Cryptography

Looking for a new skill? Want to seem mysterious when people ask about your hobbies? Enjoy puzzles? Lock picking might be right for you! Is this legal? Yes! Is it fun? Yes! The meeting is very casual, come and go as you please. We meet in the upstairs area of Board Room. No payment, skills, tools, or RSVP necessary. If you can make small precise movements with your hands, you can learn to pick locks. Introductory talk at 7pm. All are welcome. We meet in a bar but minors are allowed to attend. We are not in a private room; parental discretion advised. If you are a minor or are responsible for one who's attending, please email the organizer in advance at chapter-DC@toool.us Open invite; bring friends! We are the DC chapter of TOOOL. More information here: http://toool.us/

We connect you with up to 30 Men or Women tennis partners close to your PLAYING REGION and skill level. This program is less competitive, no champions crowned, no league standings just dedicated tennis partners who want to meet up with you on the courts. Players will meet up to play a tennis match or just to hit around. Just go through the [Join Page](https://www.tennisdc.com/partner-program) to enter this program. [https://www.tennisdc.com/partner-program](https://www.tennisdc.com/partner-program)

At this event you'll discover how to better understand and control your subconscious mind, helping you overcome doubts and fears. If you have anger issues, depressions and anxieties. this event will show you how to overcome them.

