Social Impact of Technology

**English for Beginners (A1–B2): Casual Speaking Meetup** （※Mainly for people in their late teens to 20s） • You understand English… but can’t reply? • You studied for years… but still can’t speak? • You feel nervous speaking English? You’re not alone You just need a place to try This meetup is for beginners who want to actually SPEAK. ✨ Small group (4–10 people) ✨ Friendly & relaxed atmosphere ⸻ **✨ What makes this different?** We don’t just chat randomly. Everyone gets a chance to speak! • Level-based groups (A1–B2) • Pair conversations (10 min each) • New partner every round • Simple question sheets No one is left out :) ⸻ **No pressure, no judgement** Mistakes are OK ‍♂️ Speak slowly, use gestures or a translator You WILL speak — even a little! And you might actually enjoy it ⸻ **How it works (1 hour)** • Short intro • 3 rounds of pair conversations • Free chat at the end Speak a little or a lot — both are okay! ⸻ **Who is it for?** • English learners (A1–B2) • International students / working holiday • Anyone who feels shy speaking English • Young adults (around 18–30) ⸻ **About the host** Hi, I’m Yuki I also struggled to speak English before. So I created this space where beginners can feel safe and try. ⸻ **When & Where** Saturday 11:00–12:00 — Emporium Melbourne, Level 3 (Cafe Court) Meeting Point: In front of "1915 Lanzhou Beef Noodles" **Free (just buy a drink)** ⸻ ✨ Just come, try, and enjoy! See you there :)

Do you live in the Southern suburbs? Want to explore what the Southern suburbs has to offer? Or are you just interested to catch-up with like-minded people? Once a month Steph hosts our Southern socials. It is a great opportunity to meet others. Our emphasis is on fun whilst helping and supporting each other. The socials include drinks and chats, casual coffees, dinners and other activities suggested by members from time to time. Our socials are informal and open to all. We pay for own food and drinks individually and there is no charge for the organisation of the events. We hope to see you!

Is your identity truly yours? Your parents handed you a name before you could speak. Society assigned you roles before you could choose them. TV & Internet sold you an identity built from expectations and manufactured desires. But what if this entire construction of "me" is the primary obstacle to spiritual awakening? **What You'll Discover:** * The manufacturing process behind "me". Once you see the mechanics, you cannot unsee them. * The maintenance cost of this "me"—Fear, Doubt, Anxiety, Depression * The conformity trap. **How to break Free** This session reveals that real freedom begins when you understand the entire mechanism. Not by replacing one identity with another, but by recognising that what you are is vaster than any identity. **Why It Matters** The cost of maintaining your prison increases every year you inhabit it. It also keeps feeding a dysfunctional society. **Schedule** * Talk by Rajiv followed by open Q&A * Guided Meditation * Spiritual networking to connect with others. **About Rajiv** Rajiv dedicated years of his life seeking enlightenment. His pursuit for truth, reality, emptiness and self-discovery took him through the profound depths of mysticism. He meditated 14 hours a day, stayed with monks, lived in the Himalayan caves, learned from wise sages and researched every major spiritual system, including Zen, Non Duality, Yoga, Buddhism etc. Then one momentous morning in 2005, he experienced his first shift into higher states of consciousness, an inner spiritual awakening. This was followed by days of infinite ecstasy and bliss. Finally, the years of seeking culminated and he realized his own true nature. He now shares his deep insights to help seekers progress on the path of awakening & meditation. His approach is secular, based on personal experience. You can read about his spiritual journey here- [https://innerspiritualawakening.com/rajiv-agarwal/my-journey/](https://innerspiritualawakening.com/rajiv-agarwal/my-journey/) **Venue** Kathleen Syme Library 251 Faraday Street , Carlton, VIC We will be in Multipurpose Room 1 We may take some photos to capture the moment. If you prefer not to be photographed, please let the organiser know at any time. This event is free and open to all adult seekers (18+). For inquiries please email Manpreet- mysteriousmk@yahoo.com

Welcome to Pachanga Nights – Melbourne’s Latin Party Spot! 🎉 If you love Latin music, good vibes, and meeting fun people — this is your group! Pachanga Bar is the heart of Melbourne’s Latin nightlife, bringing together locals and internationals every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday for unforgettable nights of reggaeton, salsa, bachata, and Latin hits. Join us to dance, socialize, and enjoy delicious cocktails, mojitos, and Latin energy in the city center. Whether you come alone or with friends, you’ll always find a warm and friendly community waiting for you. 📍 Location: 95 Queen Street, Melbourne CBD 🎶 Music: Latin, Reggaeton, Salsa, Bachata & Global Beats 🍹 Drinks: Mojitos, Margaritas, Latin Cocktails & Signature Shots 🕺 Events: Weekly parties, themed nights & special celebrations Follow us on Instagram for updates: @pachangaau Come experience the true Latin vibe of Melbourne — every night is a Pachanga! 💃🔥

