Ontology

Time is precious. Here we value non-boring valuable chats and interactions that are fully engaging, soulfully enriching, inspiring, and leave you a bit wiser than when you arrived. In that spirit (mind the pun!), today’s fully hosted laid back social coffee chat will offer a perfect haven for the inquisitive & curious - those drawn to the mysteries of the universe, life and everything in between. A tasty caffeine infused fun afternoon of thought-provoking causal chats exploring spirituality/consciousness and related interconnected topics spanning **philosophy,** **neuroscience**, **parapsychology,** **paranormal.** **cosmology** and **noetic sciences** over a mug of sweet coffee (or amazin value Chardonnay!) Chaired by me - a former Reuters journalist & published empirical researcher exploring spirituality topics in pursuant of the "truth" since a teenager, there'll be no strict structure - a relaxed friendly space to openly chat, exchange ideas & experiences without judgement, but I'll preside to promote inclusivity and zone in on specifics to avoid people digressing onto unrelated tangents to ensure like all of our events - particpants derive maximum utlity and engagement from attending. We’ll touch on everything from the limits of scientific understanding to exploring the unexplained using practical fun exploratory divination practices drawing on elements of **psychology, metaphysics, epistemology** and **statistical** **probability** of rare events as we do so. Whether you're a practicing "spiritualist", a curious skeptic, or just someone who loves deep conversation on **life’s big questions**, you’ll hopefully walk away more enlightened with some practical tips you can start applying and inspired to explore more! As well as illuminating chats to guide self-reflection, obviously no sprituality event woul be complete without practical tools so there'll be FREE Tarot & I-Ching readings, demonstrations of meditation method to activate super powerful gamma brain waves, and pyschic tests for a bit of fun, laughter & intrigue! **Sample of conversational threads** might include: Are we mere organisms pursuing biological survival or does consciousness exist beyond neurons firing in our brains? What explains peoples' paranormal experiences? What would reality look like If our brains were limitless? Declassified CIA files show that as as well as mind control experiments, the US govt employed mediums and remote viewers. If all mumbo jumbo then why? Is Nirvana just a fantasy of deluded people? Does everything happen for a reason? To clarify - we define spirituality here as an exploration of consciousness, Donald Rumsfeld's unknown unknowns and undiscovered aspects of reality, NOT religion. After all, as my philosophy professor once rightly postulated to me: "If God created Adam, who created God Lucas?" Yep - that inconvenient flaw **debunks every fairytale religion** out there including the oldest religion of them all - paganism - so why is witchcraft still practised outside of **Hogwarts** today? I may also share the latest peer reviewed empirical evidence surrounding **paranormal** and **consciousness** phenomena. **=== POTENTIAL CONVERSATION STARTERS ===** 1. Does consciousness survive death or is Cambridge Astrophysics Professor Brian Cox right in asserting if **ghosts** existed then particle accelerators at CERN would have already detected ghost molecules making Ouija boards kids play? Are Poltergiests 100% hoax? Brain scans indicate thalamocortical circuits in our brain (pathways in the parietal cortex & central lateral thalamus) drive **consciousness -** so how can spirit/mind live on after **brain death**? 