**“Why is there something rather than nothing?” is a question that lies at the heart of philosophy. In Western philosophy, it’s historically been a common idea that the world can be traced back to a single, fundamental cause. In recent times, however, this has been challenged. Perhaps there is no original cause or explanation for the world, and the question itself is mistaken. Even so, the attempt to show where the mistake lies requires an examination of the notions of existence, causality, and explanation.** **Some of the questions raised are: does the universe require a timeless, non-natural cause? What does it mean for something to be a cause or explanation for something else? Can anything be a cause or explanation for itself? Can there be fundamental objects with nothing deeper explaining them?** **Metaphysics of Causality and Explanation:** **A well-known concept in philosophy is the principle of sufficient reason (PSR). In one form, it states that everything must have a reason, cause, or ground.** **One justification for this principle is that it seems to be crucial to rational inquiry. When facts about the world are discovered, we often don’t take them for granted with no reason or explanation for their existence. When it rains, for example, the cause of the rain is the buildup of water in clouds exceeding a threshold, and then the water is released and pulled down by gravity. The buildup of water is the result of condensation of water which was previously evaporated by the sun or other heat sources. Those heat sources in turn are explained by other prior causes and so on.** **That raises the question of whether a chain of causes can be infinite. There are arguments for and against the possibility. One argument against an infinite series of past temporal causes is that if there were such a series, it would not be possible to reach the present. This seems to require an infinite number of events to pass, which is a contradiction, as an infinite series of events can’t be traversed.** **There have also been attempts to show that while infinite causal chains may be possible, the chains made up of objects which are contingent, as in they can either exist or not exist, still require an external cause.** **As straightforward as the PSR may seem, complications arise for at least some formulations of it. When combined with an account of causation in which effects must follow from their causes, it seems like the PSR requires that nothing is contingent. In other words, everything is necessary, and every event and object inevitably exists.** **However, even if some forms of the PSR have their difficulties, there may be more refined versions which hold true. Often, these refined principles are used to conclude that there is a first cause or ultimate explanation for the rest of reality.** **Candidates for the First Cause/Ultimate Explanation:** **One candidate for a first cause is an initial natural state. There have been models of such a state which are necessary or contingent, and ones which have a finite past or infinite one. Either way, the appeal of this kind of first cause is that it fits with a principle known as the causal closure of the physical. Since all observed causes and effects don’t defy the laws of nature, it may be presumed that all of causal reality is composed of natural objects. This satisfies metaphysical naturalists, but at the present state, it is problematic for a number of reasons.** **One reason a contingent first cause is problematic is the principle that “something can’t come from nothing”. If the universe, especially if it has a finite past, did not come from any prior cause, then that is a defiance of this principle. If we accept that this principle is false, then we seem to be lacking in an explanation for the observation that things don’t constantly start existing for no reason. If the universe can “pop” into existence, why not anything else?** **One modern philosopher, Graham Oppy, has suggested instead that the natural initial state is necessary. To explain the existence of the world, he claims that objective non-deterministic effects followed from that initial state. A universe with a finite past would be explained by that initial state, and so would the universe of contingent objects.** **Two candidates other than conventional naturalism for ultimate explanations of the world are theism and axiarchism.** **Theism in the West is typically construed as the assertion that an omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent God exists. Theologians and philosophers also describe him as necessary, and there are many arguments which attempt to demonstrate his existence.** **Cosmological arguments are a class of arguments which start from facts about the universe to conclude the existence of God. Arguments from contingency are an example. In general, they take the existence of the contingent universe, and proceed to show that they must be caused by a being with the previously described omni-properties. Another is the Kalam cosmological argument, which asserts the finiteness of the universe’s past, and attempts to reach the conclusion of God’s existence.** **In modern day philosophy, a new argument is the appearance of fine-tuning. Based on our current understanding of physics, it is unlikely that physical constants which allow for life would result from chance, as might be expected from non-theistic worldviews. Therefore, a cosmic designer who chose those constants is proposed, and the tri-omni God is thought to be a plausible candidate for such a designer.** **The most well-known non-theistic alternative to this is a multiverse, but that faces powerful objections as well, such as lacking in simplicity and leading to results such as Boltzmann brains.** **However, a major issue with theism is the problem of evil. Many interpretations of God’s omni-properties would conclude that there are aspects of the world which make God’s existence highly unlikely. Natural disasters such as earthquakes and hurricanes are evidence that any being who did not prevent the deaths of innocents involved either was not able to prevent them, which rules out omnipotence, or not willing to prevent them, which rules out omnibenevolence. Disease, as well as human actions such as murder and sexual assault, also count as evidence against such a being.** **Axiarchism is a worldview which may account for the problem of evil better than theism. In summary, it is the view that values determine reality. This may be a non-causal relationship, but still one in which aspects of the world, such as life-permitting physical laws, are explained. It may not just be moral values which determine reality, but aesthetic or more general values.** **One description of the values is that they are abstract objects, existing outside of space and time, and having no causal relationships. They are also necessary. This is a form of platonism, and the connection between value and existence has a long history. In many cases, this was used in forms of theism, such as Thomas Aquinas who declared that God is Being. Other theologians have also claimed that existence itself is good, and that evil can only exist as absences or privations of goodness.** **The appeal of values as an explanation, whether included in a form of theism or not, is that these values would not only exist, but they are normative. They don’t just describe reality, they place aims for reality to head toward. For those who find the existence of objective value plausible, axiarchism is a powerful possibility.** **Questions:** **1. Which, if any, of the candidates for a first cause or ultimate explanation is the most likely?** **2. What alternatives could there be for such a cause or explanation?** **3. Could we ever have enough evidence to single out one candidate and eliminate the others? What would constitute such evidence?** **4. Is it likely for there to be any such cause or explanation?** We meet in person and online. In person will be at the cafeteria of the applied physics lab. Snack and drinks are available for online purchase. Pizza will be provided as well at a price of $2/slice. Online will be: https://teams.live.com/meet/93583191724730?p=hY3jxVvnOciVl2aRn5 \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-

No Fooling. Agricultural Research Center Toastmasters is holding a meeting on April 1, 2026 at 5:00-6:30 pm. Come join us as we get a little silly. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ARE YOU READY FOR A LIFE-CHANGING, CAREER-ENHANCING EXPERIENCE? The Agricultural Research Center Toastmasters in Beltsville, Maryland meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month to practice our communication and leadership skills. We follow the educational program of Toastmasters International. We have great success individually and as a group. Our members are from different cultures and backgrounds. Several of us are scientists for the US Department of Agriculture. Others work at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Our members also are tax preparers, translators, and teachers. Each year in the spring we hold a beginners class. The next class will be in March 2026. Visit our webpage at http://arc.toastmastersclubs.org/ .

