Critical Thinking

————————————— **Whatsapp group** [https://chat.whatsapp.com/BinHaE79kQM1wBPY1icm8g](https://chat.whatsapp.com/BinHaE79kQM1wBPY1icm8g) **We will be at Oasis on G/F, nearby the tea house. As we’ll need to find the table available, you may join the whatsapp group or simply call 91796157 when you are over there** SEATS ARE LIMITED, you are encouraged to walk around and find your partners! If you need any help, just ask me to introduce you into the right group ————————————— Join us for a fun evening of language exchange and socializing with international friends. Whether you're a local looking to practice a new language or an exchange student wanting to meet new people, this event is perfect for you. Don't miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in a vibrant environment **Why we host the event in Central Market?** In 1990, the Central Market building was graded as a Grade III historic building by the Antiquities Advisory Board. After multiple rounds of study and consultation, the revitalization project for the Central Market building began in October 2017. Upon completion, a portion of the market stalls will be preserved. the Central Market's historical significance makes it an attractive venue for hosting various types of events that can celebrate Hong Kong's rich heritage and cultural identity. Please grab a dink and enjoy! **\*\*\*\*\*\*\*Please support and buy some foods or drink in Central market\*\*\*\*\*\*\***

Welcome back to Codeaholics! We will kickstart our 2026 collaborating with ExpressVPN! **Talk#1: The Pain of Processing PDFs** by **Angus Cheng** Reading PDFs is very difficult, here's what I've learnt over the last five years running a SaaS that processes PDFs **Talk#2: Why does ExpressVPN switch from C to Rust for Lightway’s code?** by **Thomas Leong** We built Lightway from scratch in a quest to offer a VPN protocol that serves the needs of VPN users in a modern, mobile world—one that’s fast, secure, and reliable. Since launching Lightway five years ago, we’ve had it open-sourced and audited, as well as implementing key upgrades. We have just rolled out a new version of Lightway to users—one that sees our pioneering VPN protocol rewritten in Rust programming language. For this technical talk, we wanted to take a moment to discuss some of the more technical reasons behind the changes we’ve made and dive into the benefits of Rust over C, the language we originally used for Lightway code.

Dear Toastmasters & guests, *Theme of the meeting: “Creativity” Please note that our **venue** is at: **20/F, Cubus, 1 Hoi Ping Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong** (Causeway stn exit F1 Jardine's Crescent 渣甸坊, 5-10 minutes walk to Cubus which is opposite to Lee Garden 3) Do you want to **improve your communication skills (both speaking and listening) in English** in your daily life? We have *prepared and impromptu speeches* in English during the meeting. **Evaluation** of the speeches will be given so that the speakers can *improve* their speeches continuously. Do come and enjoy the warm atmosphere and have a wonderful learning experience together with us! **All are welcome. *No guest fee is required.*** **See you then!**

🧧新春開年飯活動🧧 《第二組 豐衣築食吃喝會》 [2702 金牌九大簋開年飯@六安居]🧧🍽️ 日期：2月27日(五) 時間：1930-2200 飯店：上環六安居(蓮香居舊址) 消費：每位$318(宴席$3680） Event fee :$10/位(已包括） 人數：12位/席 訂位：齊人訂枱付訂 Host: CC ⭐️金牌九大簋Menu(12道菜)⭐️ ⭐️金錢雞錦繡大拼盤 ⭐️川貝杏汁燉白肺 ⭐️蓮香霸王鴨 ⭐️黃金煱大虎蝦 ⭐️生煎蓮藕餅 ⭐️泮水芹香 ⭐️翡翠彩鳳蚌片 ⭐️生炆龍躉翅 ⭐️馳名貴妃雞 ⭐️飄香荷葉飯 ⭐️蟠桃壽包 ⭐️蓮蓉焗西米布甸 (奉送啤酒大樽裝2支，細啤4支加$68可買紅酒1支) 💰價錢💰 1席：$3680/12位(已包茶芥/加一)+event fee 每位$10 平均每位$318/位 ❇️付款方法❇️ (每位參加者入組前,需全付$318位) ⭐️入群前，host會通知你付款方法 ⭐️付款後, 請通知& whatsapp CC入數留收據, 才能入臨時群⭐️ ⭐️歡迎當日早到/遲到/早退，不歡迎突然飛機友，付款後如未能參加，必須要搵到群組成員代替出席，不設退款。 ⚠️溫馨提示：～ 1.歡迎成員邀請朋友參加 2.不歡迎臨時消失飛機友，當成員付款後，如未能出席，自找成員頂位，不設退款，故此考慮清楚報名參加活動！如真正未能出席，請自動自覺退組，在meetup轉“not-going。 3.若發現成員經常性臨時飛機友，會列入黑名單，望成員尊重自己，尊重本組活動。 4.Host有最終活動決定權。 (六安居資料）:~ 網址: https://s.openrice.com/QrbS04ti000~uAyTUAw 地址: 上環德輔道西46-50號2-3樓 電話: 21569328

