Saving the Planet

Hi Gophers! We're at Atlassian this June to talk carbon footprint calculations for Claude and building a custom Kubernetes PaaS in Go. * **Agenda** **5.45pm — Food & Networking** **6:30pm — Intro** **6:45pm — Talks** **8.00pm — Wrap up then head out for kick ons** * **Talks** **🎤 Mia de Búrca** **What I Learnt Writing a Carbon Awareness Skill for Claude** (short talk) Having recently left my senior IC job in tech, I wanted to take some time to pursue green software principles, in **particular** how they apply to our use of AI. Since I'm an engineer, and engineers learn by doing; I decided to build an MCP server using sustainable software practices, and have it serve up a skill that would let an LLM ask what **its** carbon footprint had been for the conversation so far. The talk describes what I built and why, and how the implementation **and** infrastructure were a breeze **compared** to finding some real numbers to back up the carbon equivalence calculation. **🎤 Ryan Djurovich** **How I built Podplane - an Open Source PaaS running Kubernetes on Object Storage** About Podplane: Want to deploy your app easily and securely on AWS, Google Cloud, or Proxmox? Podplane is an Open Source Platform-as-a-Service built on Kubernetes with all state stored in Object Storage. It consists of a CLI, etcd alternative ([netsy.dev](http://netsy.dev)), auth server ([easy-oidc.dev](http://easy-oidc.dev)), and next-gen auto-scaler ([nstance.dev](http://nstance.dev)) - all written in Go. \* **Interested in speaking at an upcoming event?** We will aim to have a mix of short (\~10min) and in-depth (20-30min) talks. If you’re keen to give a talk on a topic, share a project, or idea, please let us know [bit.ly/GolangMelbourneSpeakersForm](https://bit.ly/GolangMelbourneSpeakersForm)

**Welcome to our Linguas Thursday Social + Language Exchange Meetup 🌍** We meet weekly at **Thursday — Asian Beer Café** **Level 3, Melbourne Central** **211 La Trobe Street, Melbourne VIC 3000** We will be in the are called the Chairmans Lounge. It is roped off. We ask that you **purchase a drink at the bar** or **pay $3.5**. *** ### 💬 Find your people (New!) Looking to practice a specific language? Post in the discussion using: * **#LearnSpanish** * **#LearnEnglish** * **#TeachEnglish** * **#LearnJapanese** * etc. 👉 This helps others find you faster and makes it easier to connect. *** ### *** ### ⏰ What to expect We consistently have **100–120 attendees** every Thursday (across multiple Meetup groups). People arrive at different times — **best time to come is between 6PM and 9PM.** Come solo or with friends — most people come alone and join conversations naturally. *** ### 🌏 Who attends? A mix of: * Native & non-native English speakers * International students * Backpackers & working holiday travellers * Professionals & expats * Local Australians You’ll meet people from: Europe, China, Japan, Korea, Latin America, and more. *** ### 🗣️ Why join? 👉 A relaxed, social way to practice English 👉 Meet people from around the world 👉 No pressure, no structure — just conversations *** ### 🍕 FREE DRINKS & FOOD FOR FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS! We’re looking for **friendly volunteers** to help welcome newcomers and keep the vibe social. 👉 You’ll get: * Free drinks (beer/soft drink) * Food (pizza, wedges, etc.) * A fun team to hang out with No experience needed — many of our volunteers are **first-timers too**. Interested? 👉 [www.Linguas.au/Volunteer](www.Linguas.au/Volunteer) *** 📲 **More info:** [https://instagram.com/Linguas.AU](https://instagram.com/Linguas.AU) or **@Linguas.AU**

