Conversations New York

Hosts: Yen, Bill & Kilaya. Give blood - "One pint of blood can save 3 lives. Bring a friend & save 6 lives." Pay It Forward https://youtu.be/MqUfHAOdn30

• 62% of the U.S. is eligible to donate blood. The #1 reason people don't donate is they were never asked.
• Did you know that platelets support blood clotting and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live?
• Did you know that blood loss victims of car accidents may need transfusions of 50 pints or more of red blood cells?
• More than 25% of the blood supply is used by cancer patients.

"Red Cross declares first-ever national blood crisis." https://youtu.be/ZUmbgpmNixg #GIVEWITHME https://www.cbsnews.com/news/red-cross-blood-crises-united-states-covid-19/

Make your reservation here: https://donate.nybc.org/donor/auth/signin

We'll be donating at the Grand Central Donor Center
Chanin Building
115 East 41st Street
NEW YORK, NY 10017
+18009332566
(this is NOT to be confused with the Metro North Donor Center)

Information for first-time donors, including eligibility criteria: https://www.nybc.org/donate-blood/

"The need for blood is ongoing, but COVID-19 has destroyed the foundation on which the community donates blood to patients served by New York Blood Center.

Every week, more than 75,000 blood donations and 1,700 donated platelet units are needed to meet patient need. To ensure we are prepared to support health agencies in our communities and across the country, NYBCe strongly urges individuals who feel healthy and well to make an appointment at a donor center or find a new community blood drive.

DONORS PRESENTING:

" Regardless of vaccination status, ALL donors MUST wear a mask that covers their mouth and nose

Must be 14 days symptom free if recovered from COVID-19

May NOT donate if they have a positive diagnostic test or experienced symptoms of COVID-19 in the last 14 days

May not donate if they have been told to self-quarantine due to exposure risk, including travel. We follow current State and CDC travel recommendations.

CDC - Travel (cdc.gov)

COVID-19 Travel Advisory | Department of Health (ny.gov)

If you are unsure whether to donate, or if you have donated recently and you develop symptoms of COVID-19 or you test positive for COVID-19, please contact us at 800.688.0900." https://nybc.org/donate-blood/covid-19-and-blood-donation-copy/

#SAVEALIFE #GIVEWITHME #DONATEBLOOD #NYBLOODCENTER #REDCROSS #VOLUNTEER #BLOODSHORTAGE

South Park got its fame from a small skit where there was a line that went something like: “And what’s Christmas about?” “Presents!” one of the characters answered. That’s what a lot of people think these days. But as thoughtful people, let’s take a look at what the spirit of Christmas is really about. What did Christ try to teach the world about 2000 years ago, and have we “gotten the message?”

A little about our host:
Garrett is a programmer turned award-winning software inventor turned entrepreneur (http://platerate.com/) is his company. His hobby is writing and discussing practical philosophy, and he does life coaching on request to help people live happy, moral lives. He is also the executive director of The Free Thinker Institute (http://freethinkerinstitute.org/), which aims to create a community that helps members increase happiness and decrease harm for themselves and those they can influence.
Format: Lecture and discussion
Note: social time for our community 15 minutes before the presentation.
To get familiar with our past events, feel free to check out our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmixGB9GdrptyEWovEj80zg
After registering via zoom, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
We publish our event recordings on our Youtube channel to offer our help to anyone who would like to but can’t attend the meeting, so we need to give this clause. If you don’t want to be recorded, just remain on mute and keep your video off.

Here’s our legal notice:
For valuable consideration received, by joining this event I hereby grant Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns, the irrevocable and unrestricted right to use and publish any and all Zoom recordings for trade, advertising and any other commercial purpose, and to alter the same without any restriction. I hereby release Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns from all claims and liability related to said video recordings.

In philosophy this is called epistemology - The study of what constitutes knowledge, eg how can we know something is or is not true. I will reveal a high level overview of my perspective here: I don’t think we should believe we know anything with absolute certainty - To do us shuts us down to the possibility we may be wrong. We should learn things with a certainty level that its true. For example, that earth is an oblate spheroid and not flat, we can say with 99.9999% certainty, but let’s not call it 100%. Other things like whether time can flow backwards, we have much less certainty around because there isn’t a clear consensus on this alleged fact (FWIW, I think its inaccurate, I think time only moves in one direction).

