Business News and Politics

Mark your calendars: the next Haskell Utrecht Meetup will be on February 2nd. We will be back in the University Library - room 0.21 - in the City Center. Note that you can park your bicycle under the library if you enter through the central courtyard. We hope to see you there! We have two speakers confirmed, Jaro Reinders and Niek Mulleners. Agenda: * 19:15 Doors open * 19:30 Welcome * 19:35 **Jaro Reinders - Algebraic Effects for Verified Compilers** * Break * 20:30 **Niek Mulleners - Programming with Holes, Types, and Tests** * 21:00-ish Finish * Drinks @ Florin **Algebraic Effects for Verified Compilers - Jaro Reijnders** Algebraic effects are a promising approach to reason about programs with side effects. Recent work on interaction trees has shown that algebraic effects can be used to verify compilers extrinsically. In the hope of avoiding overhead of extrinsic verification, I have researched how to use algebraic effects more directly as the intermediate representation in a verified compiler. I will present this approach and its complications. **Programming with Holes, Types, and Tests - Niek Mulleners** The duty of the compiler is to turn programs into executable code. When a program is incomplete or incorrect, it should tell the programmer exactly why their program cannot be executed and, ideally, how this can be fixed. To do so, the compiler has to understand the programmer's intentions. In this talk, I will explore how programmers can express their intentions through types, tests, and sketches (programs containing holes), and how the compiler might use this information to assist them in writing programs.

Kom naar het HaHaHo Makers Lab Utrecht voor een avond vol kennis & ervaringsdelen en maken, met de focus op elektronica met microprocessoren zoals Arduino & Raspberry Pi, LED’s en meetapparatuur. 19:00 Inloop + opzetten apparatuur 19:45 Standup: wat wil iedereen doen en/of leren deze avond? 20:00 Parallelle activiteiten: – startactiviteiten voor nieuwe deelnemers (Arduino, soldering, meetapparatuur, etc.) – onderlinge kennisuitwisseling adhv de wensen uit de standup – werken aan het gezamenlijke [PraatPaal-project](https://github.com/hadoopmarc/hahaho-interactive-pole) – werken aan je eigen project – ordenen/markeren van de ladenkasten met elektronisch componenten 21:30 Start met opruimen 21:45 Einde en verlaten van de Bibliotheek Een laptop is niet noodzakelijk maar komt vaak van pas! We vragen een vrijwillige donatie van €5 per avond om de inventaris met apparatuur en elektronische componenten op peil te kunnen houden. English 19:00 Room available for setting up equipment 19:45 Standup: what are the participant’s plans and wishes for the evening? 20:00 Parallel activities: – starter activities for new participants (Arduino, soldering, measuring equipment, etc.) – sharing knowledge as follow-up on the plans and wishes expressed during the standup – working on the community [Interactive Pole project](https://github.com/hadoopmarc/hahaho-interactive-pole) – working on your individual project – sorting the chest of drawers with electrical components 21:30 Start decluttering the room 21:45 End: leave the Public Library Bring your laptop if you want to program microcontrollers! We ask for a voluntary donation of €5 per evening to maintain the inventory with equipment and electrical components.

Craft night done right at the Krachtcentrale! Looking to activate your imagination? Join us for a night of abstract watercolor painting. Grab a drink at the bar, then head upstairs to the entresol for a playful evening of painting. Bring your own watercolors or use what we have on-hand. No experience needed, just your curiosity and creativity. This is a fun, social evening of painting and chatting while making our own little messy masterpieces. Come solo or with friends. About your host: Michelle is a Huizen based creative, originally from Portland, Oregon. Often crafting with paints, pens, fabric, woodblock, ceramics and more, she has loved playing with color since she was a kid.

ATTEND IN PERSON OR ONLINE This event is sponsored by the Royal institute of Philosophy. Lecture and discussion! See you there? For the full programme of events pls see pfalondon.org