🛸🛸 **The Hitchhiker's guide to redundancy: a 'mostly harmless' manual for surviving the professional void** 🛸🛸 What do you do when your career is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a corporate bypass? Too many professionals treat redundancy like the end of the universe, spiralling into the bureaucratic nebula of unemployment without a map. This session chronicles a six-month odyssey through the unknown, transforming a vulnerable period of professional upheaval into a practical, comedic survival guide. **What you’ll hear:** ✨ **How not to panic:** How to steady your ship when the corporate ground disappears beneath you ✨ **What to pack:** Cultivating the core resilience and mindsets needed to navigate sudden career transitions ✨ **Deploying your networking Babel Fish:** Translating your experience into a language the market actually understands ✨ **Navigating the bureaucratic nebula:** Managing the identity shift, the job search logistics, and the administrative void without losing your sanity ✨ **Embarking on your next chapter:** Turning an unexpected full stop into a launching pad for a career that actually fits your trajectory As long as you're packing resilience to brace the knocks (and your sense of humour), you’ll never truly be lost in space. A vulnerable, funny, and no-BS roadmap to surviving the void and finding your way back to solid ground. **👍🏼 The Speaker** ✨ **Alex Clarke** is a Product and UX designer with over 8 years of experience, who after spending years building a successful professional track record, found himself facing the ultimate corporate plot twist: sudden redundancy. Alex’s story is a highly common and relevant reality for many professionals today, as organisations face mounting economic pressures to cut costs and restructure. Alex speaks candidly, sharing raw, hilarious and deeply practical truths about what it takes to pivot after a setback. By turning his own unexpected transition into a survival guide for the current job market, Alex proves that losing a job doesn't mean losing your direction. Alex’s story has a happy ending too- as he’s happily found a new job as an Incubation Designer for Coles. Down, down, prices are down. Please. 🙏 📌 **The details:** * **Date:** 6 pm, 11 June * **Host:** Melbourne Design Thinking Meetup * **Special Guests:** Alex Clarke * **Refreshments included:** Pizza and fizz!

Join us at our monthly networking drinks in May at our new venue, **Village Belle, St Kilda.** *(Please note a ticket is now required to attend this event, these can be purchased via this link [here](https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/social-drinks-for-creative-professionals-tickets-1989803804744?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true)). You can read more on this below.* Welcoming all professional visionaries, creators and artists in the Melbourne entrepreneur and creative scene. You may be a musician, writer, photographer, designer, model, dancer, comedian or perhaps you run a business in the creative field or anything in between. The Creative Hustle is a social events group aimed at providing a hub for the professional artists, creatives and entrepreneurs of the Melbourne creative and arts scenes! **(Please only attend if you fall in to these categories! There are plenty of other social meetups for people who do not have a creative hustle.)** You know those conversations that just light you up? Make you remember why you started this journey and inspire you? This is where you’ll find them. This group is more than just networking, it’s about meeting people who are on a similar journey to you where you can share your experiences to support each other, make genuine friends and perhaps find some people to collaborate with too! Creativity can be bombarded by digital interactions, and require us to spend hours alone to work on our craft, often leading many people to mental health issues and feelings of isolation and loneliness. The Creative Hustle believes in the power of genuine friendships and human connection. As creatives, we know that some of our greatest inspirations and collaborations stem from the bonds we form with one another. This group is equally about social networking as it is business. It’s time to stretch outside the comfort zone to forge new pathways in your profession all while building lasting friendships that enrich our lives in ways that only real connections can. **NOTE ON TICKETS:** I have always run Creative Hustle events for the last 3 years+ for free, and my mission has always been to keep them accessible for creatives. However I sacrifice time away from clients on Thursday nights, meaning that whilst keeping it accessible for others I haven't been able to keep it viable for myself. Moving forward, to keep it viable, cover costs of running the event, book better venues, help manage numbers and continue to attract people who are serious about what they do, I will be introducing a small fee. For this event your $20 ticket gets you a drink on entry (most house beer, wines and spirits are about $14-$15 at Village Belle) and the rest will be split across the above. Thank you for your understanding! This format is very loose! Sometimes we follow, sometimes we let the conversation flow - it largely depends on sound levels at the venue: 15 min - General networking & social chat 30 min - 45 min - Round table intros: space for each person to share their creative endeavour for 1 min 15 min - Conversation & discussion cues (let’s chat on some deep topics with a stranger ) 15 min - general networking & social chat I’m excited to meet you all! I know that coming to a meetup and meeting new people can feel scary for some people but we are a very welcoming and open group and can’t wait to meet new people. Most people that come to our events don’t know anyone! Life is better with great people in it! Shoot me a message if you have any questions or just want a point of contact before your first meetup **Definition of a Creative Hustle:** Something that you are pursuing either as a side business, full time business or professional/semi professional that involves you creating something from nothing. If you are a: Musician, Dancer, Fashion Designer, Photographer, Videographer, Graphic Designer, Actor, Interior Designer, freelancer, business owner, work for a company within the arts industry, or anything else I have missed that qualifies as creative, then this Meetup is for you. Please respect that this is a group for people who put their heart and souls in to their work, and not just a group anyone can come to for networking unless you fall into the above categories. Please message if unsure. Look forward to meeting you at our next event! \*\*\* **CODE OF CONDUCT:** 1. You have a creative hustle which means you are pursuing something which requires you to create, and you are pursuing this professionally as your full time business, side business, you work in a creative industry or because you love it. 2. All members will show respect to other members and patrons in the meetup/event/venue. Respect can be shown by not boxing people out of conversations, welcoming all new and old members, not continuously interrupting people, not continuously speaking over the top of others, respecting someone’s personal space and boundaries. 3. You must consider others in conversation and ensure it is two-sided, you may equally talk about your creative hustle as much as you are willing to ask somebody about theirs. 4. We encourage each other on our journeys and ask someone if they are open to advice before giving it. No one likes being told what they should do! 5. This is not a group or event to be used for dating. Contacts can be made on the basis of friendship or networking. 6. If anyone is made to feel uncomfortable for any of the above reasons, they should contact me directly. 7. People will not attend who are unwell, even if it is just a cold. People in this group rely on their health to show up to self-employed work, please do not put that at risk by showing up unwell. 8. Anyone who is understood to be breaching any of the above rules may be removed or banned from the group within reason. Some people may be given a warning, or if more serious, no warning will be given and people will be instantly removed. Thank you all for your understanding and I look forward to seeing you at the next event.