*Follow us on Instagram [@hongkongpubcrawl](https://www.instagram.com/hongkongpubcrawl/) or reserve your spot at our [website](https://www.hongkongpubcrawl.com/lkf-crawl)! HKD 250 for Thursdays, HKD 350 for Friday & Saturday, for booking online and walk in participants.* Party with us and discover Hong Kong’s best nightlife spots in the legendary Lan Kwai Fong (LKF) Bar District as you meet other thirsty travellers, locals, and ex-pats, all the while enjoying our unbeatable drink deals. Happening since 2010. WHAT YOU GET * One free shooter at all bars * FREE ALL YOU CAN DRINK DEAL * Party with a team of experienced crawlers * Enjoy FREE VIP entry to the city's hottest clubs (typically priced at $300HKD and up) * Professional photographer privileges to document all the memories you won't remember ​ Crawl Itinerary * 8:45 pm Dead& Dive Bar and Welcome Speech * 9:00 pm Head to the first bar * 10:00 pm - 12:00 am Additional off-the-beaten-track bars * 12:00 am Clubbing at final nightclub destination ​ The night builds up and ends (and for some, just begins...) at our final nightclub, at around 12:00am. The nightclub is not an experience to be missed. Our drink deals don't apply at the nightclub, so remember to take advantage of them before! Free entry to the nightclub is included in your ticket, but you MUST have valid photo identification for entry. Don't wear flip-flops, sandals, or open-toed shoes.

Join us for dinner and discussion about queer books! For our next book, we will be reading **‘Sisters of the Vast Black’** by **Lina Rather**. **Blurb** **The sisters of the Order of Saint Rita captain their living ship into the reaches of space in Lina Rather's debut novella, *Sisters of the Vast Black*.** **Blurb** Years ago, Old Earth sent forth sisters and brothers into the vast dark of the prodigal colonies armed only with crucifixes and iron faith. Now, the sisters of the Order of Saint Rita are on an interstellar mission of mercy aboard Our Lady of Impossible Constellations, a living, breathing ship which seems determined to develop a will of its own. When the order receives a distress call from a newly-formed colony, the sisters discover that the bodies and souls in their care—and that of the galactic diaspora—are in danger. And not from void beyond, but from the nascent Central Governance and the Church itself. **The Plan** 19:30 Meeting @ the restaurant 19:45 Dinner & discussion 21:15 Choosing a book for April 21:30 End **Dinner** The name of the restaurant will be announced in the WhatsApp group chat. **What to do** 1\. RSVP on this event page\. 2\. Read the book :\) and think about your suggestion for the discussion in April\! 3\. Come to the event and share your thoughts about the book with us\. 4\. Please enable DMs from other members and turn on notifications so that our team can communicate with you\. Hope to see you there! Amy (she/they) & Izabella (she/her) **Please note…** 1\. Tandem is a community of volunteers; everything you see is created by our members giving up their time and labour\. None of our organisers profit from events; any charges listed are those from other parties and we never add a mark\-up\. In this context\, we need attendees to do their best to reduce the workload of our volunteer team by reading the event description and these notes carefully; and follow the instructions in order to register a place on the event\. Please be considerate and helpful with our team – we are all volunteers\. 2\. We run all our event communication through WhatsApp\. Please keep track of event related messages in the Whatsapp event group and respond to requests and instructions from organisers within 24hrs\. Please don’t put the chat on mute\. If our team don’t receive your response within 24hrs\, we will move you to “Not Going”\. 3\. If you require special accessibility accommodations for the event \(i\.e\.\, accessible venue\, accessible restrooms\, noise levels\, lighting conditions\, etc\) and are unsure whether they can be met\, please reach out to the organiser/host\. 4\. We encourage language inclusivity at all our events\. If you aren't confident in English\, please let our team know\. We will try to provide bilingual support where possible and/or will try and introduce you to other language speakers you're more comfortable with\. Please be mindful that we might not be able to accommodate all languages at all events\, but we will do our best to make everyone feel welcome and heard\. 5\. If you sign up\, but can no longer make it\, please update your RSVP as soon as possible and tell the organiser\. Updating your RSVP well ahead of the event allows us to manage the waitlist; allow other people to attend; know who to look out for at the start of the event; and manage any relevant bookings\, such as table reservations\. 6\. If you don’t have a clear face pic on your profile and/or your username doesn’t match the name you normally use\, we can’t identify your payments nor match your RSVP with who you are in real life\. If this is you\, please ensure the organiser knows who you are\. If we can’t work out who you are within 24hrs of your RSVP\, we will move you to “Not Going”\. Only group members and their guests with an RSVP may attend events; people who aren’t signed up will be refused entry to events. 7\. If you don’t follow the conditions above\, we will move you to “Not Going” for future events until you message us to confirm you will follow these conditions\.

用另類角度🧠👽🫀👻😈🌝看香港及世界新聞，一按即入，歡迎分享給親友加入 https://chat.whatsapp.com/Cpc6EqzJYn7LaMZtlYXIaB?mode=gi_t

Dear all, Let’s get together and discuss our impressions of the monthly book. Curious to hear the different ways you interpretated the book and how / if you will implement the new thinking into your day to day life.

Reading is important because it develops your mind and gives you excessive knowledge and lessons of life. 開卷有益！大家最近有冇讀到一啲好書呢？不如出黎分享下讀書心得呀？參加呢個讀書活動，分享好書，分享喜悅。😊 有興趣參加可以WhatsApp我：95182994

聖經討論會是以日常生活與專業議題（如人際關係、職涯發展、熱門新聞、理財、人工智能等）為基礎的基督教聖經討論。您亦可提議主題，內容信徒與否都合適。 Bible Talk is a social event based on everyday life and professional topics (such as relationships, career, popular news headlines, finance, AI…etc.) You are also welcome to suggest topics. All content will be hospitable to all backgrounds.👌 雖然主持人會援引聖經經文，但請放心，這是個安全的平台，歡迎您基於自身經驗、文化、哲學與宗教背景分享觀點。所有背景皆受歡迎且受到尊重。 Although the host will reference biblical scriptures. Please rest assured that this is a safe platform to share your perspective stemming from your experience, culture, philosophies and religions. All backgrounds are welcomed and respected. 😊 主體語言：英文（可提供中文協助） Main language: English (Chinese assistance is available)

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Our March speakers are Molly Gaines and Zack Parrish, co-organizers of the Secular Education Association: They will share their story of how a small group of Ohio parents grew into a national organization tracking released-time religious instruction and other church–state issues in public schools. The presentation will cover SEA’s early wins and hard lessons, what we’re seeing nationally right now, and how local advocates can play a meaningful role in protecting public education. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the landscape — and practical ways to get involved. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

This meeting will be an open discussion about the book "an Immense World" by Ed Yong

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Saturday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 10AM on Saturday mornings. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 10:00 - SESSION 1: quick intros. 10:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 11:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 11A-11:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. (I’ll be the person with the Shut Up & Write! sign.) If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Saturday!

Window functions have nothing to do with the Windows operating system but provide a “window” to a result set when used in SQL queries. They are powerful, set-based methods to view data in unexpected ways. Window functions provide easy, set-based solutions to solve some common problems: * Using running totals * Performing operations in intervals * Identifying data gaps and islands * Performing aggregates without losing detail Many people are confused by window functions and do not know how to use them properly. This session will explore window functions, how they work, and how to use them. Demonstrations with several examples will solidify how window functions can simplify queries and make them more powerful.