**Ursula Blythe - The Philosophy of Grief: Love, loss, and the so-called human condition** ATTEND IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM Can Philosophy Inform Grief? Death is part of the human condition, yet we tend to avoid the subject in everyday conversations and philosophical discourse. Engaging with Grief reminds people of their own inevitable losses and demise during their life-cycle. However, death remains a curious mystery where our sense of loss and confusion is somehow out of our control. This phenomena generates the concept and real-life experience of Grief itself. As a starting point, it is important to understand or appreciate: Why we avoid the topic of Grief, particularly across Western cultures? Indeed, there are many social, psychological, and philosophical reasons for avoiding the discussion of Grief. As a prelude to my talk, I have signposted some significant examples of why we may avert discussions of Grief, as follows: Emotional Discomfort: Grief is an intensely painful and overwhelming emotion. Discussing it openly can make both the grieving person and others feel uncomfortable, as it forces an acknowledgment of vulnerability and mortality. Fear of Saying the Wrong Thing: Many folks are unsure of what to say or how to support someone who is grieving. They fear causing further pain or appearing insensitive which often leads them to avoid the elephant in the room! Social Norms and Stigma: Western culture often emphasises resilience and “moving on” quickly. So, open displays of intense emotions, especially prolonged sadness can be seen as a sign of weakness or an inability to cope, leading to avoidance of the subject. Lack of Personal Experience: If an individual has not experienced a significant loss themselves, they may struggle to empathise or appreciate the depth of another’s pain. Pace of Modern Life: Everyday life moves quickly, and there is often little time or space for the extended period of mourning that Grief requires. People may feel pressure to maintain normalcy and avoid “bringing down the mood” in social interactions. In Philosophical Terms: Traditional philosophy, particularly from the Stoics onward, has often focused on how to overcome or control emotions like ‘Grief’ through reason, rather than exploring its inherent value or meaning. The goal was often ataraxia (a state of freedom from emotional disturbance) which positions Grief as something to be managed, rather than discussed openly. Solomon (2007) states that the avoidance of Grief stems from a human disposition to: Shield ourselves and others from intense pain and the profound existential challenges that Grief presents. On reflection, normative definitions explain Loss as the event of losing something or someone. However, death remains a curious mystery here a sense of loss and bewilderment is out of our control known as the ‘process’ or ‘stages’ of Grief, which I will strongly argue against. For me, Grief is nether inherently rational or irrational, as it a natural emotional, mental, and physical response to the loss of a loved one. However, everyone’s experience of Grief is different, both culturally and individually. When endeavouring to “draw out meaning” from Grief. Perhaps it is very subjective in the early stages, and more objective in the later stages, which may generate a new understanding of Grief as a philosophical concept. In this talk, I will be drawing on the work of C.S. Lewis (1963), Robert C. Solomon (2007) and Michael Cholbi (2022), in order to assess if philosophy can actually inform our understanding and meaning of Grief. **Ursula Mary Blythe** is a public philosopher, essayist, researcher, and someone who has experienced profound loss and grief in recent years. This event is sponsored by the Royal institute of Philosophy. Lecture and discussion! See you there? For the full programme of events pls see [pfalondon.org](http://pfalondon.org)

If you are living in The Netherlands, by now, you may well have noticed the amount of open water. If you enjoy cycling in the city, you may wish to feel safer as you navigate the bridges and canals. And you may also want to get ready for visiting the beach, pools or the many lakes this summer. Learning how to swim takes approx 1 year and it all starts with the very first lesson. New comers enroll via our website and pay € 30,50, this is the first lesson and a goody bag. After the class you agree with the personal swim coach how to continue to obtain your final objectives. Enrolling is only possible via [www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl ](https://www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl/)hence a rvsp via meetup is not enough.

Samen sporten, gewoon voor de fun, elke week een divers programma, met allerlei verschillende sporten. Je hoeft niet de beste te zijn, maar wel zin hebben om samen te spelen en te leren. Tijdens een training doen we verschillende spelletjes, basketbal, voetbal. volleybal, spikebal, honkbal. Kom je ook, de bal ligt bij jou!! Eerste keer meedoen is altijd gratis, daarna kan je beslissen of dit voor jou is, of niet!! Dus kom een keer proberen. Kan je niet op deze dag, we sporten ook op andere dagen nl Zondag om 9:30 of Maandag om 20:30 Stuur mij een berichtje als je op die dagen een keer wil proberen! The amount of people rsvp'd to this game doesn't match the real number of people at the event, as Meetup is only used for promotion purposes.

Some people talk about politics. Others can't stop talking about fishing. I can continue talking forever about org design... Join me in Utrecht to talk about #OrgDesign! #OrgTopologies

**NEW DATE: Friday February 6th** Let's kick off 2026 together! 🎉 For the first time, **Dutch AUG** and **Flutter Netherlands** are teaming up for a New Year's drinks meetup 🥂 Join us at **Quignon in Utrecht** on **Friday, February 6th, from 17:00 to 20:00** — perfect for dropping by after work. This won't be your typical talks-and-pizza night, just good company, a few drinks, and a chance to start the new year with others from the community. Both groups share a lot of common ground — we're all building mobile apps, often with the same tools, and powered by Google technologies. So a joint event mixing the communities felt like a fun way to start the year!Everyone gets a few drinks on us to start the evening, plus some snacks to share. After that, it's pay-as-you-drink at the bar. 🍻 Space is 80 people in total, shared across both meetup groups. So with 40 per group, be quick! If this event fills up here, check the other group's Meetup page to sign up there instead: * [Dutch AUG](https://www.meetup.com/nl-nl/dutch-aug/) * [Flutter Netherlands](https://www.meetup.com/flutter-holland/) (using Flutter Holland meetup page) Please note: You only have to register **once**! We're excited to toast the new year, catch up with familiar faces, and welcome new ones. See you at [Quignon](https://share.google/C7EWVghYtd0h2abPy)! **NOTE:** Please drink responsibly. If you come by car, think of the limit, try some alcohol free versions or arrange a taxi or carpool. Best is of course public transport. For people by car in general: there are several Q-parks in Utrecht, but ParkBee is also a good option.