Are YOU Ready and Willing to go further along your SPIRITUAL JOURNEY, without forcing yourself to FIND TIME TO READ ABOUT IT? ''A Course in Miracles (ACIM)" is The Channelled Works of Jesus / Isa / Yoshua (SAME HUMAN BEING - Named Differently By Different religions) from 1965 - 1972. It Supplements and can go beyond anything The Bible, The Koran and The Torah has taught you. Find Out if you are ready to experience TRUE Spiritual Growth Beyond Religious Teachings (THE ACTUAL PROMISED: SECOND COMING) that have been Edited, Re-Translated across One or More languages or Added to for The Suppression of Women. It Upholds the prophecies from those three mentioned holy books, but explains Truth more easily than they are able to for the ordinary 21st Century human being. We don't need to know esoteric teachings handed down by Mystical Schools, to RETURN HOME TO SOURCE ENERGY. You have free will to decide when you will commence your Journey HOME from Earth. We can Listen to Recordings of the above mentioned works. Alternatively, I also have DVD or CD recordings from Joseph Campbell, Deepak Chopra, Mother Theresa, Stuart Wilde, David Hawkins, Esther Hicks, Dennis Waitley, Gregg Braden, Wayne Dyer and Others. Topics that can be covered include: How "A Course in Miracles" came to be, Near Death Experiences, The Second Coming, The Evolution of Mankind's Spiritual Understanding, The Human Ego, Buddhism, The Christian Teachings EDITED FROM The Bible, Taoism, Ayurveda, Zen, Chi, The Bhagavad - Gita and Guided Meditations. This meet up is stated to last 3 hours, but as some can be too busy for that length of time, you are welcome to leave early, without it being a problem to me. NOTE: LEARNING SPIRITUAL TRUTH can be strange and stir up The Human Ego/ The Fake Will for some on this planet, but without putting in the time to do so, our Spiritual Growth is HINDERED GREATLY!!! SOURCE ENERGY IS ETERNAL AND IS ALWAYS UNCONDITIONALLY LOVING. There has never been and there can never be The Wrath of God or a Final Judgement Day where The Creator, God, Allah, Yhvh or The Man-like Figure with The Long White Beard surrounded by Angels, who support Him as He deals out what The Ego believes humans deserve. WE ARE ETERNAL SOULS CONNECTED TO EACH OTHER'S SOUL AND SOURCE ENERGY FOREVER. WE APPEAR TO BE LIVING IN MORTAL BODIES ON PLANET EARTH AT THE EFFECT OF THE HUMAN EGO, BUT IS THAT COMPLETELY TRUE?