**Welcome to Badminton Social (羽球匯友) Meetup!** Join us for regular badminton, social meetups, and a great time on the court around Caulfield. Let's build a welcoming badminton community and make some amazing memories together! Whether you are a beginner or a pro, this event is perfect for anyone looking to stay active, make new friends, and enjoy some friendly plays. Our group is made up of both local and international members, creating a diverse and welcoming atmosphere for everyone to join in. Not only will you have the chance to improve your Badminton skills and stay fit, but you'll also have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who share a passion for healthy living and staying active. Come and be a part of our community in Melbourne, where friendships are made on and off the court. **Details as below:** When: 7 March, this Saturday Time: 5pm - 6.30pm Where: Monash Sport Caulfield (1-min walk from Caulfield Station / free parking around the Station) Fee: $12 per head (PayID to the organizer) *#Limited spots - first come first served (RSVP)* *#Please bring your own racket(s); or you can rent it from the Centre (if needed)* ***#Please kindly update your RSVP as soon as possible if you need to cancel, so hopefully others can still get a spot to join. Cancellations within 24 hours or no-shows will be charged the full rate - Many thanks for your understanding and cooperation.*** *#Please let the organizer know after the first play, if you'd like to play regularly with the group ongoing and enjoy exclusive offer - Organizer will add you to our Whatsapp group for the regulars :)* *DISCLAIMER:* *By* *attending any event hosted by this Meetup group, you acknowledge and accept that participation involves inherent risks, including injury or loss of property, and you assume full responsibility for your safety. The organizers are not liable for any damages, injuries, or losses that occur, regardless of cause. You agree to follow any event guidelines, act responsibly, and understand that you are responsible for your own well-being. By attending, you accept these terms.*

Join us every first and third Saturday of the month to learn about Theosophical principles and how we may apply them to our lives. From its inception in 1875, the Theosophical Society encouraged study of the Ageless Wisdom to discover enduring religious Truth and to make Brotherhood a living reality in the world. *“For real Theosophy IS ALTRUISM, and we cannot repeat it too often. It is brotherly love, mutual help, unswerving devotion to Truth.”* HP Blavatsky, Our Cycle and The Next, 1889. *The mission of the Theosophical Society is to serve humanity by cultivating an ever-deepening understanding and realization of the Ageless Wisdom, spiritual Self-transformation and the Unity of all life.* Resolution passed by the General Council of The Theosophical Society in 1924. According to these principles, a theosophic life is not just theoretical, but must also be practical, indeed must be a life of service. Amid the noise and conflict of the modern world, what might be our role, as individuals and as a Theosophical Society? Through a range of books and Theosophical pamphlets, we will look to both exoteric, widespread social principles and to more esoteric, spiritual principles for discussion and guidance.

TO MAINTAIN A GENDER BALANCE ALL MALES MUST ATTEND WITH A FEMALE FRIEND, NO EXCEPTIONS. All females are welcome to attend alone but encouraged to attend with a female friend too for free drinks and food! MUST TAP “ATTEND” and include all guests. UNLIKE other meetups which are overwhelmingly male dominant, we provide ONLY gender balanced events where females also have a chance to meet other females, not only men. WE ARE COMMITTED TO EQUAL GENDER REPRESENTATION IN THE IT INDUSTRY. 8PM EVERY FRIDAY & SATURDAY (LAST ENTRY STRICTLY 8.30PM) AT 215 QUEEN’S

***Vibe out with your tribe, out. (No coding experience required or expected!)*** Join us for **Vibe Code & Chill: October Edition** on Sunday, October 5th, 2025. This isn’t your average meetup: no stuffy panels, no boring lectures. We’re here to vibe, imbibe, and make progress on our *projects-de-jour*: from AI experiments to Web3 hacks, AR side projects, or just messing around with next-gen tools. ***New to the crew?*** Expect a warm welcome and friendly face to greet you before introducing you around and helping you find your people. We keep it friendly, fun, and inclusive and with free snacks and drinks, you’re covered. Bring your laptop and your best coding mojo. **What to expect:** * **Chill coding & collaboration:** Bring your laptop and your current coding project. Find a spot in our comfortable booths or at tables with fellow coders. This is a space for hands-on work, casual discussions on the latest gizmos, and helping each other out. * **Free refreshments:** Stay fueled and hydrated with non-alcoholic drinks and a selection of snacks provided by the club. The pub has a great range of meals and drinks if you're looking for something more. * **Headphone-free zone (official hours):** You can code in your own world at home! We have a no-headphone policy for the first hour of the meetup. * **Flexible timing:** You're welcome to arrive early and get started before the official event kicks off at 2PM. and you're welcome to stay and vibe on as long as you like. No sweat if you can't stay the whole time, just pop in and join the fun for as long as you can! Come ready to laugh, learn, and grow with a community that's excited by design, tech, and innovation. This is your chance to make new friends, share ideas, and be inspired by fellow driven and generous minds.

Please join us this Sunday as we discuss how to live the good life. Ilya will be leading this session. **We will meet at the Queensberry Hotel, 593 Swanston Street, Carlton (100m north of previous location) at 2pm for a 2:15pm start sharp.** **We kindly ask attendees to pay $5 to attend to help with MeetUp costs & venue costs. This is not mandatory, but if you are a regular member it would be appreciated. Any extra moneys will go towards buying food and drinks for the table. The venue also expects us to spend money as a group, so grateful if everyone could buy a drink from the venue.** There is no pre-requisite preparation necessary, nor a philosophical background, all that is required is a curious mind. These discussions are both a Socrates Cafe style discussion and lively metaphysical dojo, in the spirit of learning and friendly debate, so please feel free to challenge assumptions and be prepared to have your own assumptions challenged. Find below some questions to consider, however these are free-ranging events and the below serve as a springboard for the discussion: **Happiness: a trap?** 1\. Is being happy the same thing as having a Good Life? 2\. If you could be plugged into a "happiness machine" that gave you nothing but blissful experiences, would you do it? 3\. Is happiness the right goal\, or a side effect of living well? 4\. Can a Good Life include significant amounts of suffering\, if that suffering is meaningful? **Meaning and purpose** 5\. Can a life be good if it is lived pursuing whatever we want in the moment, without a long-term goal or overarching personal narrative? 6\. What makes a given pursuit ‘purposeful’? 7\. Does the fact that we die make life more or less meaningful? 8\. Is the meaning of life to give life meaning? **Being authentic and agentic** 9\. How much of our life and identity is a performance for others and society? Does this inhibit living the Good Life? 10\. Is it important to feel in control of our lives and exercising a high degree of personal agency, rather than following some kind of social script? 11\. Would you feel most fulfilled if you were able to live in a way that is ‘true to yourself’ (without high regard for the expectations of others)? **Keepin’ busy** 12\. Should a Good Life be easy? 13\. Could pure leisure \(no work\, no struggle\) comprise a Good Life? 14\. Does "meaningful" activity have to be productive\, or can hobbies and pursuing individual interests be at the centre of a Good Life? 15\. Are some kinds of leisure inherently more conducive to the Good Life than others (eg. watching Netflix vs reading Dostoevsky) **What about other people?** 16\. Are certain kinds of relationships a mandatory ingredient for a Good Life? 17\. Does having children provide a path to fulfilment and meaning? 18\. Does performing some kind of sacrifice \(time\, effort\, money etc\.\) for the benefit of the community or future generations help us feel that we are living the Good Life? Hope to see you there!

After some great discussions using these cards, we just had to continue! "It isn't easy to get into a good conversation. Many of our best ones seem to have happened by chance. Far from it - we believe a great conversation always starts with someone asking a great question.” The School of Life's "Philosophical Questions For Curious Minds" cards contain questions designed to get a group of people into entertaining and meaningful conversations. This is a casual, social and fun event where we share our thoughts and experiences with a group. **Topics covered**: * Is there a God * What is the meaning of life? * What is real? * What is a society? Questions vary depending on the day and the table, based on the cards chosen by the audience. Please arrive hungry and thirsty so we can maintain a good relationship with the venue and continue hosting our events. \*\*\* Meaningful Discussions events take place in 11 countries and this will be our 151st event in Melbourne! :) Please be try to arrive on time if you can. This event will allow a thoughtful, respectful and engaging discussion. So if you're looking for open-minded, friendly and intelligent people, you've come to the right place!