The goal of this class is to help musicians find new and cool repertoire that gets played around the DMV oldtime music scene. SMT Teacher, Jonathan Vocke, has been an active member of the community for the last 15 years and is a skilled educator, multi-instrumentalist, and performer. In each class we will cover 2-3 new tunes. Tunes will be taught using the aural method and chords and rhythmic nuance of each tune will also be discussed. We will listen to source recordings of the tunes and discuss chording, bowing and general rhythmic accompaniment. Whether you play fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin or whatever else we can help you build you repertoire. $30 https://checkout.square.site/buy/67SKCWJV6CZTWK6YCDXMFGZA

To celebrate April Fool's Day, we'll be drafting Unfinity! Unfinity is the most recent of Magic's un-sets, and it features weird and wacky mechanics like physical challenges, art matters, stickers, and dice rolling. The draft will cost $12 (or bring your own packs) with no prize support. Hope to see you there! **CONDUCT POLICY** We cultivate a safe, friendly atmosphere. Please keep other's feelings close to mind. Derogatory comments of any kind are unacceptable, as is behavior that may make others uncomfortable, such as rage-quitting. If the stresses of the game are getting to you, we encourage you to politely sit out for a while. Thank you! **TARDINESS POLICY** If you're more than 10 minutes late, I'll enlist my wife to draft for you until your arrival. If she's unavailable, we'll make random, blind picks for you.

Title: Beyond Cryptography: Geometric Symmetry & Parity Stability Summary: Decoding Chaos: Using Quantum-Inspired Symmetry Metrics to Detect Stealth Attacks in High-Stakes Infrastructure. Agenda: Why symmetry matters after the proof is done. Symmetry as an Invariant Symmetry as a Security Primitive Trust as a Continuous Function Live Thought Experiment Engineering, Implications & Open Questions Move away from traditional bit-matching and discuss "Symmetry Drift." Explain how system states can be modeled as high-dimensional manifolds where an attack represents a geometric deformation.T(t)=f(symmetry stability,parity consistency,temporal coherence) Speaker: Vijay Krishna Vijay is a security engineer focused on runtime observability and symmetry drift in cryptographic systems. He is the founder of Vyapti Resonance and the creator of the Quantum Security Probe (QSP), a telemetry-driven integrity monitoring framework for post-quantum infrastructures. His work bridges theory, engineering, and long-lived system behavior, emphasizing measurable trust over binary verification. Vijay has 9 accredited licenses in Quantum Computing. Career Snapshot: Microsoft → DuPont → Rockefeller Capital Management → Morgan Stanley → New York Life → Founder, Vyapti Resonance Across this trajectory, Vijay has operated at the core infrastructure layer of organizations—cloud platforms, identity systems, distributed compute, reliability engineering, and governance frameworks. His work has consistently involved systems that cannot fail, particularly in regulated financial and insurance environments. This enterprise grounding strongly informs his academic and research outlook: quantum and AI systems must be operable, governable, auditable, and teachable, not merely theoretically elegant.

**Tickets just released for the Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens. I already bought my ticket for April 4th at 9:00 AM.** Feel free to go at other times that work for you [https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/special-events/the-butterfly-experience-at-brookside-gardens/](https://montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/special-events/the-butterfly-experience-at-brookside-gardens/) **Butterfly Experience Details** WHAT: The Butterfly Experience at Brookside Gardens Conservatory 1500 Glenallan Ave., Wheaton, MD (Additional parking is available at 1800 Glenallan Ave.) WHEN: April 1 – September 7\, 2026 \| 9 am – 3 pm TICKETS: Under age 3: Free Ages 3 to 12: $10.99 (ticket fee $9 plus $1.99 service charge) Ages 13+: $15.99 (ticket fee $14 plus $1.99 service charge) \-\-\-\-\- From the website (http://www.montgomeryparks.org/parks-and-trails/brookside-gardens/visit/): Brookside Gardens is Montgomery County’s incomparable, award-winning 50-acre public display garden situated within Wheaton Regional Park. Included in the gardens are several distinct areas: Aquatic Garden, Azalea Garden, Butterfly Garden, Children’s Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Style Garden, Trial Garden, Rain Garden, and the Woodland Walk. The Formal Gardens areas include a Perennial Garden, Yew Garden, the Maple Terrace, and Fragrance Garden. Brookside Gardens also feature two conservatories for year-round enjoyment. A horticultural reference library is located in the Visitors Center. Admission to the gardens is free. Here is the Photography policy per the website: Non-commercial, Hobby Photography Guidelines Are you taking photos of just the Gardens? Individual photographers are welcome to photograph the plants and gardens of Brookside. No permits are needed, though we ask that you follow the hobby photography guidelines: Do not disturb any gardens, stand on rocks or displays, block paths, or climb garden or fountain walls. The photo session must not interfere with other visitors’ enjoyment of the gardens. Absolutely no tripods are allowed in the Conservatories. Published photographs should credit location of the photograph, i.e. “Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD”. \*Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Department of Parks, Montgomery County Policy on User Fees: (Effective January 1, 2010, approved by M-NCPPC Planning Board, October 2009) Be aware of your equipment, as there have been break-ins in past years. Bring: Comfortable shoes Water Fully charged batteries Empty memory cards Share only your very best, most interesting shots after the field trip, and keep it down to between 5 and 10 photos. By sending in an RSVP and joining this meetup event hosted by the Virginia Beltway Photography Meetup, I am also agreeing to the terms of the following release and waiver of liability, which shall be binding on my heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns. In consideration of my (and my child’s) participation in the Virginia Beltway Photography Meetup, I do hereby release, discharge, and hold harmless the Organizer, its members, officers, directors, employees and the leader(s) of this event from any and all liability by reason of any damage, loss, expenses, or injury arising from my (and my child’s) participation in this event, including that caused solely or in part by the fault of any and all of the above-named parties.