**Why the Question Matters for Alignment, Moral Progress, and Long Term Flourishing** Practically nobody in alignment wants to say it out loud. So let’s say it: *AI might turn out to be* ***[more moral than us](https://www.scifuture.org/more-moral-than-us/)***. Now – why does that feel like a dangerous thing to claim? The question is not whether AI can match human moral reasoning. The question is whether that’s even worth bragging about. The idea of AI being more moral than humans is a real taboo in some circles. Many alignment researchers are uncomfortable with the idea because it seems to smuggle in the assumption that AI could have genuine moral agency, which conflicts with deflationary views of LLMs as “stochastic parrots” – and also because it sounds uncomfortably close to AI-worship or motivated reasoning for deferring to AI. Invoking this idea could get one dismissed as naive or as an actual safety risk oneself. *It’s also epistemically risky.* *More moral* – but in what sense? Knowing more facts relevant to ethics? Drawing better inferences from values? Applying principles wisely in context? Actually being *moved* by moral considerations, rather than just computing them? These aren’t the same thing. Conflating them produces both overclaiming and underclaiming – and most of the bad arguments on both sides of this debate do exactly that.[1](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#6ebcc18c-d890-4a28-8b01-27945a532c66) An AI could plausibly exceed humans on moral knowledge, reasoning and even judgement without having anything like moral motivation. Collapsing these leads to both overclaiming and underclaiming. Clear distinctions between stuff like moral judgement and moral motivation makes the conversation tractable. Is it dangerous for public discourse? There’s a genuine risk that the framing gets weaponised – either by people wanting to justify AI authority over human decisions, or by critics who use it to paint alignment researchers as unhinged techno-utopians. It can also trigger motivated reasoning in both directions. A lot more could be said here. But the taboo is not protecting us from a dangerous question. It’s protecting us from the answer. The taboo itself is epistemically costly, yet if we ***refuse to ask*** whether AI could have better-grounded moral reasoning than humans, we prevent getting to the heart of the issue. ## **The questions worth asking** Before thoroughly assessing whether AI could be more moral than humans, we need to ask whether the question is even coherent. ### Alignment targeting and verification *What should AI align to?* Is morality a cohesive alignment target, or a family of overlapping intuitions that only look unified from a distance? And if there is a *fact of the matter* about moral improvement, *how would we know we were tracking it* – rather than simply laundering our current preferences with extra steps? More pressingly: what would it mean to *verify* that an agent has better moral judgement than us, given that we’re the ones doing the evaluating? This is the bootstrapping problem. We cannot step outside our own moral reasoning to assess a system that exceeds it. That isn’t a reason to stop asking – it’s a reason to ask more carefully.[2](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#114785ab-004c-4882-b8c8-c0437942e9ec) ### The motivational gap Even if the epistemic questions could be resolved, a deeper problem remains: most human moral failure isn’t a failure of *reasoning*. It’s a failure of *motivation*. If humans are themselves imperfectly morally motivated, what does alignment to human preferences actually track? Not moral truth – at best, some weighted average of moral intuitions, distorted by power, attention, and self-interest. How much of human moral failure is motivational rather than epistemic? More than we tend to admit. We frequently know what the right thing is and fail to do it anyway – which means a system that merely reasons better about ethics hasn’t addressed the failure mode that actually matters most. And this raises the hardest question in the cluster: is moral motivation necessarily tied to phenomenal experience – to there being something it is *like* to care? Or could a system be genuinely motivated by moral considerations without felt engagement? Can motivation be grounded without being felt? ### The systemic stakes Finally, there are second-order questions that rarely get asked – about what happens to *us* if AI gets this right. Does sustained deference to AI moral judgement atrophy human moral reasoning capacity? And if so, what are the systemic risks of that atrophy – not just for individuals, but for the collective processes through which moral knowledge has historically developed? (There is recent work on comparative moral Turing Tests that begins to take this seriously[3](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#6efcb4e9-295e-425c-8860-40f415ef4935)) Moral progress for humans has never been a purely individual achievement. It has happened through argument, conflict, revision, and hard-won consensus across generations. A system that resolves moral questions faster than humans can engage with them might not accelerate that process. It might short-circuit it entirely. I think asking these questions Socratically can help nudge the conversation into the open productively rather than letting it fester as an unexamined assumption. Also I think this line of questioning isn’t just intuition pump fodder, I think they are directly important to the project of AI alignment.[4](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#13e5d2e0-79f6-42fc-8d1e-fcae403c2f6b) > Refusing to ask whether AI could exceed human moral reasoning doesn’t make the question safe. It just means we’ll answer it by accident, badly, and too late. Handled carelessly, this question causes damage. Left unasked, it causes more. ## Footnotes 1. The claim is easy to make sloppily. “More moral” conflates several things that need to be separated: a) Moral knowledge (knowing more facts relevant to ethics) b) Moral reasoning (drawing better inferences from values) c) Moral judgement (applying principles wisely in context) d) Moral motivation (actually being moved by moral considerations – which is one of my core focus points of activism) [↩︎](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#6ebcc18c-d890-4a28-8b01-27945a532c66-link) 2\. This was brought up in an interview with Nick Bostrom [↩︎](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#114785ab-004c-4882-b8c8-c0437942e9ec-link) 3\. See Eyal Aharoni’s and Danica Dillion’s work on Moral Turing Tests – presentations and interviews [here](https://www.scifuture.org/eyal-aharoni-breaking-the-moral-turing-test-studies-of-human-attribution-and-deference-to-ai-moral-judgment-and-decision-making/), [here](https://www.scifuture.org/ai-outscored-humans-in-a-blinded-moral-turing-test-should-we-be-worried-dr-eyal-aharoni-explains/) and [here](https://www.scifuture.org/danica-dillion-ais-moral-compass-better-than-expected-now-what/). [↩︎](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/#6efcb4e9-295e-425c-8860-40f415ef4935-link) 4\. The grounded values approach actually requires asking questions like: – What should AI align to?, Is morality a cohesive alignment target?, is there a fact of the matter about moral improvement, or is “more moral” just “more aligned with our current intuitions”? – What would it mean to verify that an agent has better moral judgement than us, given that we’re the ones doing the evaluating? (see work one recently on comparative moral Turing Tests) – If humans are themselves imperfectly morally motivated, what does alignment to human preferences actually track? – How much of human moral failure is motivational versus epistemic? – Is moral motivation necessarily tied to phenomenal experience, or could a system be genuinely motivated by moral considerations without anything it’s like to be it? – Can motivation be grounded without being felt? – Does sustained deference to AI moral judgement atrophy human moral reasoning capacity, and what are the systemic risks of that atrophy – both for individuals and for the collective processes through which moral knowledge has historically developed? Also see: **[Why Are We Afraid to Ask Whether AI Could Be More Moral Than Humans?](https://www.scifuture.org/why-are-we-afraid-to-ask-whether-ai-could-be-more-moral-than-humans/)**