It's time for a new Dutch PowerShell User Group in-person edition. This continues our community events, bringing people together around DevOps, PowerShell scripting, and automation in the Netherlands. Hosted at Info Support in Veenendaal, the evening will be a chance not only to learn but also to reconnect with fellow community members. **Speakers** As part of this restart, we have opened a [Call for Papers](https://sessionize.com/dupsug/) to give both new and experienced speakers the opportunity to contribute. The full program will be announced soon. **Agenda** The event will take place on the 4th of February, 2026. All times are listed in CET. * 17:30 – 18:00 Arrival * 18:00 – 18:45 Dinner * 18:45 – 19:00 Welcome from Info Support / Organizers * 19:00 – 19:45 Keep secrets away from AI Assistants: Secure Secrets Management with PowerShell by Jev Suchoi * 19:45 – 20:15 Break * 20:15 – 21:00 Show and tell: Show, in a short 5-10 minute session, PowerShell things that you are proud of. This could be something you made or improved, or a cool VSCode extension that everybody should start using immediately! Or a way of working with scripts that makes things easier and more efficient, etc. Sharing is caring! * 21:00 – 21:30 Networking **Speaker Information** With the restart of DuPSUG, we are opening the stage for both familiar names and new voices. The [CFP](https://sessionize.com/dupsug/) is currently live, and speakers will be announced shortly. **Sessions** As we restart our events, sessions will continue to focus on advanced topics in automation, scripting, and DevOps. **Location** We are in-person at: Info Support Kruisboog 42 3905 TG Veenendaal Participation is free, and you are encouraged to attend in person. **Tickets** We kindly ask you to register your attendance through Meetup. Our events are made possible through sponsorship, and accurate attendance numbers help us secure continued support. Please register if you plan to attend, and update your RSVP if your plans change.

'THE THURSDAY MURDER CLUB' by Richard Osman 'Smart, compassionate, warm, moving and so VERY funny' Marian Keyes 'So smart and funny. Deplorably good' Ian Rankin 'Thrilling, moving, laugh-out-loud funny' - Mark Billingham In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet up once a week to investigate unsolved murders. But when a brutal killing takes place on their very doorstep, the Thursday Murder Club find themselves in the middle of their first live case. Elizabeth, Joyce, Ibrahim and Ron might be pushing eighty but they still have a few tricks up their sleeves. Can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer before it's too late? The Times Crime Book of the Month Guardian Best Crime and Thrillers. ***Please read the book and join us for a lively discussion (in English) about the contents during our afternoon book club meeting.*** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **PLEASE NOTE:** This is an IN-PERSON event in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. Please cancel your attendance in advance if you are unable to join, so that those on the waitlist can participate. Looking forward to seeing you all IN REAL LIFE then! Best regards, Sandra

Dit is de startbijeenkomst van deze literatuur-, leesclub. Waar met elkaar in gesprek gaan over het moois dat we lezen en beleven. Ideeën en perspectieven uitwisselen, elkaar bevragen, alles om je nog meer te verwonderen. In deze startbijeenkomst kiezen we een boek of onderwerp uit om over door te praten en hoe we deze club kunnen inrichten. Wordt onderdeel van iets moois in oprichting.

Iedereen is welkom op onze open Freedom Friday Bitcoin Turnhout Meetup @ het super gezellige café Sint Pieter - Grote Markt 60, 2300 Turnhout Geen presentaties. Geen workshops. Gewoon 1 onderwerp: bitcoin. **Connect with Like-Minded Minds** Engage with the Bitcoin community and mingle with fellow enthusiasts. This meetup is your chance to discuss the future, share ideas, and network with pioneers in the decentralized money world. 🏢 **Central Location**: café Sint Pieter ligt perfect centraal, een ruim cafe op de grote markt van Turnhout. Mark your calendars and spread the word!