**The Virginia Bluebells are in bloom** Bring Water, Tripod, comfortable shoes, fully charged batteries, and empty cards Hope you can join us for breakfast after this field trip. At 9:00 AM, we will meet in the parking lot near the visitor's center and then head to the Silver Diner in Tyson's Corner, 8101 Fletcher St, McLean, VA 22102. By sending in an RSVP and joining this meetup event hosted by the Virginia Beltway Photography Meetup, I agree to abide by the rules and regulations (where applicable) of the event location and I am also agreeing to the terms of the following release and waiver of liability, which shall be binding on my heirs, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns. In consideration of my (and my child’s) participation in the Virginia Beltway Photography Meetup, I do hereby release, discharge, and hold harmless the Organizer, its members, officers, directors, employees, and the leader(s) of this event from any and all liability by reason of any damage, loss, expenses, or injury arising from my (and my child’s) participation in this event, including that caused solely or in part by the fault of any and all of the above-named parties.

Danceintime runs Cuban Salsa Classes & Social Dancing Every Saturday, all year-long. Come at 1:15 pm to sign in. Stay till 4 pm. Some of us go out for coffee or a bite to eat afterwards and everyone is welcome! $15/person. Cash, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, or Card accepted. Chevy Chase Baptist Church; 5671 Western Ave. NW; Washington DC 20015. NOTE: Enter through back corner door of the church. Danceintime classes are great fun. The dance moves are beautiful, fun, and our class creates a bonded community... Check it out! Class will be held every Saturday in December....celebrate the holidays with dance! For more info: danceintime.com/classes Questions? Contact Barbbernsteintalks@gmail.com

🎉 **Puzzle Palooza: PUZZLES OF ALL KINDS WELCOME at the Board Room! 🧩** Join us for **Puzzle Palooza** in our puzzle swap series! Whether you're into jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles, sudoku, logic puzzles, or brain teasers, this event is for you. Bring any type of puzzle—whether it’s a challenging 1000-piece jigsaw, a captivating 3D puzzle, a fun puzzle book, or a unique brain-bending game—and swap it with fellow puzzle lovers. Let’s share the joy of solving and discover new puzzles to enjoy! 📅 **Date:** Sunday April 5, 2026 🕒 **Time:** 3:00 PM 📍 **Location:** [Board Room DC](https://boardroomdc.com/), 1737 Connecticut Avenue NW, WDC 20009, in the mezzanine. **Event Highlights:** 🌐 **Networking:** Connect with fellow puzzle enthusiasts over a game and some delicious drinks. It's a perfect blend of puzzles, games, and great company. 🧩 **Puzzle Swap Extravaganza:** Immerse yourself in a sea of puzzles as we transform the Board Room into a Puzzle Paradise. Bring your puzzles to trade, and discover hidden gems for your collection. 🎲 **Board Game Delights:** Enjoy the fantastic selection of board games available at the Board Room. Take a break from puzzles and explore a world of strategic challenges and social fun. **Agenda:** * 3:00 pm - 3:30 pm - check in and chat! * 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm - introductions and swap * 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm - social puzzling **How to Join:** 1. **Save the Date:** This is your ticket to Puzzle Paradise. Mark your calendar and get ready for an afternoon of puzzling delight. 2. **Location:** Board Room DC, known for its vibrant atmosphere and extensive game collection. [1737 Connecticut Avenue NW, WDC 20009](https://boardroomdc.com/) 3. **Spread the Word:** Invite your friends and fellow puzzle lovers. Let's make this Puzzle Paradise an unforgettable experience! \*\*\*Please note that if your puzzle is not swapped, you are still responsible for taking it home. **This is not a swap where you will be able to drop off puzzles and leave**\*\*\* For all of our Swap Series, please prioritize community safety. Ensure you're vaccinated before joining us. Your commitment creates a secure space for our shared love of cooking and good times. See you responsibly at the meetup!

