Putting up a Canberra meetup again - apologies that it's so late, I was looking to have them more regularly but hard to find the time!
31st August at Badger & Co, 5:30pm to late.
I know this was a noisy venue last time but am hoping we can decide one that suits most people here! I'm happy to host them at my complex community room but I'm in Watson and want to make sure it's not too far for people.
I visited Riga, Latvia in May for a weekend and randomly reached out to the organizer of the ACX meet up there to see if they wanted to get a beer. I ended up having a really wonderful time spending an afternoon with two locals there who had a lot in common with me. A highly recommended experience!
As a one-off by a not very qualified person, I'm planning a Cambridge meetup on September 10th, starting at noon at the MIT front entrance. If anyone is interested, please come by! (But also, if there's a more competent organizer from Greater Boston, which I think there is, then assign higher preference to that instead.)
I am probably theoretically capable of organising one for Melbourne, but I would really prefer not to as I do not actually live in Melbourne and am depressed. That said, I am one of the people who hoped someone else would do it and was sad.
I have no experience attending nor organizing meetups, but I'd love for there to be an Oslo, Norway meetup. Are there any resources available to pick a good venue? Is outdoors with a back up for bad weather okay? Is alcohol expected or discouraged? What kind of distance from public transportation is acceptable? What am I not asking about that I should?
| “How many feet of giraffe neck do you think there are in the world?”
For anyone who wants to know: there are approximately 117 000 giraffes in the world (though this is definitely a high estimate; numbers I've range from ~40-000 to ~98 000) [1]. If we assume that giraffe populations are ~50% male and ~50% female, we get 58 500 male and 58 500 female giraffes.
Male giraffe heights range from 4.8m-5.5m; females range from 4.2m to 4.8m [2]. I'll take the centre of those two ranges as the mean, so 5.2m for males and 4.5m for females.
Now if we define the end of the giraffe's neck at the end of the cervical vertebrae (in humans this is the pointy part at the back of your neck), then we get an average of 52%-54% of the total body length (I removed the one outlier which had a length of 45%) [3]. I'll also take the centre of that range, 53%.
So, adding this all together we get (58 500 males * 5.2m * 53%) + (58 500 females * 4.5m * 53%) = ~300748.5m of giraffe neck. Converting that to feet we get 300748.5m * 3.281ft/m = ~986755.83ft.
All of the numbers we've used are probably approximations. There likely aren't exactly 117 000 giraffes, nor is the mean male giraffe neck length exactly 5.2m—especially considering that giraffe populations in different climates have evolved different neck lengths. All we can say is that the total giraffe neck length is somewhere in the range of 3*10^5m or 10^6 ft. This is somewhere around the distance between New York and D.C.
I am organizing a meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, probably the first of its kind, I plan to host it at the grinders cafe in zayona, if you're interested check it out at https://discord.gg/uKqnWQANvh
" add themselves to an existing mailing list / group chat / etc. I used to recommend just pen and paper for this, but it turns out reading people’s handwriting is hard."
Yup. Never NEVER ask someone to handwrite their email address. Give them a web form or a subscription email address.
Anyone in Utrecht or Istanbul? I tried to organize a meetup in Istanbul but no one came...
But if there is anyone in Istanbul(I won't be there but I have a two-three friends who'd came if there was a meetup) or Utrecht I may help you organize a meetup!
If you live in or around Lexington, KY, come to our SSC/ACX meetup. Our next gathering will be at Blue Stallion Brewing on Saturday 9/3 at 7pm. We have a small 3-4 person group that's been meeting up for about 4 years to talk ACX, book, memes, etc., usually over drinks and board games.
I've added our meetup to the google form, so after Scott's post is up you can email me at the address there if you're interested in coming. We'll have a sign at the table indicating we're the ACX meetup.
