Fluentd

**\*GET TICKETS AT - [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13304#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13304#tix)** (Multiple Meetup groups are co-organizing so the RSVP's shown are just a very small portion attending. .) Do you like word games and enjoy playing with others? Then this is your opportunity to have some fun online playing word games our Live Word Game Night Party. These will include Word Twist, Categories, Rebus and more. We will email you everything you need to play! You will also get to socialize and make other friends all from the safety and comfort of your home! Plus, winners receive Amazon Gift Cards, free events, and more! **\*GET TICKETS AT - [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13304#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13304#tix)** \*After you purchase ticket, you will get the zoom link ON DAY OF THE EVENT. $15- $20 depending on how early you register for ticket. HOW IT WORKS: This completely online event will be LIVE and you will be able to see and hear the other participants while playing. In addition you get to meet and interact with other participants. You can attend via a computer/ webcam or smartphone/iPad/tablet. At game time, your host will show you a word search board. Your goal is to come up with as many words as you can within the specified time frame. We will have multiple rounds of play and have a system to also virtually introduce you to other participants. The people who made the most words, will get a raffle ticket for a chance to win a prize at the end of the event. You also can earn raffle tickets for audience participation and finding certain bonus words. Winners receive Amazon Gift Cards, free events, and more! We will also play several other games including Word Twist, Categories, Rebus and more. **RSVPS on here are NOT reflective of actual attendance as this is a mlulti group event. \*GET TICKETS AT - [https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13304#tix](https://www.socialevents123.com/event-details.aspx?id=13304#tix)** **For more fun events:** **Follow: [https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-york-city-social-events-10797526283](https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-york-city-social-events-10797526283)** **Click: [https://dljparty.ticketleap.com/](https://dljparty.ticketleap.com/)**

Come out every Wednesday from 6 to 9 to play Flesh and Blood TCG!

👉 Enroll at **[www.worklifespanish.com/conversational-spanish-clubs.html](http://www.worklifespanish.com/conversational-spanish-clubs.html)** Our ***Beginner Banter Club*** meets in person and is available to all Spanish learners at the A1-B1 levels who want to start speaking and build confidence. Each week, we’ll explore vocabulary and cultural themes like holidays, food, and daily life in the Spanish-speaking world. **​**Location: Falls Church Day: Wednesdays, 4.30pm - 5.30pm ET ​Price: $27.50 / session or FREE with monthly credits 🎁 **FREE Trial Event Available!** Use code **FREECLUB** when you sign up. 👉 Enroll at **[https://www.worklifespanish.com/conversational-spanish-clubs.html](https://www.worklifespanish.com/conversational-spanish-clubs.html)**

**“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 \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-

Un'ottima occasione per parlare in Italiano con persone di madre lingua. Aperto a tutti i livelli di conoscenza dell'Italiano. Specialmente gustando una buonissima pinza. A presto. Please consider donating to us via the Pledge widget on this page to help us defray the costs of running a Meetup group. **Note: This event occurs on the first Wednesday of every month at Via Roma**

This class will be a terrific skill builder. Caixa (Brazilian snare drum) is fundamenta to the energetic pulse of samba from Rio de Janeiro. Repinique's unique tonality adds texture and momentum. Learn the basics and beyond. Improve your technique, heighten your playing stamina and learn new patterns! Get new information from Rio to grow your skill. $20 Drums provided.

Venez apprécier l'ambiance chaleureuse d'une conversation en français autour d'un verre de vin et d'apéritifs. C'est ouvert à tous quelque soit votre niveau, que vous soyez intermédiaire/avancé ou bien que le Français soit votre langue maternelle. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU WILL BE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. It is irresistible, to enjoy French convo with a glass of wine, appetizers and drinks. The Event is open to all levels of French language, from intermediate to native fluency. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speakers. It is not as such to learn a language. Beginners, if you want to learn a language, reach out to us ([info@merevents.com](http://info@merevents.com/)). We have a school and will arrange you a class. ***AFTER THE HAPPY HOUR, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING*** [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vv1wxZAR1k](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vv1wxZAR1k)

Venez apprécier l'ambiance chaleureuse d'une conversation en français autour d'un verre de vin et d'apéritifs à moitié prix. C'est ouvert à tous quelque soit votre niveau, que vous soyez débutant ou bien que le Français soit votre langue maternelle. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU WILL BE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** It is irresistible, to enjoy French convo with half-priced appetizers, glass of wine and rail drinks. The Event is open to all levels of French language, from beginners to native fluency. We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. ***AFTER THE HAPPY HOUR, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

**Notice the new time. We are now 2-5pm.** Bring your own board games! The MoCo Pride Center has a few games as well. Newcomers welcome! You don't need to know anything, we will teach you how to play! We do not serve food. Note that you can bring drinks and food, but plan to leave the place tidy. Some of us may also get food together afterwards. Info about the MoCo Pride Center: [https://www.mocopridefamily.org/pride-center-home](https://www.mocopridefamily.org/pride-center-home) The Center is close to the **Bethesda Metro Station**. It is on the 2nd floor of the **Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center**. Look for the **blue awning** that says Geste Beer at the cross of Old Georgetown Road -- the front entrance is directly to the left of this awning. The Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Service Center has an attached garage, which is accessible on Edgemoor. Go past the Center, then turn right at the stop sign across from the Metro stop. The garage is your first right. Payment is mobile using the ParkMobile app.

Come exchange Asian Languages that you speak! ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU WILL BE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. We will assign tables for represented languages. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. As you all remember well, this event used to bring out hundreds of people every week. However, it was discontinued last year for obvious reasons and we couldn't gather that many people now, because of restrictions. Hence, we are downsizing and caping the number of attendees. We have super limited spots and advance ticket purchase is required. ***AFTER THE HAPPY HOUR, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!*** HOW IT WORKS : We will try to assign tables for each represented languages and will direct attendees to their respective tables accordingly. All languages are welcome! However we don't guarantee the availability of a partner in that particular language, you would like to exchange. Rules to abide : 1. Event is free and 21+ (bring ID). 2. Be respectful to your counterparts and give them a chance to exchange with others as well. 3. We all are native speakers of one or two languages and be willing to help others and try to accommodate as much as possible. 4. If you don't speak the other person's required language, LEAVE THEM ALONE. 5. Rude or aggressive members are removed from the group at an organizers discretion. 6. This is a face-to-face language exchange event. DO NOT try to arrange an online meeting, by using the comment box or direct message. 7. Most of our members complained about people writing in the comment box. Since it sends notification to all attendees. If you have any questions, send a message to the organizers. Don't write in the comment box. 8. We have ZERO TOLERANCE for solicitation. We don't allow anyone to run their own agenda at the Event. If you are interested to promote/sponsor/collaborate; contact us via (info@merevents.com). 9. When you get there, we will greet you and take you to your respective group. 10. Don't be shy of your local languages. We have diplomates assigned to different countries, who would love to practice your languages. 11\. Be patient for the first 30 minutes\, up until we form your respective language group\. 12\. We will have a registration station and check you in\. You ought to have register on Meetup for a free entry\. Otherwise\, you will be subject to a cover charge\. 11. 13\. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speaker\. It is not as such to learn a language\. Beginners\, if you want to learn a language\, reach out to us \(info@merevents\.com\)\. We have a school and will arrange you a class\. 12.

Join us at the Chess Center offices (Suite 118, entrance on 2nd Avenue) on Saturday afternoons from 1:00 – 5:00pm ET for open play. Players of all abilities and ages are welcome. * Non-Members: $5.00/player table fee for the day. * Chess Center [Members](https://chessctr.org/membership/) always play for FREE ($0.00). Check our social media ([Twitter](https://twitter.com/uschess) / [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/USChessCenter)) for closure announcements: The Chess Center is closed on major holidays. We also have chess sets, clocks, and [used chess books](https://chessctr.org/usedbooks/) for sale.

Venez apprécier l'ambiance chaleureuse d'une conversation en français autour d'un verre de vin et d'apéritifs à moitié prix. C'est ouvert à tous quelque soit votre niveau, que vous soyez débutant ou bien que le Français soit votre langue maternelle. It is irresistible, to enjoy French convo with half-priced appetizers, glass of wine and rail drinks. The Event is open to all levels of French language, from beginners to native fluency. ***GRAB A DRINK AND YOU ARE ALL SET TO FLEX YOUR LANGUAGE CAPACITY. YOU NEED TO GET AT LEAST A DRINK OR FOOD :) To get the event going and show support. We know that you like our events. P.S. : We have non-alcoholic drinks as well.*** We have a tiny venue and we hit capacity often and early arrival is suggested. We have the discretion to decide entry. This is mainly a social for Intermediate/Advanced/Native Speakers. It is not as such to learn a language. Beginners, if you want to learn a language, reach out to us ([info@merevents.com](http://info@merevents.com/)). We have a school and will arrange you a class. ***AFTER THE HAPPY HOUR, WE HIT THE DANCE FLOOR! BRING YOUR DANCING SHOES, WE WILL DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY!***

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!

We may pick a specific topic and post in advance or may discuss current events and various ad hoc topics . We would love to spend time hanging out and getting to know one another. Atheist, agnostics, other non-theists, and atheist-friendly people are welcome to join us. Note: COUNT operates a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions (http://www.facebook.com/groups/COUNT.discussions/) to promote discussions among members and visitors.

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/

Mental Health, how do you understand it? How can you improve it? How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went? Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence? Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp. This group is hosted by the Dianetics and Scientology Life Improvement Center of Central Ohio.

Our monthly PHP meetup. A virtual shindig courtesy of Zoom. Check back here for the details around 6:15 pm

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went? Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence? Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.

Columbus Code & Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. People of all skill levels attend, and we love it that way. Many people (optionally) bring projects to work on, and many other people (optionally) socialize the entire time. It's entirely up to you! **What to Expect at the Intro Circle** \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ Near the beginning of the event (1:30 pm), we do a standup: * Organizer announcements, updates, and logistics Round 1 - (7 secs max): * Your name * What you're working on * What you can help others with Round 2: * Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. Round 3: * Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized! Feel free to work alone, pair up, attend one of our workshops/presentations, or mingle!