Discover the world of Water Colors! This is an Introduction Water Colors Class! Learn to paint Water Colors and create a beautiful landscape to take home. I will be your instructor. I have been teaching art for 26 years. All supplies are included Special Deal $10.00 for this class. Please bring it with you. I have reserved the meeting room at the Chevy Chase Library to hold this class. Meeting room is downstairs FREE parking Guests must be over 50 to attend. RSVP today! Chevy Chase Library Maryland 8005 Connecticut Ave, Chevy Chase, MD 20815

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. We will be hearing from Becca Powell, Director of Advocacy and Outreach at Unchained At Last, an organization whose mission is dedication to ending forced and child marriage in the United States through direct services and systems change. Unchained At Last's mission clearly meshes and addresses several of our Humanist Ten Commitments. Becca will educate us about an issue many of us may not be familiar with--but should be. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. 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

Come out to Improving for our monthly iOS and Mac meetings. This Month's Presentation: Nothing yet. (You should volunteer). What is Cocoaheads (http://cocoaheads.org/)? CocoaHeads is a group devoted to discussion of Apple Computer's Cocoa Framework for programming on MacOS X and iOS (including the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch). During monthly meetings, members present on their projects and offer tutorials on various programming topics. What is BuckeyeCocoa (http://buckeyecocoa.org/)? BuckeyeCocoa is a group of Objective-C/Swift developers/enthusiasts. We host monthly Cocoaheads and near-weekly NSCoder meetings in Columbus, Ohio. The meetings are free to attend. Presentations! Presenters welcome! We are always in need of people willing to present material. Any Swift and/or Objective-C related topic is welcome. Times can be 5 minutes (i.e. lightning talks) to a maximum of 2 hours. Interested? Contact info is on the BuckeyeCocoa website. To volunteer for a presentation contact us at @BuckeyeCocoa on Twitter. Follow us on Twitter! @BuckeyeCocoa (https://twitter.com/#!/Buckeyecocoa/) For more information: http://buckeyecocoa.org/

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/2/a/9/6/600_348310902.jpeg Instructor - Crow, HPS Class fee is $30 at the door or approved exchange RSVP with Advance pay of $25 (discounted) by PayPal on the web or by contacting Enchanted Elements (614) 437-2642. Reservations made directly to Enchanted Elements will be added to the class list manually not online. Private Instruction ~ Closed to the Public ~ Initiated Members Only Please come prepared for ritual. Blessings ~ Crow

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

The Fellowship of the Star Schema: Transforming OLTP Data for Power BI One does not simply build reports on OLTP data. Join us on an epic journey from the depths of raw, normalized tables to the shining halls of a well-modeled star schema fit for Power BI greatness. We will demystify the differences between OLTP and OLAP, walk through star schema vs snowflake (and why Power BI has a clear favorite), and show you the compression differences between normalized and columnar storage that will make you never look at an OLTP model the same way again. We will cover the different types of dimensions, when to use them, and how to handle Slowly Changing Dimensions without losing your mind. You will leave knowing exactly how to identify a bad model, how to convert OLTP data into a clean star schema, and how to forge relationships that rule them all. Whether you are a data wizard, a curious hobbit, or somewhere in between, your models will never be the same.

We connect you with up to 30 Men or Women tennis partners close to your PLAYING REGION and skill level. This program is less competitive, no champions crowned, no league standings just dedicated tennis partners who want to meet up with you on the courts. Players will meet up to play a tennis match or just to hit around. Just go through the [Join Page](https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program) to enter this program. [https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program](https://www.tenniscolumbus.com/partner-program)

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia