Modern Literature

[Profs and Pints DC](https://www.profsandpints.com/washingtondc) presents: **"Eugenics Then and Now,”** on a dangerous movement in science and its lessons for current research, with Carlo Quintanilla, molecular biologist and health science policy analyst at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. [Advance tickets: $13.50 plus sales tax and processing fees. Available at [https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-eugenics](https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/profsandpints/dc-eugenics) .] Global concerns about the return of eugenic thinking were reignited by Chinese scientist He Jiankui’s 2018 announcement of the first gene-edited babies, Lulu and Nana. He was quickly condemned by the scientific community and jailed for illegal medical practice, but he and others around the world continue experiments with goals echoing eugenic ambitions. As genetic technologies advance at extraordinary speed, society faces a new set of ethical questions about shaping the traits of future generations. Are we entering a new era of eugenics? If so, how should we respond? Hear such questions tackled by Carlo Quintanilla, who studied rare genetic mutations in human disease as a graduate research scientist and instructor at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and now works at the intersection of genomic medicine, science, and society. Dr. Quintanilla will begin by discussing the origins and history of eugenics, tracing its development in the 19th and 20th centuries as an idea, a scientific movement, and a set of policies. He’ll examine the rise of Social Darwinism in the U.K., forced sterilization programs in the United States, and the atrocities committed by the Third Reich in the name of “racial hygiene.” From there, he’ll explore how our ability to shape human health and heredity have been transformed by modern reproductive and genetic technologies such as in vitro fertilization, prenatal and embryo screening, and genome editing. You’ll learn how these tools hold enormous promise when it comes to the prevention and cure of rare and debilitating genetic conditions, yet also raise profound questions related to their potential enablement of a new, technologically driven form of eugenics. Dr. Quintanilla will then delve into the ongoing debate among scientists, bioethicists, and policymakers over what should be classified as eugenics today. He’ll highlight recent controversial uses of genetic and reproductive technologies that are pushing ethical boundaries faster than society can define them, from embryo selection for traits like IQ and height to speculative military interest in genetically enhanced soldiers. These examples raise urgent questions: Where should society draw ethical boundaries? Who gets to decide? And is the term “eugenics” still useful for guiding policy and public debate? We’ll close by examining the social, political, and regulatory forces that will determine the future, considering whether they will restrain the push toward further genetic control or accelerate it. (Doors: $17, or $15 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later.) Image: The frontispiece of the 1883 book *Inquiries into Human Faculty and Its Development,* by pioneering eugenicist Francis Galton (Wikimedia Commons / Metropolitan Museum of Art).

Everyone is welcome to join these classes on meditation and modern Buddhism. These classes include both meditations and teachings based on Buddha’s wisdom that can help us to stay peaceful, even in the most challenging times. Topics include the following: * Freeing Ourself from Stress * Understanding the Mind * Learning to Let Go of Negativity * The Keys to Stable & Lasting Change * Staying Positive No Matter What Happens * Freedom from Anger * Why This Day Matters * Forces for Positive Change **To Register:** Visit our class listings page at [MeditationMD.org](https://www.meditationmd.org/classes-retreats). You can also register at the door, arriving 15 min early. **This is an in-person class.** **Cost:** $12 ($8 students, seniors 62+, and unemployed). Free for Monthly Members. **Location:** Owen Brown Interfaith Center 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045 **With Teacher Rick Ratigan** A long-time member of KMC Maryland, Rick has been practicing Kadampa Buddhism since 1999, and has been teaching for about 15 years. He is retired from the State of Maryland with a background in Social Services. He is a sincere meditator and Dharma practitioner and is well liked for his compassion and a good sense of humor. Rick’s classes are down-to-earth and practical. Visit our website: [www.MeditationMd.org](https://www.meditationmd.org/classes-retreats)