We are having a meetup in Portland, Oregon! We did this last year too but it was in a park. This time it will be at this gorgeous downtown venue with some vegan food. Here is the meetup details:
When: Friday, September 9, 2022 at 5:00 PM to Friday, September 9, 2022 at 9:00 PM
I am glad to announce the second of a continuing series of Orange County ACX/LW meetups. Meeting this Saturday and most Saturdays. Note this week we will meet at 3:30 not 2. The first meeting was great, and I hope to see many of you at this one. Based on the first meeting, I chose two popular topics to prompt future conversation and activities.
This week it will be at 3:30 (usually 2:00) to avoid a conflict with an online LW meetup
Activities (all activities are optional)
A) Two conversation starter topics this week will be. (readings at the end)
1) Forecasting and predicting the future
2) Psychedelics.
B) We will also have the card game Predictably Irrational. Feel free to bring your own favorite games or distractions.
C) There will be opportunities to go for a walk and talk about an hour after the meeting starts and use some gas barbeques if anyone wants to grill something. There are two easy-access mini-malls nearby with takeout hot food available.
D) Share a surprise! Tell the group about something that happened that was unexpected or changed the way you look at the universe.
E) Make a prediction and give a probability and end condition.
F) Contribute ideas to the future direction of the group. Topics, types of meetings, activities, etc…
Conversation Starter Readings:
Suggested readings for this week are these summaries. These readings are optional, but if you do them, think about what you find interesting, surprising, useful, questionable, vexing, or exciting.
1) Prediction
Superforcasting is a review of experiments done about how well various types of experts do in predicting the future. Generalists tend to do better than specialists in prediction, but why? Groups tend to do better than individuals, but are there ways to improve the performance of groups even further? How can you train yourself to be better at prediction? How can you help others?
The tale of two receptors is an interesting speculation as to the underlying pharmacology of psychedelics. Hypothesizing that serotonin can both help us cope with the distress of a bad situation and help us look for creative ideas out of the old mental habits that can keep us trapped in a bad situation. Conventional antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics operate on the acceptance system, while psychedelics operate on the later, lateral thinking. Is this perspective useful? Oversimplified? Can it be made into a rigorous scientific idea, or is it just another evolutionary just-so story? What possible uses and hazards does this suggest for psychedelics?
If you want a more general introduction to psychedelics, here is a book summary of the recent popular review of psychedelics. “ How to change your mind” by Michael Pollen
Come to the Reno meetup!
https://www.lesswrong.com/events/tFrgEx2TwCJdnADwC/ssc-reno-meetup
Sydney Australia! Checkout this Meetup with Rationality - Sydney: https://meetu.ps/e/LlSlG/sqK6x/i
Putting up a Canberra meetup again - apologies that it's so late, I was looking to have them more regularly but hard to find the time!
31st August at Badger & Co, 5:30pm to late.
I know this was a noisy venue last time but am hoping we can decide one that suits most people here! I'm happy to host them at my complex community room but I'm in Watson and want to make sure it's not too far for people.
Eventbrite link - https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/canberra-astral-codex-ten-meetup-tickets-403786735997
Anyone in Shenzhen interested?
I visited Riga, Latvia in May for a weekend and randomly reached out to the organizer of the ACX meet up there to see if they wanted to get a beer. I ended up having a really wonderful time spending an afternoon with two locals there who had a lot in common with me. A highly recommended experience!
I remember seeing a link to a map of existing meetups affiliated with ACX & LW. Can anyone link that for me? I don't think I imagined it.
Anyone in Kuala Lumpur interested?
As a one-off by a not very qualified person, I'm planning a Cambridge meetup on September 10th, starting at noon at the MIT front entrance. If anyone is interested, please come by! (But also, if there's a more competent organizer from Greater Boston, which I think there is, then assign higher preference to that instead.)
Unfortunately I'm not able to access the links to the previous year's data
I just moved to Tokyo and I see that there is an ACX meetup here... Has anyone gone?
I am probably theoretically capable of organising one for Melbourne, but I would really prefer not to as I do not actually live in Melbourne and am depressed. That said, I am one of the people who hoped someone else would do it and was sad.
I have no experience attending nor organizing meetups, but I'd love for there to be an Oslo, Norway meetup. Are there any resources available to pick a good venue? Is outdoors with a back up for bad weather okay? Is alcohol expected or discouraged? What kind of distance from public transportation is acceptable? What am I not asking about that I should?
Bucharest meetup - 16 october 3PM at the food court of Plaza Romania
Anyone in Broward County want one closer than Miami?
Meetup in Mérida, Mexico: https://www.facebook.com/events/5369782209776018/
| “How many feet of giraffe neck do you think there are in the world?”
For anyone who wants to know: there are approximately 117 000 giraffes in the world (though this is definitely a high estimate; numbers I've range from ~40-000 to ~98 000) [1]. If we assume that giraffe populations are ~50% male and ~50% female, we get 58 500 male and 58 500 female giraffes.
Male giraffe heights range from 4.8m-5.5m; females range from 4.2m to 4.8m [2]. I'll take the centre of those two ranges as the mean, so 5.2m for males and 4.5m for females.
Now if we define the end of the giraffe's neck at the end of the cervical vertebrae (in humans this is the pointy part at the back of your neck), then we get an average of 52%-54% of the total body length (I removed the one outlier which had a length of 45%) [3]. I'll also take the centre of that range, 53%.
So, adding this all together we get (58 500 males * 5.2m * 53%) + (58 500 females * 4.5m * 53%) = ~300748.5m of giraffe neck. Converting that to feet we get 300748.5m * 3.281ft/m = ~986755.83ft.
All of the numbers we've used are probably approximations. There likely aren't exactly 117 000 giraffes, nor is the mean male giraffe neck length exactly 5.2m—especially considering that giraffe populations in different climates have evolved different neck lengths. All we can say is that the total giraffe neck length is somewhere in the range of 3*10^5m or 10^6 ft. This is somewhere around the distance between New York and D.C.
---
[1]: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/giraffe-populations-rising-giving-hope
[2]: https://www.denverzoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Reticulated-Giraffe.pdf
[3]: https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/155/3/736/2627129
I suggest doing it on 23rd or 25th, because 24th is the 6-month anniversary of Feb 24.
I am organizing a meeting in Baghdad, Iraq, probably the first of its kind, I plan to host it at the grinders cafe in zayona, if you're interested check it out at https://discord.gg/uKqnWQANvh
Bangalore is having a meetup on September 18th. You can find more information here - https://www.lesswrong.com/events/8rXYeNGZZLN8D3eCn/bangalore-acx-meetups-everywhere-22-september-social
I want to attend the NYC and Philly meetups and then potentially host my own in NJ but I don't want the dates to clash.
Is there a way to coordinate with the people that are organizing the big meetups?
" add themselves to an existing mailing list / group chat / etc. I used to recommend just pen and paper for this, but it turns out reading people’s handwriting is hard."
Yup. Never NEVER ask someone to handwrite their email address. Give them a web form or a subscription email address.
If anyone is looking for a way to frame a meetup event, I will shamelessly suggest that you consider organizing it as a Socrates Café meeting. I wrote a post describing the particulars on the EA Forum here: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/mdeKax6MsQYbgrLHQ/socrates-cafe-a-different-approach-to-discussion
Online? I'm a n00b, in a small city.
Our meetup group in Dublin would gladly welcome some new company! We'll be hosting on September 25th.
Some of our members are also part of EA Ireland, but not everyone.
Anyone in Utrecht or Istanbul? I tried to organize a meetup in Istanbul but no one came...
But if there is anyone in Istanbul(I won't be there but I have a two-three friends who'd came if there was a meetup) or Utrecht I may help you organize a meetup!
If you live in or around Lexington, KY, come to our SSC/ACX meetup. Our next gathering will be at Blue Stallion Brewing on Saturday 9/3 at 7pm. We have a small 3-4 person group that's been meeting up for about 4 years to talk ACX, book, memes, etc., usually over drinks and board games.
I've added our meetup to the google form, so after Scott's post is up you can email me at the address there if you're interested in coming. We'll have a sign at the table indicating we're the ACX meetup.
Blue Stallion Brewing
610 W. Third Street, Lexington, KY 40508
Saturday, September 3
7:00 p.m.
We are having a meetup in Portland, Oregon! We did this last year too but it was in a park. This time it will be at this gorgeous downtown venue with some vegan food. Here is the meetup details:
When: Friday, September 9, 2022 at 5:00 PM to Friday, September 9, 2022 at 9:00 PM
Where: 205 NW 4th Ave · Portland, OR
More info and RSVP:
https://www.meetup.com/portland-effective-altruists-and-rationalists/events/287917611?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=share-btn_savedevents_share_modal&utm_source=link
Hello folks!
I am glad to announce the second of a continuing series of Orange County ACX/LW meetups. Meeting this Saturday and most Saturdays. Note this week we will meet at 3:30 not 2. The first meeting was great, and I hope to see many of you at this one. Based on the first meeting, I chose two popular topics to prompt future conversation and activities.
Saturday, 8/27/22, 3:30 pm
1900 Port Carlow Place, Newport Beach, 92660
The Picnic tables outside the community clubhouse
33.6173166789459, -117.85885652037152
https://goo.gl/maps/WmzxQhBM2vdpJvz39
Plus code 8554J48R+WFJ
Contact me, Michael, at michaelmichalchik+acxlw@gmail.com with questions or requests.
This week it will be at 3:30 (usually 2:00) to avoid a conflict with an online LW meetup
Activities (all activities are optional)
A) Two conversation starter topics this week will be. (readings at the end)
1) Forecasting and predicting the future
2) Psychedelics.
B) We will also have the card game Predictably Irrational. Feel free to bring your own favorite games or distractions.
C) There will be opportunities to go for a walk and talk about an hour after the meeting starts and use some gas barbeques if anyone wants to grill something. There are two easy-access mini-malls nearby with takeout hot food available.
D) Share a surprise! Tell the group about something that happened that was unexpected or changed the way you look at the universe.
E) Make a prediction and give a probability and end condition.
F) Contribute ideas to the future direction of the group. Topics, types of meetings, activities, etc…
Conversation Starter Readings:
Suggested readings for this week are these summaries. These readings are optional, but if you do them, think about what you find interesting, surprising, useful, questionable, vexing, or exciting.
1) Prediction
Superforcasting is a review of experiments done about how well various types of experts do in predicting the future. Generalists tend to do better than specialists in prediction, but why? Groups tend to do better than individuals, but are there ways to improve the performance of groups even further? How can you train yourself to be better at prediction? How can you help others?
https://howdo.com/book-summaries/superforecasting-summary-and-review/
Or The Harvard business review application to business
https://hbr.org/2016/05/superforecasting-how-to-upgrade-your-companys-judgment
Or the ACX Review
https://slatestarcodex.com/2016/02/04/book-review-superforecasting/
And this excerpt from Future Babble is a more critical look at prediction science.
https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/books/review/excerpt-future-babble-by-dan-gardner.html
For psychedelics:
The tale of two receptors is an interesting speculation as to the underlying pharmacology of psychedelics. Hypothesizing that serotonin can both help us cope with the distress of a bad situation and help us look for creative ideas out of the old mental habits that can keep us trapped in a bad situation. Conventional antidepressants and atypical antipsychotics operate on the acceptance system, while psychedelics operate on the later, lateral thinking. Is this perspective useful? Oversimplified? Can it be made into a rigorous scientific idea, or is it just another evolutionary just-so story? What possible uses and hazards does this suggest for psychedelics?
https://slatestarcodex.com/2017/10/10/ssc-journal-club-serotonin-receptors/ or https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0269881117725915
If you want a more general introduction to psychedelics, here is a book summary of the recent popular review of psychedelics. “ How to change your mind” by Michael Pollen
https://www.hustleescape.com/book-summary-how-to-change-your-mind-by-michael-pollan/
Anyone in Iceland interested?