THESE NIGHTS ARE for those Ready to gain more information about Spiritual Growth, THE JOURNEY. It has been slotted to run for 3 Hours, but anyone can stay the entire time or freely choose to leave early. I have DVD or CD recordings that help those interested get a far greater understanding about Jesus / Isa / Yoshua's Teachings (Same Brilliant man/ Eternal Soul when on Earth and named Differently by 3 Different Religions - Christian - Jesus, Muslim - Isa and Jewish - Yoshua). There are also DVD or CD recordings from Joseph Campbell, Deepak Chopra, Mother Theresa, Stuart Wilde, David Hawkins, Esther Hicks, Dennis Waitley, Gregg Braden, Wayne Dyer and Other Smart Spiritual and Gifted Teachers of The Human Mind. Topics that can be covered include: How "A Course in Miracles" came to be, Near Death Experiences, The Second Coming, The Evolution of Mankind's Spiritual Understanding, The Human Ego, Buddhism, The Christian Teachings EDITED FROM The Bible, Taoism, Ayurveda, Zen, Chi, The Bhagavad - Gita and Guided Meditations. We can workout on the night what to listen to or discuss to advance The Group Spiritually. There are Guided Meditations, The Entire - A Course in Miracles and many of The Current and Recently Departed Famous Spiritual Teachers on CD. There are also DVD's and CD's for learning how to control Emotions and Reduce Stress. NOTE: SPIRITUAL TRUTH can be stranger than what most humans call fiction on this planet!!! The Universal Source is "Unconditionally Loving for Eternity." There has never been and there can never be The Wrath of God or a Final Judgement Day where The Creator, God, Allah, Yhvh or any other given name, who deals out what The Insane Human Ego believes humans deserve. SOURCE ENERGY IS ETERNAL AND IS ALWAYS UNCONDITIONALLY LOVING, AS ARE WE THE ETERNAL SOULS CONNECTED TO IT, HOWEVER WE AS HUMAN SOULS APPEAR TO BE LIVING IN MORTAL BODIES ON PLANET EARTH AT THE EFFECT OF THE HUMAN EGO.

Join us for a relaxed morning of community connection, light activity, and caring for the Maribyrnong River. **What to Expect:** We will walk along the riverbank and surrounds collecting litter, enjoying fresh air, gentle exercise, and friendly conversation. After the clean-up, we will head to Myrtle Café together for a coffee and chat. This is an optional part of the event, and all are welcome to join. **What to Bring:** * Drinking water * Sunscreen * Closed shoes * Gloves (optional – we also provide gloves if needed) We will supply rubbish bags, and have gloves, extra sunscreen, and hand sanitiser available. **Meeting Point:** We meet at Footscray Wharf, near Waterside Metal Art in Footscray. This location offers shelter and free parking on nearby streets. **Important Information:** Please check the exact meeting point before attending. If you need help finding us on the day, call 0418 184 457 or 0415 635 063. Our clean-ups take place once a month and continue in all weather, unless conditions are extreme. Please check the event page on the morning of the clean-up for any last-minute updates.

Are you craving some conversations with other big thinkers? The Movers & Shakers monthly coffee is for the creative's who are driven, are hustlers, are actively seeking to grow and look for new opportunities and are wanting to be around other dreamers and action takers. If you're seeking out those conversations that inspire you, that leave you feeling motivated, then this event is for you. The Creative Hustle is a social events community for professional creatives in Melbourne's arts industry. STRUCTURE: 15 min - casual networking/order your coffee 40 min - round table intros and questions 30 min - guided conversations topics in small groups Finish with casual networking MINIMUM SPEND: Everyone who attends this event is required to purchase something from the cafe, minimum of 1 drink.

🧵 **Beyond the Label: Layers (Fabrics Edition)** Understanding the stories, materials and certifications behind the products we use every day. As Melbourne settles into winter and we’re all reaching for a few extra layers, we’ll explore the fabrics that make up our wardrobes — and how they influence comfort, quality, and the choices we make when shopping. **Join Eco Impact Tribe** for a relaxed afternoon of coffee, conversation, and connection. We’ll compare different fabric samples, share simple insights, and open up a casual discussion in a welcoming, informal setting. No lectures, no guilt, and no fashion expertise required. Just curious minds, good coffee, and great conversation. 📍Meeting Point: **Three Bags Full, 60 Nicholson St, Abbotsford VIC 3067** ☕ Plan for the afternoon * **1:15 PM** — Arrival, coffee & casual introductions * **1:45 PM** — We gently dive into the conversation and fabric exploration * **2:45 PM** — Wrap up and finish (café close / table release) To support the venue, please buy a coffee and/or snack during the event. \* By joining this event, you participate voluntarily and are responsible for your own wellbeing. A few photos may be taken for community sharing. If you’d prefer not to be included, just let the host know at the start. **Whether you’re interested in sustainability, conscious living, or simply learning something new, you’re warmly welcome.**

Your ability to work and live with others is crucial to your survival. To survive well one needs ability. Today meetup topic: Creating and Improving Ability And if you think you already have all the ability one needs to survive well then it is important for you to learn how to KEEP IT FROM GOING AWAY. Attend our Free Meetup! Definition for Ability: One's power to observe, to make decisions and to act. A man is as free, as well-off, as he is able. A family is as happy as it has ability. A business is as well-off as it has able people in it. A country is as well-off as it has able workers, foremen and executives. At today's meetup learn what constitutes ability and more importantly how to develop and improve it so that it does not go away. Fact's are that one's ability is never the same. It either goes up or it will go down. Your natural as well as learned abilities are constantly subject to many of life's pressures. One can therefore simply not rest on one's laurels regarding your current abilities and simply assume they will always be available for use. The time to protect and enhance ability is when you are still able. Any loss of ability will result in less confidence followed by problems resulting in unhappiness. This is called the dwindling spiral. Not just for you, it will impact all others you associate with as well. Today's topic applies to all aspects of life but will focus on how your abilities or lack of abilities or a sudden or gradual lowering of ability relates to work and family life. On your arrival you will be asked to complete a Oxford Personality Test. From this you will learn what ability it is that needs attention and improving. Whilst at our meetup you will also learn about some of the different technologies are that you find here which actively create, protect or enhance ability in key areas of life. The world cries out for better people (More Able People) that will lead happier life's with better better jobs, stronger families as well as community and businesses groups. Get The Know-How for life, attend our meetup or ask me for a time that is better suited to your schedule.

**Who We are..... 🤝** Our journey to bring people together began in January of 2022. The group was started with a simple intention to gather and meet some likeminded people - connecting through the powerful act of meditation and sharing our genuine selves while sitting in a circle that represents equality, harmony and wholeness( *we believe everyone in the circle is a teacher and a student at the same time)*. And over the last 4 years of consistently coming together, we have fostered a beautiful, loving, dependable community where members from all walks of life have experienced a sacred space to sit in silence together and meditate, share their authentic selves, give presence to others and forge meaningful and long lasting connections. The Meditations are guided by Sana(co-founder and host), who is a Trained and certified meditation teacher by the Meditation Association of Australia, and has been guiding meditations for 3+ years in corporate and community settings. ✨ **Do you wish to....** * Experience a simple yet powerful meditation and breathing practice to find calm, relaxation and clarity * Connect with like-minded people in your local community and foster meaningful connections * Meet others who are passionate about growing, uplifting themselves, and supporting others * Share insights from your personal journey (or simply listen and learn) Or maybe you just want to... ☮️ **Spend your Sunday evening in a peaceful, zen space and meet new people? Bring a friend (or two!) and let’s connect.** **What’s on the evening’s flow?** * **Open meet & greet** – connect and settle in * **5 min guided meditation** to land into the space and connect within * **Sharing circle** (totally optional!) – share your thoughts or simply listen * **20-30 min guided meditation** – for relaxation and deeper connection **Where?** 📍 **250 George St, Fitzroy VIC 3065** Enter through the church gates. You’ll see a small garden on the left and stairs on the right leading up to the **Dance of Life Yoga Studio (first door on your right upstairs).** **What to bring?** * **Donation:** A contribution of **$15 or more is recommended**. Your donations directly help us cover venue, meetup membership and other costs, provide valuable resources, and keep this meditation community alive and growing. * **Warm jumper/jacket** (just in case!) * **Water** * **Any books/resources/inspiration you’d love to share** **Important Notes:** * Spaces are **limited**, so if you can’t make it, please update your RSVP to “Not going” or send us a quick message. * **No-show policy:** To keep it fair for everyone, repeat no-shows without notice may not be able to RSVP in the future. * Attendees under 18 must have a guardian present. **Everyone is welcome!** All ages (with guardians for under 18), backgrounds, genders, and experiences – no meditation experience needed. The event runs for about **2.5 hours**, but you’re free to come and go as you need.