2. Is **synchronicity/coincidence** simply randomness disguised in the eye of the beholder or can what Einstein called “spooky action at a distance" (quantum entanglement) explain it? Molecular Biologists have shown that just like plants - our cells give off resonant frequencies between 10 & 180 kilohertz - could this be a source of non-verbal communication like telepathy? 3. Given **neuroscience**'s infancy with much yet undiscovered - could mediation help access functions outside of our BAU alpha & beta brain wave states? Can **Kundalini yoga** boost **DMT** (dimethyltryptamine) naturally vs drugs like ayahuasca, mushrooms, LSDand if so by what mechanism? Do the artifically created neural signatures using magnetic stimulation observed during mystical experiences debunk them? Is the Maharishi Effect real? 4. Are clairvoyants and mediums just good people readers or are they really able to access time and space in non-linear ways? Is Tyler Henry the real deal or just faking it? Was **Abraham Lincolm** precognizant when he dreamt his own fatal assignation? 5. The laws of statistical probability, Drake Equation & common sense tells us there is other non-microbial life out there. So what explains the Fermi Paradox? Was that 1976 WOW signal aliens? How about the recent strange bahaviour of Boyajian's star or Oumuamua/Atlas interstella object that has just entered our solar system? 6. Could metaverse explain deja vu & reincarnation vs theories from the **psychology** literature (Mandela Effect?) or do we just live in a **simulation** as **Elon Musk** proposes? 7. **Stephen Hawking** once said: "The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities" If matter only manifests when observed as the double slit experiments shows, does that mean everything is consciousness? Does the discovery of *quantum superposition /* disappearing neutrons imply **parallel universes**? 8. Do NDEs suggest something beyond physicality? Were Steve Jobs final words "Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow" before he died (New York Times) visions of an afterlife or just neurochemical changes / drugs playing tricks? 9. Can photons omitted by our bodies explain auras that people see? 10. Could limits in our understanding of quantum physics, space and time explain paranormal experiences? 11. What existed before the **big bang** \- how do you get something from "nothing"? I believe our reality is the product of a black hole\. What you reckon? ***So how do we get to the "truth"?*** Both in my journalism days and applying the most advanced empirical research techniques in my client consulting work - it becomes clear the truth is often elusive. No matter how much we triangulate evidence - we can only provide part answers. "All models are wrong, but some are useful" George Box What we think we know and reality diverge leading to that great **paradox of knowledge.** And as the boundary between knowns and unknown converge, we end up with cognitive dissonance and more questions. In that spirit - every credible philosopher & scientist acknowledges - we'll never get to the complete truth but could **experimental methods** get us closer to it? A balanced approach guided by Immanuel Kant's pragmatism and Aristotle's deductive reasoning seems the most rationale framework here but are there any other methodologies? How about the **"spirituality"** toolkit? **=== RENDEZVOUS POINT ===** We will meet inside the pub upstairs - located in Islington, 4 seconds walk from Highbury & Islington station or 12 mins from Angel station. l I'll be wearing a **Starwars identifier** and will share mobile hotline just before event start and table number/location. For stargazing we will walk to park 5 mins away around 7.30pm Lucas - The Unenlightened Desperately Seeking Answer

Come and play 2 hours of intermediate level badminton with us at the fantastic sports hall at Ark Walworth Academy in Southwark (SE1), playing with Yonex 600 fast plastic shuttlecocks on 4 badminton courts and normally around 20 players. You need to book your place in advance on our website using a bank card, PayPal, or Apple Pay. Note that we manage bookings and post updates on the booking page on our website, not on meetup: [https://playfit.co.uk/w/badminton/](https://playfit.co.uk/w/badminton/) If you have any questions or want to book a term (approx 3 months) at a discounted rate then contact us here: Whatsapp: [https://wa.me/message/WMVRULBIR7TJA1](https://wa.me/message/WMVRULBIR7TJA1) Email: [https://playfit.co.uk/w/contact](https://playfit.co.uk/w/contact) Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about our badminton sessions, new locations and get exclusive offers: [https://playfit.co.uk/newsletter](https://playfit.co.uk/newsletter)

**Join us for another LoMAZ Unlimited event, this time visiting the 'Sufi Life and Art' free exhibition at the British Museum.** **Unlike our regular events (which often have waitlists), our Unlimited ones have no cap on numbers. They're a social for everyone, and a great way to see what we're about.** **❓ How do our Unlimited events work?** * We **meet in the museum cafe** first. * Then we **look** **around 1-3 rooms in the museum for around 50 minutes.** * You're free to wander around the rooms at your own pace or explore with other members of the group. * **This isn't a guided tour of the rooms.** We simply limit the number of rooms we visit so it's more manageable with a larger group than usual. Each event we choose a different theme or time period to explore. * **After this, we head to the pub!** **THE PLAN:** **2:00-2.40pm: MEET AND GREET IN BRITISH MUSEUM COURT CAFE** Look for the hosts wearing LoMAZ badges. **2:40pm-3.30pm: GO TO 'SUFI LIFE AND ART' FREE EXHIBITION, ROOM 43a ON UPPER FLOOR** This can be found within The Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic world: *'This display will explore Sufi life and art through a selection of objects that represent Sufi communities in the Middle East, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, and northern India. This mystical movement, which first appeared in the Islamic world during the eighth century AD, has been defined as a pathway to a personal experience with God.'* **Read more** **[here](https://www.britishmuseum.org/exhibitions/sufi-life-and-art).** **Find the museum map** **[here.](https://www.britishmuseum.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/British_Museum_map.pdf)** **3.30pm: LEAVE MUSEUM TO WALK TO PUB** **3:45pm: PUB SOCIAL** We'll head to the The Penderel's Oak pub. Address: 283-288 High Holborn, London WC1V 7HP. We were not able to reserve tables this time, unfortunately. [https://maps.app.goo.gl/1PF1LDymBw8Jcabn9](https://maps.app.goo.gl/1PF1LDymBw8Jcabn9) **TICKETS:** **⚠️ ⛔️ There are now no more tickets left for this date.** The museum reached full capacity when we last visited and staff stopped anyone without a ticket entering. ***As we are attending on Easter Monday, if you don't have a pre-booked ticket or are not a member there is a good chance you won't be let in. ⚠️ ⛔️*** **GETTING THERE:** **Address:** British Museum, Great Russell St, London WC1B 3DG Find more information **[here.](https://www.britishmuseum.org/visit#getting-here)** **EVENT WHATSAPP GROUP:** As our Unlimited events can get quite busy, we'll have a WhatsApp group for this event to help you find the group on the day. ***See Event Comments for the link.*** **FINALLY:** **Please change your RSVP to 'no' if you can no longer attend, so the hosts know who to look out for.** **Thank you for your interest in the group & being part of LoMAZ.** Image: Ceramic tile, Türkiye, around 1700, from the collection.

Join us for some fun, competitive, but friendly games at our 4-court sports hall. We use Yonex Mavis 600 Nylon shuttles during the 2-hour session. **PAYMENT** * **Session Fee: £9** * We are cashless, kindly pay the session fee **by midnight** on the night before the session. You are welcome to pay early! You can even pay when you book! See our About page for the full process. * If no payment is received, you will be removed and may even be liable for a late cancellation fee if your spot is not taken. * Please use **“your meetup name + date of event”** as payment reference * **Account name:** Thomas Lam * **Sort code:** 04-00-03 * **Account number:** 7478 8608 **LATE CANCELLATION OR NO-SHOW** * **All** **no-shows or late cancellations** (24 hrs or less) will be charged if your spot is not taken by someone else - you will have a title next to your name with the amount and date owed. * Members with 2 no shows/late cancellations will be removed from the group unless outstanding payment is received * **The late cancellation policy** is set up to discourage last-minute cancellations and therefore applies with or without the presence of a waitlist * **Note:** If you are on the Waitlist and a spot becomes available, you will automatically be bumped onto the On list provided the event has not yet started. It is your responsibility to **remove yourself from the waitlist** if you can no longer make it to avoid being charged a no-show if someone cancels late. **PLAYING** * Please wait to be marked off before entering the hall. * Sessions are to finish promptly on the hour by school requests. * If you finish a match with 5 minutes to go, please start packing up instead of starting a new game. **RACKET HIRE** * Please note that we won't be hiring out rackets, so kindly bring your own racket. **PARKING** * There is parking available, but it is now paid parking. Parking is opposite the entrance. Please check the signs for parking payment instructions. **TRACK & TRACE** * We will collect your phone number on-site. Your phone number will also be used in case of fire to contact you if you have not made it to the fire evacuation areas. You can see maps at the venue. We are excited to see you guys on the court! Team LSBC

All are welcome to this bonus Meetup! Celebrate Easter Monday at The Liberty Bounds Wetherspoon, Tower Hill 🍻

Have fun meeting new people and playing badminton at this excellent venue with 3 well spaced courts with excellent flooring and lighting. We use quality feather shuttles and pride ourselves on not being stingy. Everyone is encouraged to get involved in challenging games. Games are arranged by our excellent host Luke. Do bring any issues to his attention. We welcome all players and expect players to be respectful to each other and our hosts.