A little about our host:
Garrett is a programmer turned award-winning software inventor turned entrepreneur (http://platerate.com/) is his company. His hobby is writing and discussing practical philosophy, and he does life coaching on request to help people live happy, moral lives. He is also the executive director of The Free Thinker Institute (http://freethinkerinstitute.org/), which aims to create a community that helps members increase happiness and decrease harm for themselves and those they can influence.

Format:
Lecture and discussion

Note:
social time for our community 15 minutes before the presentation.

To get familiar with our past events, feel free to check out our YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmixGB9GdrptyEWovEj80zg

After registering via zoom, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

We publish our event recordings on our Youtube channel to offer our help to anyone who would like to but can’t attend the meeting, so we need to give this clause. If you don’t want to be recorded, just remain on mute and keep your video off.

Here’s our legal notice:
For valuable consideration received, by joining this event I hereby grant Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns, the irrevocable and unrestricted right to use and publish any and all Zoom recordings for trade, advertising and any other commercial purpose, and to alter the same without any restriction. I hereby release Free Thinker Institute and its legal representatives and assigns from all claims and liability related to said video recordings.

Come join us for a relaxed evening of food, drink, and meaningful conversation! Whether you're a regular or this is your first time, you’re welcome to come as you are. I usually unable to attend, but we still want everyone to feel welcome. Althea events always bring together thoughtful and interesting people—and we’d love to have you be part of that energy.

1st & 4th Fridays: 7:00PM-09:00PM
NYSEC Meeting House: Ceremonial Hall

All are welcome!

BYOB (no hard liquors)/Potluck
Donations Appreciated but Not Required
Donate Here via Ethical NYC to Support this Event
https://ethicalnyc.app.neoncrm.com/forms/54
+1 (212) 874-5210
info@nysec.org
https://ethical.nyc/
· Location is subject to change for special events. Check website calendars and Meetup pages for various groups for updates and changes.
· Default room is Ceremonial on the 4th Floor. Room is subject to change depending on capacity or activity. Check for any posted signs.
· Use the wheelchair ramp entrance at the Meeting House NOT the Fieldston School. Press both doorbells if the door is locked. The elevator and stairs are right there to take to the 4th floor.

Our friends at various groups are cross-posting this event. Some groups have after-parties.

RULES for In-Person Meeting:

1. GROUP PROMOTION: Each group may bring flyers or posters advertising membership, donations, and meetings.
2. DRINKING: Bring your own booze should be limited to beer and wine, no hard liquors. Everyone should drink responsibly and don't get sloshed. Save the hard drinking for the after parties in outside bars.
3. RESPECT FOR DIFFERENCES: While there is overlap among the groups, not every group is the same and thinks the same. Respect each other's differences and different ideologies. Look for common ground not for things to hate. We're all friends here, treat each other as such.
4. ARGUMENTS: Listen to each other’s opinion completely in good faith. Ask questions about other's points instead of immediately dismissing. Approach taboo subjects--such as sex, religion, and politics--with strangers cautiously; back out if getting heated. Agree to disagree and walk away if necessary.
5. RESPECT FOR THE MEETING HOUSE: Use appropriate trash/recycling cans and clean up after yourselves. Leave the Meeting House better than you found it. Respect the neighborhood, don't act foolishly on the streets when entering and leaving or loitering.
6. NO ELECTIONEERING: Due to tax restrictions for many groups being §501(c)(3) tax-exempt, do not discuss, promote, denigrate, or leave/display/hand out materials for any candidate, campaign, party, or proposition on any upcoming election. No electioneering during the event. Other activities prohibited by tax-restrictions are also not allowed.
7. SELF-RECOGNITION: Try to speak from your own experiences and own your intentions and impacts. Recognize your own privileges and different backgrounds.
8. CONFIDENTIALITY: Meetings are private despite being open to the public. Recordings are prohibited. You may share what you learned, but not direct quotes and identities.
9. MEETING MODERATION: The organizers, hosts, co-hosts, moderators, and discussion leaders will use various methods available to ensure compliance with the rules and maintain decorum.
   Attending any meeting or event implies agreement with the above rules.