The corrupt officials of a 19th-century Russian town get word that an inspector general is coming to assess local conditions. A wandering fool arrives, and in keeping with the action in the play by Nikolai Gogol on which the movie is based, the locals assume that he is the inspector general in disguise. The madcap hijinks of the mayor and his cronies as they try to make the town appear well managed are matched by Danny Kaye’s antics as he tries to confirm their delusion. ■ Title — *The Inspector General* ■ Director — Henry Koster ■ Cast — Danny Kaye, Walter Slezak, Barbara Bates ■ Rating — Approved (suitable for general audiences) ■ ©1949 \| 1h 42m \| Comedy\, Music\, Musical\, Romance ■ Watch it free with ads on Fawesome: https://fawesome.tv/movies/10450611/the-inspector-general-1949 ■ Watch it free with ads on Flixhouse: https://flixhouse.com/video/697/the-inspector-general ■ Watch it free with ads on Tubi: https://tubitv.com/movies/269893/the-inspector-general ■ Available free without ads to Amazon Prime subscribers: https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.f0ceb48a-9fa5-4c23-99a0-1f1171620d5a ■ As with most of our online features, you can watch this one whenever you like. Members who watch at the scheduled time may enjoy exchanging comments with other members on this page. If you post a comment before the show, please avoid spoilers. Comments posted after the show may contain any content, but Oddball Cinema encourages members to always avoid spoilers unless there’s some particularly important details you need to mention. ■ Many of the movies on our online events from as far back as March 2020 are still available for viewing. However, titles sometimes move from one streaming service to another. If you find that the links on an old event no longer work, you can search for the current providers of any title here: https://justwatch.com

Come learn how money really works. We’ll cover how to grow it, protect it, get out of debt, and use smart retirement and infinite banking strategies to build long-term security.

Join us for another optional writing session! Feel free to bring a project you're already working on or start something new with us. If anything interesting comes up while you're writing, you can share it with the group, but no pressure!

Join is to read Arabella by Georgette Heyer, the queen of regency romance! We will be meeting at the Ballston Quarter food court,

Since 1961, Amnesty International USA has fought to protect human rights as the world’s largest grassroots human rights organization. Our local group generally meets the second Wednesday of every month at the Cleveland Park Library. Each month, we do letter writing actions, discuss human rights issues in the news, and plan for hosting or participating in occasional events area events. For more information, email Mike Duffy at michaelbernardduffy@gmail.com.

L'Exil et le Royaume d'Albert Camus est un recueil de six nouvelles explorant la condition humaine entre l'exil (solitude, absurdité, séparation, déréliction) et le royaume (sérénité, communion avec le monde). Exile and the Kingdom is Albert Camus' fine collection of six short stories which explores the human condition between exile (solitude, absuridity, apartness, abandonment) and the kingdom (peace, communion with the world). L'Exil et le Royaume, published in 1957, was the last work of fiction Camus produced before his tragic early death in 1960. Si vous allez lire l'Exil en français, il faut commander via Schoehof's avant 14h (Heure de l'Est) pour accélérer le traitement de votre commande. https://www.schoenhofs.com/LExil-et-le-royaume-by-Albert-Camus_p_27096.html (le titre est jadis disponible pour notre club chez Schoenhof's). If you wish to read Camus' Exile and the Kingdom in English, please order this translation. This book is also available in Kindle. https://www.amazon.com/Exile-Kingdom-Albert-Camus/dp/0307278581/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IK180GYU1NRD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HYa3dT5939PqR2K7w4j6X5gJkSDn0f426cxnZVL9YAraHj2BRcyv07scTR5j5IvKzOydAejAKfRNTHuXvYhfdwGGaopnnsgsMURJOxX4_qr9sK5PM9_88VlaarklT3s9prurTIf74-lqbpfvePF2IdFUDCpyjS3Cj5XFcQhG4GiLNO_GUgQUKmK5fKsnYyFyXm0OR83xe7W5800A_Z5i7O9s-UHquxUi_PJvKHMKkUQ.9jHxrNWQYBVXudvpzigRn-ZFp1ZbY_XPpBI1nBxuNmU&dib_tag=se&keywords=albert+camus+exile+and+the+kingdom&qid=1771453214&sprefix=albert+camus+exile+%2Caps%2C103& Zoom Link: Alphonse-Louis Vinh vous invite à une réunion Zoom programmée. Sujet: Albert Camus. L'Exil et le Royaume. Exile and the Kingdom. Heure: 8 avr. 2026 07:30 PM Heure de l’Est (États-Unis et Canada) Participer à la réunion Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85713264534?pwd=M1bYWG304M2AhmlCCWMwQRbD1KUj7D.1 Voir des infos sur les réunions avec Zoom AI Companion https://us02web.zoom.us/launch/edl?muid=6f4e4c42-8cf7-4e20-b504-ce61b2f59244 ID de réunion: 857 1326 4534 Code secret: 783261 \-\-\- Une seule pression sur l’appareil mobile +13017158592,,85713264534#,,,,\*783261# États-Unis (Washington DC) +13092053325,,85713264534#,,,,\*783261# États-Unis Instructions pour participer https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/85713264534/invitations?signature=IcipPLTlTlv6M_MjN_LQlBX01BeQm6AAlXqQDjy55os

This meeting will be dedicated to talking about the entirety of "Brideshead Revisited" by Evelyn Waugh We will be meeting in the National Portrait Gallery Atrium. To stay up to date with events and discuss meetings or books, you can join our Whatsapp group. Please message me to get added.

We’re going on our annual stroll to tour the winners of this year’s Golden Haiku contest! We’ll be gathering at CapOne cafe right after our Saturday workshop, leaving at 2:10 to go to the metro. Even if you aren’t able to join us for the workshop right before, come join us for this, followed by our usual lunch outing.

We will meeting at a **New Location: GameOn** which is at 1330 U St. If taking the metro go to U St station take the 13th St exit and walk half a block. The bar is on U St between 13th and 14th. We will be sitting at the upstairs nook by the Mario Bros mural. We will be reading "We Are Legion (We Are Bob)" by Dennis E. Taylor. [We Are Legion (We Are Bob) (Bobiverse, #1) by Dennis E. Taylor | Goodreads](We%20Are%20Bob) As per usual we are crowd sourcing book ideas and voting on the top books. We encourage you to add votes to the books [DC Science Fiction Book Club Suggestions - Google Sheets](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mprXaa6bcEW5EL_uprN16-RBcetO6pbqA4vHDTjtowI/edit?gid=0#gid=0)

**Our April novel is: *The Hong Kong Widow* by Kristen Loesch** **This month’s novel blends gothic atmosphere with historical fiction and chilling horror, set against the haunting backdrop of China. The book is 368 pages in print and 10 hours and 42 minutes on audiobook.** In 1950s Hong Kong, Mei is a young refugee of the Chinese Communist revolution struggling to put her past in Shanghai behind her. When she receives a shocking invitation—to take part in a competition in one of the city's most notorious haunted houses, pitting six spirit mediums against one another in a series of six séances over six nights, until a single winner emerges—she has every reason to refuse. Except that the hostess, a former Shanghainese silent film star, is none other than the wife of the man who once destroyed Mei’s entire life. It is promised the winner will receive a fortune, but there is only one prize Mei wants: revenge. Decades later, the final night of that competition has become an infamous urban legend: The police were called to the scene of a brutal massacre but found no evidence, dismissing it as a collective hallucination. Mei knows what she saw, but now someone else is convinced they know what she did. She must uncover the truth about the last night she ever spent in that house—even if the ghosts of her past are waiting for her there. . . .

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 7:00pm on Wednesday, April 22 at Streetlight Guild. 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:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. 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! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.

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!

**We are expanding our creative programming opportunities with Queer Quills, a quiet writing and sharing space. Queer Quills features some prompts, supplies and friendly faces to help get some inspiration or feedback for your writing. Hope to see you there!**

Let's bedazzle some books while we discuss our April pick: Bloodguard by Cecy Robson! Book description: One hundred years. Tens of thousands of gladiators. And today, only one will rise… Everything in the Kingdom of Arrow is a lie. Leith of Grey thought coming to this new land and volunteering to fight in the gladiator arena—vicious, bloodthirsty tournaments where only the strongest survive—would earn him enough gold to save his dying sister. He thought there was nothing left to lose. He was wrong—and they took everything. His hope. His freedom. His very humanity. All Leith has left is his battle-scarred body, fueled by rage and hardened from years of fighting for the right to live another day. Then Leith meets Maeve, an elven royal who is everything he despises. Everything he should hate. Until the alluring princess offers him the one thing he needs most: a chance to win the coveted title of Bloodguard—and his freedom. But in a kingdom built on secrets and lies, hope doesn’t come cheap. Nor will his ultimate revenge… Event: Please bring your own book, journal, bookmarks, etc to bedazzle. If you have bedazzling supplies, please bring them as well. I will supply gems, glue, and picker tools, but if you have certain colors in mind, you may want to bring your own.

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!