🌌Ever look up and marvel with insatiable curiosity at the beauty and wonder of the **universe?** That wild sobering thought that somewhere in the chaos of creation - the emergence of life - the universe became **conscious** enough to look back in time and not just ask the existential questions, but try to answer them. And now, in our own small moment of cosmic history, as we return to the Moon aboard the most powerful rocket ever built, the **Artemis mission** carries that ancient curiosity forward. As the manned **Orion spacecraft** -currently just 18k miles from the moon - reaches its closest approach, join for the last chance to view the **Orion Nebula** through a telescope as the historic lunar rendezvous unfolds above us. 🚀 **But there’s more celestial wonder**: As those four astronauts venture deepest into space than any humans have ever been before - we’ll tale a look at **Venus,** **Jupiter** along with planet's potential life‑harbouring **moons**, iconic beautiful **star fields**, the remnants of supernovae witnessed by our earliest ancestors, **multi‑star systems** reminiscent of the twin suns of *Star Wars* and even **Tau Ceti**, a star hosting two Earth‑like worlds in its habitable zone. All of this under the spring evening - with drinks, engaging conversation, and good‑natured banter — this April. In between observing - we'll have **drinks and engaging chats** on all astronomy related topics for those inclined: Space exploration \| Fermi Paradox \| Astrobiology \| Cosmology \| paleontology\, \| SETI & Drake Equation for alien civilisations estimates \| exoplanetology etc as well as non space chats and banter too\. No doubt we'll hear the usual jokes we've all heard before\! If those don't make you laugh\, my impersonation of Los Angeles ET will\! 👽 And to help set the mood and make the night feel even extra galactic, I’ll put my DJ hat to play some space‑themed tunes and songs about the stars! You don't need a telescope as you will be able to view through scopes belonging to me and other club members (as long as you behave responsibly and don't temper with expensive equipment). If you have your own telescope/binoculars feel free to bring along and I can help you setting it up if you're a newbie **==== ITINERARY =====** We will meet outside H&I Station in Highbury Islington. After a short wait for anyone delayed, I will escort everyone to our observation point in the local park 5 minutes walk away and brief you in terms of what to expect, observing etiquette, tips, equipment handling and take any questions you have - weather general or astronomy/cosmology related. **After Drinks:** Unless I have a very important 9AM Tue deadline for a unfinished client presentation or something - most of us usually head to a cosy bar for a drink. If so - I will annouce the pub when we leave the park **==== What Can You Expect To See (this time of year)? ====** * Orion Nebula * Jupiter and 4 moons * Meteors * Andromedia Galaxy * Star clusters such as the Pleiades & Owl Cluster etc * International Space station fly by * Binary & tripple star systems (think planet *Tatooine in* Starwars!), * Neptune * Uranuus * Our moon * A look towards the galactic centre of the Mlikyway where that supermassive £22b Labour black hole sits (Sagittarius A) More here from Jodrell Bank Observatory/Astrophysics Centre: [http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/](http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/astronomy/nightsky/) Guide to viewing the cosmos for beginners: [https://phys.org/news/2018-05-universe-distant-starstips-cosmology-backyard.html#jCp](https://phys.org/news/2018-05-universe-distant-starstips-cosmology-backyard.html#jCp) **===Weather Dependent=====** The event is subject to clear skies forecasts on the night so if on the actual afternoon of the event the weather forecasts looks unsuitable beyond doubt then I will postpone so please check the event status on the day of the event . If this event is still listed here at 5PM on the day, it will be going ahead at the designated day and time! Lucas Skywalker - The Singin, Dancin, DJ-in Astronomer

