us the National Parks info centre as this place is the FIRST contact by Europeans in Australia by Captain James Cook in 1770 and see info on how colonisation happened. Also all the options for short walks around Botany Bay are explained with FREE maps etc. https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/visitor-centres/kurnell-visitor-centre Text Luke to RSVP and ph Luke when you arrive at the YHA to pick you up in the car 0418499490

Dracula by Bram Stoker | Sun 4 Oct 2026

Unhurried Conversations - Saturday

Bring yourself along, we explain how it works.

Machine Learning to mRNA: How I Built a Personalised Cancer Vaccine for My Dog

**Speaker bio:** * Paul Conyngham is the founder of Gamgee, a Y Combinator company developing personalised mRNA cancer vaccines for dogs. After 17 years in machine learning, Paul taught himself genomics and used AI to design a personalised vaccine for his dog Rosie, whose responsive tumours shrank by 50–75%. **Presentation outline:** \- Rosie’s cancer and why existing treatments were not enough \- Using AI to cross from machine learning into genomics \- The journey from tumour sequencing to an administered mRNA vaccine \- What worked\, what failed and what one patient can teach us \- Turning a year\-long manual process into repeatable software \- Why Gamgee is starting with dogs and where the technology goes next * Join our community on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14297125/ to stay up-to-date on all our upcoming events We are grateful to our new hosts and sponsors the Centre for Business Intelligence and Data Analytics (BIDA) at the Business School, University of Technology, Sydney

Kiama Illawarra Coast Day Trip

**Whats App Group** [https://chat.whatsapp.com/GnICxJKNRFyIhhdbs0SbeX](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GnICxJKNRFyIhhdbs0SbeX) * **Drive Time**: 1 h 45 min (100 km south via Princes Hwy) * **Route**: Sydney → Princes Hwy → Kiama → Blowhole → Coastal Walk → Gerringong → Return * **Highlights**: * **Kiama Blowhole**: Natural rock formation where waves shoot water 20+ meters into the air. * **Kiama Coastal Walk**: Scenic clifftop trail with ocean views, rock pools, and hidden coves. * Gerringong: Quaint seaside town with historic cottages, cafes, and beaches. **Book Carpool or Driver** [https://www.extremelyshy.com/sydney&ubnq9q](https://www.extremelyshy.com/sydney&ubnq9q) * **Carpool** You will be assigned a vehicle. Check your confirmation email for your driver’s details. Let your driver scan your QR code to access your carpool service. Please stay with your driver throughout the trip. * **Driver** Check your confirmation email to assign the passengers. Scan passengers’ QR codes to provide carpool service. You will then get paid in accordance with the [Payout Policy](https://extremelyshy.ca/pages/pricing) **What’s included** * Gas, Vehicle use, Driver effort. Split bill if any other expense is exist. **Meeting and Pickup** * Meeting Time: 8:00 AM * Meeting Point: Starbucks Capitol Square, g01, 730-742 George St, Haymarket * End Time: 7:00 PM * End Point: This activity ends back at the meeting point. **Refund Policy** * Refund Policy: Not refundable except if the event is canceled, rescheduled. Contact us by the end of the day. **Liability** * The organizer and any/all assistant organizers and other attendees are in no way responsible and liable for your personal safety and health state, before, during, and at any time after this event. * You acknowledge you are solely responsible for your health, safety, and well-being before, during, and at any time after the event as stated previously. * All attendees shall forever hold harmless the organizers and other attendees and unconditionally waive any liabilities resulting from attending and/or participating in this event.