Join Bold Spirit Travel for an all-women’s journey through the [heart of Provence. ](https://www.boldspirittravel.com/journeys-1/south-of-france-provence-2026) From charming villages and bustling markets, to lavender fields and coastal cliffs, this adventure blends history, art, food, and stunning landscapes. Your base is a boutique hotel in Aix-en-Provence, the perfect hub for exploring southern France. *\*We can only take 10 women on this trip.* **Highlights** * **Aix-en-Provence** – stroll cobbled streets, browse colorful markets, and enjoy lively cafés. * **Marseilles** – tour its historic basilica and meet traditional soap makers. * **Arles & Wine Tasting** – explore Roman ruins and sip wines at Mas Valériole estate. * **Lavender Fields** – capture the beauty of Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque. * **Cassis & the Calanques** – enjoy seaside scenery and an optional boat ride. * **St. Rémy** – wander the vibrant market and visit Van Gogh’s former monastery. * **Les Baux-de-Provence** – experience the dazzling immersive light show. * **Cabrières-d’Avignon** – discover lavender’s artistry at the Lavender Museum. **What's Included:** * 6 nights in a boutique hotel (shared occupancy; private upgrades available). * Expert Bold Spirit tour leader plus bilingual local guides. * Meals as listed in the itinerary. * Private ground transportation. * Pre-trip support: Zoom call, WhatsApp group, and packing guidance. **Why Travel With Us?** This Provence adventure is designed for women who love travel, culture, and connection. You’ll share meals, explore iconic sites, and enjoy the slower pleasures of the French countryside—with expert guidance and community every step of the way. **Pricing:** * **Trip Cost:** USD 5,885 * **Deposit:** USD 700 non-refundable (secures hotels and guides) Get in touch with us to set up a call and learn [more](https://www.boldspirittravel.com/journeys-1/south-of-france-provence-2026). Contact:[ https://www.boldspirittravel.com/contact](https://www.boldspirittravel.com/contact)

At Unity of Columbus, our Youth and Family Ministry nurtures the spiritual growth of children and families through love, joy, and practical spiritual teachings. Each Sunday, children explore timeless spiritual principles through stories, creative activities, music, and group sharing in a safe and welcoming environment. Our program encourages children to discover their own inner light, express kindness, and develop a personal connection with God. Together, we celebrate diversity, cultivate understanding, and inspire each child to live with purpose and compassion. Parents and families are invited to join in this uplifting journey of learning, laughter, and spiritual connection.

**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** *Customize the IDE: Building Extensions for Visual Studio Code* Visual Studio Code is one of the most widely used development environments today, and much of its flexibility comes from its extension ecosystem. Extensions allow developers to customize the editor with new features, integrations, and workflow improvements tailored to their needs. In this session, we’ll cover what extensions are and the different types available, including full extensions written in TypeScript or JavaScript, along with lighter-weight extensions such as color themes, language packs, language support, code snippets, and keymaps. We’ll also look at practical reasons a developer might create an extension, from automating repetitive tasks to adding custom tooling. The session includes a hands-on walkthrough of creating a new extension, testing it locally, and understanding the basic project structure. We’ll close with a brief overview of how extensions are packaged and published to the Visual Studio Marketplace and other distribution options. **YouTube Link** TBD

Interested? Contact Preston Moore k.preston.moore@gmail.com 614-300-5989 ———————————— Engaging in men’s work is the new way to forge friendships while being open-minded to personal growth. Many men experience healthier relationships, personally and professionally, by engaging in this work. Open Men’s Group is a container for men to share vulnerably without receiving judgment or feedback. We believe that emotionally mature, powerful, compassionate, and purpose-driven men will help heal some of society’s deepest wounds. We support the powerful brilliance of men and we are willing to look at, and take full responsibility for, the pain we are also capable of creating – and suffering. We care deeply about men, our families, communities, and the planet. Visit ManKind Project USA to discover more. https://mkpusa.org/

**🌹 Orlando Singles Meet on Zoom: Live Speed Dating** No apps, no awkward bios. Just live one-on-one Zoom chats with Orlando singles picked for you. **What to expect:** - Register and take a short personality quiz - Jump on Zoom when the event starts - Meet singles in guided one-on-one rounds - Get your mutual matches by email afterward **Pick the age range that fits you:** → **Ages 18-32** — [Register here](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=573&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Orlando&groupurlname=manga-k-drama-foodie-language-feast-network&ar=18-32&face_v=8.0) → **Ages 30-46** — [Register here](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=573&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Orlando&groupurlname=manga-k-drama-foodie-language-feast-network&ar=30-46&face_v=8.0) → **Ages 40-58** — [Register here](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=573&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Orlando&groupurlname=manga-k-drama-foodie-language-feast-network&ar=40-58&face_v=8.0) → **Ages 55+** — [Register here](https://theliveround.com/product?productId=573&productType=onlineSpeedDating&city=Orlando&groupurlname=manga-k-drama-foodie-language-feast-network&ar=55+&face_v=8.0) > Note: clicking RSVP alone won't get you in. Register via your age group and take the quiz. Places fill up. Register, relax, and let the night do the work. 😊

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