On Wednesday 8th of April, public rallies and other events are taking place around the world in support of greater funding for research into longer healthy lifespans. [The Fund Longevity website](https://fundlongevity.org/en/why/) makes the case as follows: ***Aging Is a Problem***: Aging kills around 110,000 people every day. It is the primary risk factor behind nearly all major non-infectious diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and dementia. Beyond statistics, aging causes decades of frailty, pain, and loss of independence. It is the greatest source of human suffering that is being accepted as "normal". ***This Is Personal***: Everyone you love will age, suffer, and die because of it. So will you. If we had the ability to prevent this, choosing not to would be deeply unethical. If we can stop aging, we should. ***Stopping Aging Is Possible***: Aging is not a mystery or a force of nature. It is a biological process — and biological processes can be studied, modified, and treated. Over the past decades, scientists have identified many of the core mechanisms that drive aging at the cellular and molecular level. While our understanding is incomplete, it is already sufficient to begin developing real therapies. ***What Do We Mean by "Stopping Aging"?*** We mean treating aging as a medical condition. The goal is to restore and maintain youthful biological function — roughly equivalent to being in your twenties — for as long as you choose. This would prevent or reverse age-related diseases instead of treating them one by one. ***Is This Really Realistic?*** Yes. Thousands of scientists have publicly stated that aging is a solvable problem in the [Dublin Longevity Declaration](https://dublinlongevitydeclaration.org/). Research already shows that aging can be slowed, paused, or reversed in laboratory organisms. Some animals exhibit negligible aging or extreme longevity. Nature has already demonstrated that aging is avoidable — humans simply haven't applied these solutions to ourselves yet. ***Is It Difficult?*** Extremely. Reversing aging in humans will likely be more difficult than landing on the Moon. It will require entirely new biotechnologies and breakthroughs that don't exist yet. We will need to remove senescent cells, repair or replace damaged tissues, and solve many other problems we don't fully understand. This is one of the most difficult challenges humanity has ever faced, but just because it is difficult does not mean it is impossible. Many scientists agree that there are no fundamental laws of physics that prohibits stopping aging. Nature has done it in several animals already, like the hydra. ***What's Missing?*** Scale. Today, fewer than a thousand people worldwide are seriously working on solving aging — researchers, biotech founders, and advocates combined. That number needs to grow by at least 1000×. There is no major government agency dedicated to ending aging. Funding is fragmented. Regulation is outdated. Public urgency is nearly nonexistent. This will not change on its own. ***Why We Act***: Aging is the largest cause of death and suffering on Earth. Solving it requires a society-wide effort — scientific, political, and cultural. That's why we organize. That's why we demonstrate. That's why we demand action. Join us — and help make aging optional for humans and animals.\* == London Futurists gathering on 8th April == The arguments for greater funding for longevity science are strong - but at least a dozen arguments are often raised in opposition to such funding. In our gathering in *Ye Olde Cock Tavern* in Fleet Street, we'll take the opportunity to review these arguments - debating their merits, taking them apart brick by brick, and exploring what really lies behind these arguments. *Anyone who wishes to make a short presentation on this topic during this gathering should contact the organisers in advance.* == Schedule == 5:30pm: The room is available, for early get-togethers 6pm-6:45pm: Food is served; informal conversations 6:45pm-8:30pm: A number of interactive conversations, interspersed with opportunities to visit the bar 8:30pm: Informal networking == RSVP please == Registrations are capped at 40 people. *First-time attendees are welcome.* There's no charge to register or attend, but the pub will expect everyone to order at least one drink, and a reasonable number of attendees to [order some food to eat](https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/ye-olde-cock-tavern/menu?type=main+menu). Please order your food on your arrival, so that all plates can be set aside by 6:45pm to allow everyone to concentrate on the main discussion! == More about the venue == Ye Olde Cock Tavern, 22 Fleet Street, Holborn, London, EC4Y 1AA See [https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/ye-olde-cock-tavern](https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/ye-olde-cock-tavern) We'll be meeting in the room at the top of the stairs, though drinks should be ordered from the bar on the ground floor. \*\* Note that this is an in-person meeting, and there will be no remote access, sorry \*\*

Hi everyone! Booking is now open for our next badminton session, 11am-1pm on Sunday at Ark All Saints Camberwell 140 Wyndham Road SE5 0UB. The cost is only £10 per person plus £1.62 Meetup booking fee, paid in advance before the start of the session. Bring your racket or lease one for the session for a nominal £2.00, shuttlecocks is provided. The lease rackets are available at the venue, so just make your way down. Please note we don't have enough for everybody just a few. If you damage your racket during the session you get one to use for free. So if you wish to play and don’t yet have a racket make your way down, try and have a couple of nuggets (£2.00) handy because the racket lease fee is not included with the session booking fee. Payment is by PayPal, Debit card, Credit card, Bank transfer, and Cash. Contact the host if you encounter any problem with making payment or wish to pay by other method (Payment by Bank transfer & Cash is £10.00) Direction: The badminton hall is situated at the rear of the school, read on for direction on how to locate the hall. The main entrance to the school is located on Wyndham road, on Wyndham road look for Toulon Street it is on the same side as the school. If you stand facing the school Toulon Street should be to your right. Toulon street lead on to Pitman Street which is where the entrance is located. Use the pedestrian gate to let yourself in, if it is locked use the intercom and somebody should let you in. Immediately inside the school premises the entrance to the badminton venue is the building to your immediate right. For more info, contact the host Look forward to seeing you! Many thanks Afam

Elixir London Meetup; February 2026 edition. All are welcome. **Session 1: Anton Borisov - Distilling Kafka's Binary Protocol into Elixir** We'll trace a produce request to show what any Kafka client has to get right. In the BEAM ecosystem, erlkaf wraps librdkafka, brod implements the protocol in Erlang, and [kafka_ex](https://hex.pm/packages/kafka_ex) goes pure Elixir. Kafka_ex's approach is to generate serializers at compile time from Kafka's own schema definitions: plain structs, pattern matching, structural boilerplate isolated from the logic you actually think about. That design is what let us jump two major versions ahead and adapt to significant protocol changes. Let's dig into the idea, the code, and the tradeoffs. **Session 2: Evadne Wu** **\- JavaScript Execution Strategies in Elixir\-based Agent Frameworks** We'll look at integration points between elixir agents (in the AI fashion) and JavaScript execution, and all the foot guns involved. *The event is kindly sponsored by* [Fresha](https://www.fresha.com). **Time** Doors open at 18, start at 18.30. **Venue** Fresha The Bower, 207-211, Old St, Tower, London EC1V 9NR **Refreshments** Food and drinks will be provisioned on the day. **IMPORTANT**: **If you wish to take photos and post online during the event, please notify organisers first, so that attendees can opt-out from being in photos.**

ENGLIGH BELOW. La Londona Esperanto-Klubo (LEK) kutime kunvenas ĉeeste en Highbury la duan vendredon de ĉiu monato kaj virtuale, per la retprogramo Zoom, la aliajn vendredojn. Ni okazigas ankaŭ aliajn eventojn de tempo al tempo. Vi trovos nian plej ĝisdatigitan programon en nia retejo: [https://londonaesperantoklubo.com/eventoj.html](https://londonaesperantoklubo.com/eventoj.html) ENGLISH: The London Esperanto Club meets on the 2nd Friday of every month in Highbury and online (Zoom) the other Fridays. Our meetings are held in Esperanto but you're more than welcome to come if you're still learning the language. In fact, some of them are specifically aimed at people who are not fluent speakers yet. Just [let us know](https://londonaesperantoklubo.com/kontakto.html) in advance and we will make sure that someone is here to help. You will find our program on our website: [https://londonaesperantoklubo.com/eventoj.html](https://londonaesperantoklubo.com/eventoj.html) We also offer weekly online Esperanto classes. Please visit [this page](https://londonaesperantoklubo.com/online-esperanto-courses.html) for more information.

Agents are writing code, running workflows, and building other agents. ​ The challenge isn’t basic functionality. It’s getting these systems to operate predictably in production, and integrating them into how teams build and ship software. ​This session covers both. ​ From a production lens: how to build agentic systems using spec-driven development, structured context, and evaluation loops that hold up at scale. ​From a human lens: what breaks when agents become collaborators. Ownership, coordination, and how teams actually adapt. ​Speakers: ​**Clifton Cunningham** ​**Member of Technical Staff, [guidemode.dev](https://guidemode.dev/?utm_source=luma) \| Former CTO at DailyMail\, Infinitas Learning\, TES Global** ​Clifton will explore what happens when AI agents become part of your team. Drawing on experience leading large-scale engineering organisations, he’ll unpack the human, cultural, and operational challenges of working alongside AI colleagues. ​**Alfonso Graziano** ​**AI Tech Lead\, Nearform \| Author of *AI-Native Software Engineering*** ​Alfonso will walk through how to build agents that build and maintain other agents. A practical, production-focused session covering spec-driven development, context engineering, evaluation loops, and how to make agentic systems reliable at scale. ​ Join us for pizza, drinks, and practical AI insights.

Join the Corinthians Badminton Club for a fun and social evening of badminton! This event is perfect for anyone at **Intermediate level** looking to improve their skills, meet new people, and have a great time on the court. We will have friendly matches and plenty of opportunities to socialize with fellow badminton enthusiasts. Feel free to share the event with a friend so they too can come along and enjoy a night of sports and recreation in a welcoming and inclusive environment. We play with feather shuttlecocks and unfortunately cannot accommodate beginners. This is to ensure games are fair and enjoyable for everyone. We currently have 15 regular members and are opening up 8-10 guest slots using MeetUp. Guest fees are £10 per session, please arrange payment 24 hours before session starts otherwise we would have to release your place. We are unable to offer refunds at this point. Bank Transfer Details: Account: Corinthians BC Account No: 22788263 Sort Code: 60-19-01 Reference: Your Full Name Venue: Emerson Park Academy Wych Elm Road Wingletye Lane Hornchurch Essex RM11 3AD

**Venue:** Riverbank House, 2 Swan Ln, London EC4R 3AD **Please note:** 1\. 🚨🚨🚨 A valid photo ID is required by building security\. 🚨🚨🚨 2\. This event follows the [NumFOCUS Code of Conduct](https://numfocus.org/code-of-conduct). Please familiarise yourself with it before attending. If your RSVP status says "You're going" you will be able to get in. No need to show your RSVP confirmation when signing in. If you can no longer make it, please unRSVP as soon as possible. **Code of Conduct:** This event follows the NumFOCUS Code of Conduct. Please get in touch with the organisers with any questions or concerns. As always, there will be free food and drinks, generously provided by our host, Man Group. **Main Talks** 1. **[Nicoleta Lazar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleta-lazar-921a6864/) Query federation in modern OLAP databases** As analytics ecosystems grow more diverse, organisations increasingly need to query data across warehouses, data lakes, and operational systems without excessive data movement or duplication. **Query federation** has become essential by enabling unified SQL access and intelligent predicate pushdown into heterogeneous sources. This talk introduces the core principles of federation and why it matters for modern OLAP workloads. Using StarRocks as a model system, we highlight its vectorised execution engine, native connectors, and deep Apache Iceberg integration that together deliver high-performance lakehouse querying. 2. [Ben Guerin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bjhguerin/) **How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Let Claude Code Write the Python [the story of [ismypubfucked.com](http://ismypubfucked.com/ "http://ismypubfucked.com")]** 43,000 pubs. Official VOA data. One question. [ismypubfucked.com](http://ismypubfucked.com/ "http://ismypubfucked.com") got 400k visits in two weeks and wall-to-wall media coverage: from the Mirror to the Telegraph to City AM. I'm not a Python developer. I used Claude Code to wrangle government spreadsheets, match them to OpenStreetMap, and ship a working site. All in less than 6 hours from initial idea to a live website. The AI wrote the Python, I just knew what story the data could tell. This talk covers what happens when tools like Claude Code unlock Python for people who think in narratives rather than syntax, and what a decade of building viral campaigns has taught me about making people actually give a shit about spreadsheets. **Lightning Talks** 1. **TBC** 2. **TBC** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Logistics** Doors open at **6.30 pm** (get there early as you'll need to sign in with building security). Talks start at **7:00 pm**, with drinks afterwards from **9:00 pm** at The Banker (EC4). We have reduced capacity for this event, but there will be plenty of people to discuss data science questions with. Please unRSVP in good time if you realise you can't make it. We're limited by building security on the number of attendees, so please free up your place for your fellow community members. If you want me to trim lightning talks down to two or shorten any abstracts, say which ones.

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!

**Caller: Kim Thompson** **Band: Full Moon Country Dance Orchestra** **Clinton Heights Lutheran Church** **15 Clinton Heights Ave, Columbus, OH 43202** WHAT IS CONTRA DANCING? Picture the Grand Ball scenes like you’ve seen in period films such as “Pride and Prejudice”, where the dancers are lined up in long lines, across from each other. That’s English Country Dancing, the predecessor of contra dancing. Now, add moves like “swing your partner” and “do-si-do,” like you’ve seen in square dancing. Set it to fabulous, high energy, live music with fiddles, guitars, percussion and more, alá “Riverdance.” Finally, set the whole scene down in the middle of Woodstock, with a hip, groovy atmosphere, a bit of tie-dye, and hints of counter-culture attitude. THAT’s Contra Dancing! Wear cool and comfortable clothes (you will get warm) and clean shoes that won't mark up our nice wood floor. Be sure to come for the beginner's lesson from 7:30 - 8:00, followed by dancing 8:00 - 10:30. All dances are taught; we will help you learn! Beginners always welcome, no need to bring a partner. Cost is $10.00 adults, $5.00 ages 12-26. Under 12 free. Free parking in church lot. For more information contact me or check out our website: [www.bigscioty.com](http://www.bigscioty.com/) Please bring your own refillable water bottle.

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.

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.

AI is changing how art is made. But when does it stop being your work and start being the machine’s? This month we're going to be doing a panel with with digital image, music, and written word artists, talking about at what point, while using AI in the creation process, does the work become not the artist creation? We encourage audience participation during this event that will be moderated by Chris Slee. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services)

Feeling down? Sometimes depressed? Can't focus? Negativity & stress? Recent losses? Creativity in career and personal life hindered by mental blocks? Sometimes we never fully recover from traumatic experiences. Whether it was yesterday, last week or a year ago, traumatic experiences - a loss of a loved one, losing a job, a breakup - can leave you scarred. You talk about it and feel a little better, but it never goes away. After you hang up the phone, it's still there; the sadness, the cloud, the over-thinking, the worry, the guilt. You try to focus, but you're blocked. You try to look forward into new experiences, new relationships but a cloud is hanging over you, casting a shadow on what you once considered a bright, cheerful future. What happened to your courage? Your strength of character? You're 'why not' attitude? Whoever said 'time heals' must have had a special time machine, because after weeks, months, years, you're wondering - when exactly does that kick in? Sometimes it seems like drinking or drugs are the way to go. But they wear off, and now the problem is still there with added side effects from the drugs. At this free local Meetup event we will talk about: * What causes grief, anxiety and depression to become chronic. * Is it possible to regain your joy and happiness even after traumatic experiences? * How to break away from negativity and focus on the future * What are the steps to take to get control of your mind and your emotions? Learn about a safe, gentle, do-it-yourself counseling that can be done in the comfort of your own home. Let's explore safe, effective solutions for healing from traumatic experiences. Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to the event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is sponsored by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** GitHub Copilot is powerful, but what if you could scale from a solo AI assistant to an entire team of specialized agents working in parallel? This session introduces Squad: an open-source framework for multi-agent orchestration that lets you define teams of AI agents with specific roles, responsibilities, and expertise. We'll progress from Copilot basics to the Copilot CLI, explore how Agents add autonomy, and see how Instructions and Skills let you customize agent behavior. Then, the climax: a live demo where a Squad team of 3 agents (Lead, Developer, Tester) stands up and builds a working application in real-time, showcasing true multi-agent collaboration. Whether you're new to AI or exploring how to scale your use of Copilot, this session will show you what's possible when agents work as a team. **YouTube Link** TBD