Turn Anxiety into Happiness! Become your natural self again. Discover the drug-free way to a healthy mind. This educational talk is based on the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by New York Times bestseller author L. Ron Hubbard. Dianetics is an exact science of the mind. In this educational talk you will learn about the hidden source of all irrational thoughts and behavior as well as unwanted emotions (anxiety, fear, suppression, and apathy) and how to handle them forever. Free entry and free parking. Please send messages to host if you have any question.

Let's make the most of daylight savings to do more of what we love. Bring your own book, read in silence, and we'll gather afterwards for a chat about what we enjoyed. **ITINERARY** 11am: Meet at the lawn outside Kere Kere Green Cafe next to the visitor information centre at Fitzroy Gardens. Find a cosy spot to read. Depending on the weather, you might want to sit inside the cafe or take your book for a meander around the park. 12.15pm: Meet back on the lawn to chat about your book. 1pm: End of event. [OPTIONAL EXTRA] For those who are not too tired, we can go for lunch together after the event. **Note:** Feel free to bring your deck chair / picnic mat, whatever you need to feel comfy. Coffee and lunch can be purchased from the cafe. If you're running late, look for us at 12.15pm on the lawn outside Kere Kere Green Cafe. There is an organizer fee of $5 for this event. You can bring cash on the day or PayID me at 0403 413 056 (Serena Low). **Getting there:** The closest train stations are Jolimont (2 min across the road) and Parliament (10 min walk).

Christians in Tech is a community at the intersection of faith and technology. Our meetups are designed to spark meaningful conversations, promote knowledge sharing, and encourage growth—both in your career and your spiritual walk with God. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your tech journey, CIT welcomes you. Our Website [https://linktr.ee/citcbus](https://linktr.ee/citcbus) Sponsors and Partners * Improving (Venue Sponsor) * Bethel World Prayer Center (Fiscal Sponsor) * Fruits & Roots (Coffee Partner)

Christians in Tech is a community at the intersection of faith and technology. Our meetups are designed to spark meaningful conversations, promote knowledge sharing, and encourage growth—both in your career and your spiritual walk with God. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your tech journey, CIT welcomes you. Our Website [https://linktr.ee/citcbus](https://linktr.ee/citcbus) Sponsors and Partners * Improving (Venue Sponsor) * Bethel World Prayer Center (Fiscal Sponsor) * Fruits & Roots (Coffee Partner)

**Google Analytics Alternatives** Is it finally time to make the switch away from Google Analytics? Two-and-a-half years ago Jason Packer asked this question at Columbus Web Analytics Wednesday. Since then: Google’s Universal Analytics has been sunset, we’ve changed our name to Columbus Data & Analytics Wednesday, and Jason has released two editions of his book “Google Analytics Alternatives”. Fresh off the release of the 2nd edition of his book, we thought it was time to re-open this conversation. While people love to complain about it, GA’s market share has remained relatively constant (at least in the United States). Why is that? You won’t find any complaints about GA4 in this talk, but rather an overview of what’s currently available in the market and how to frame your decision-making process. We’ll also be giving out some free copies of Jason’s book! So even if you’ve got a “GA4Lyfe” tattoo (no judgement), there’s free books to go with the free pizza and beer. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

Come attend a free in-person seminar where you will find out why you: -Feel isolated -Can't express yourself openly -Get nervous or anxious in front of people -Run out of things to say or feel tongue-tied -Feel introverted -Don't feel comfortable in any social setting -Can't make more friends -Are shy and miss opportunities to connect in a meaningful way And we cover what you can do about any one, some or all of the above. This seminar is the weapon against loneliness, isolation and boredom, come join us! COME TO THIS SEMINAR AND LEARN THE SECRETS TODAY This seminar is brought to you by the Dianetics & Scientology Life Improvement Center. 1266 Dublin Road, Columbus, Ohio 43215

Is your business taking more of your time than you would like? [Rob Young](https://www.linkedin.com/in/cinci-robyoung/) principal at [Stage 3 Group](https://www.linkedin.com/company/stage-3-group/), hosts this workshop series and is the author of Stage 3 Success. * Provides a framework and a playbook for leaders of emerging businesses * Reviews business management tools and techniques for scaling and maturing a business * How to recognize and leverage stories hidden in financial statements * How to implement financial and operational controls and use leading indicators to spot trouble before it occurs * How to manage your time for maximum effect * How to deal with nonperforming employees * How to create standard operating procedures throughout your organization Four sessions will include two hours of content and an optional 90-minute hands-on lab. Reserve your spot via this link: https://clintonvilleba.com/calendar/#!event/2026/3/20/chaos-to-clarity-to-control ($200 for non-CABA members.)

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.

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!