## 🎨**Activity for EXPATS & English Speakers** ☕ Are you an art enthusiast living in or around **Amersfoort, Hilversum, Utrecht, Nieuwegein, IJsseltein, De Bilt and the rest of cities of the Utrecht's province** who love painting or drawing? Maybe you've felt the joy of creating but struggled to find others who share your passion and speak **ENGLISH**? **You're not alone! 😉** ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ## 🖌️**About this event** You will meet other Art Lovers like you to Draw, Paint and have some drinks Together ! Our events are not just about sketching or creating art—they’re about building connections. Every two weeks, we meet at a café to have a relaxing time drawing a painting. Please keep on mind that **ENGLISH i**s the official language we will use to integrate everyone in our conversations. ⭕⭕⭕➡️ **IMPORTANT ⬅️** ⭕⭕⭕⭕ ### 👩🏻‍🎨**Book formally your Seat 🪑via [WHATSAPP](https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f)** **If you want to confirm officially your attendance and separate your seat🪑. Book your seat in meet-up, and contact us via [WHATSAPP HERE](https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f) to receive more information on the address of our activities.** **Thanks a lot for your understanding!** 💐🥰 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ### 👩🏻‍🎨**How Does It Work?** This event is simple, this initiative takes 2 Hours. Most of the participants use pencils, water pencils or watercolours. Main aim is to socialize while we draw. There will be plenty of time to talk and get to know each other. We have to mention that this event is suitable for all levels. Many have started to draw in our event actually. Also it is very important that you **[JOIN US AT OUR WHATSAPP COMMUNITY](https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f),** to stay up to date on our upcoming events and participate in our Drawing and Painting Contests! **👉: [https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f](https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f)** 🍀 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ### ☕**Where?** We will meet in different cafes mainly in the *center of Amersfoort ( and some occasions in other cities around)*. I will inform you of the exact place some days in advance this event. The place will depend on the number of attendees. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ### **🎟️ What is included?** 🟢 **2 HOURS TO HAVE FUN!** 🟢 **15 mins warming-up creative activity and paper material**🖌️🎨 🟢 New friendships and **conversations in ENGLISH** in a relaxed atmosphere 🟢 **Souvenir picture** with you and the rest of Art Lovers 📷 🟢 Exclusive **access to our Art Lovers Community** on which you will receive: ***\~\~\~ Drawing challenges,*** ***\~\~\~ Training content,*** ***\~\~\~ FREE Entries only to members*** ***\~\~\~ Drawing Competitions*** 🟢 Time to **create alongside fellow artists and amateurs** 🟢 The freedom to **work at your own pace** 💃🕺🎈 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ### 🖼️**Art Materials?** Bring your own practical art materials to be adaptable to sketch on a coffee table. Like your sketchbook, pencils, watercolor, markets, pencils, your Tablet..etc ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ## **See you to Paint, Draw, and drink together!🌟☕🍷🍪🍰**

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

**People Analytics 101: Making Sense of Compensation Data** Compensation data is one of the most widely used and widely misunderstood forms of people analytics. The session will cover where compensation data comes from, including market pricing data, internal payroll data, and benchmarking sources, and how companies think about structuring and analyzing that information. We will explore how compensation data is leveraged to set salary ranges, manage internal equity, support hiring and retention, and align pay with business strategy. A portion of the session will address common data challenges and limitations, such as market noise, inconsistent job matching, and incomplete datasets, while keeping the primary focus on practical use rather than technical depth. The session will also look ahead at where the space is going, including the growing impact of pay transparency laws, expanding pay equity requirements, and emerging regulations in the US and Europe that require organizations to report on gender and pay gaps. The goal is to give attendees a clear mental model for how compensation analytics works today and why getting it right is becoming increasingly critical. (note: we are back at Rev1 this month!) **About Our Speaker** [Alex Moore](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexscottmoore/) is the founder of [Moore Cooperative](https://moorecooperative.com/), where he advises organizations on compensation strategy, pay equity, and people analytics. His work focuses on helping organizations like the Ohio Supreme Court design, analyze, and communicate compensation systems that are data-informed, defensible, and aligned with organizational goals. Alex lives in Granville, Ohio and has three little kiddos. More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

Come and grow your business by meeting these other business professionals. We can help you expand your customers.

If you are interested in selecting investment choices for your 401(k) or other workplace savings plan, minimizing your income tax liability, or identifying the most effective investments for your brokerage account, we are the group for you. We are a local chapter of Bogleheads**®**, whose investment strategy can be found here: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy Or you can peruse the Boglehead forum here: https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php I look forward to seeing you there. Mark Vonder Haar

Join us for lunch and meet our very successful group. We are each others sales team...always looking for referrals for our members. If you are looking for new clients, let us help you out! Bring your business cards and brochures to share with us. We have a speaker each week so that we can learn about their business. Because we have only one member per business, we have many of the spots filled. However, we are specifically looking for an estate attorney, a handyman/electrician, and an event planner. We have referrals for you! All visitors are welcome. Any questions contact [pmarchio@farmersagent.com](mailto:pmarchio@farmersagent.com)

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. If the weather cooperates we will be meeting in the patio. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."