Less Wrong London meetup, tomorrow (Sunday 2010-04-04) 16:00

[Paul Crowley]

UPDATE: Backup plan is to meet at the Starbucks across the road (16 Piccadilly, London W1J 0DE, 020 7287 8311). I’ve been trying to ring the Waterstones and the coffee shop for a while now and waited several minute for an answer with no success, so I think it’s very likely that it is closed. I’ve called the Starbucks and it’s open. If I know you on here, mail me (paul at ciphergoth dot org) and I’ll give you my mobile number.

In the grand tradition of giving almost no notice for London meetups, I bring to your attention that a meetup is planned for tomorrow (Sunday 2010-04-04), at 16:00, in the 5th View cafe on top of Waterstone’s bookstore. Nearest Tube Piccadilly Circus. Yvain, taw, RichardKennaway, and myself at least hope to be there, doubtless others too!

We should try to give more notice for the next one. This is the first Sunday in April; how about the first Sunday in June for the next one, 2010-06-06? I’d prefer an earlier time and it might be worth experimenting with a different venue, but if we can fix a date we can vary other details closer to the time.

[Kevin]

Cheers to Starbucks and the globalist corporate disregard for local holidays

[Scott Alexander]

I have recently been informed that there’s a tradition here of closing certain stores this weekend to commemorate an agglomeration of the local resurrection myth with a previous pagan seasonal festival. I know some Waterstones in London are closed and others are open, but I can’t find any information on that particular one. If it’s closed, we can meet outside the front door and figure out where to go from there.

[Paul Crowley]

I have posted a backup plan, which I think is what we’re likely to be doing.

[Maelin]

I haven’t been to one of these meetups before, but I will be in London next month and am thinking of coming along. What actually goes on?

[taw]

Follow-up for talk about existential risk and collapse of civilization:

Zimbabwe civilization shifted not collapsed

The Mutapa state arose in the fifteenth century from the northward expansion of the Great Zimbabwe tradition. [… and existed until 1760, long after European contact]

Also, Mayan civilization shifted not collapsed

During the succeeding Postclassic period (from the 10th to the early 16th century), development in the northern centers persisted, characterized by an increasing diversity of external influences. The Maya cities of the northern lowlands in Yucatán continued to flourish for centuries more; some of the important sites in this era were Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Edzná, and Coba. After the decline of the ruling dynasties of Chichen and Uxmal, Mayapan ruled all of Yucatán until a revolt in 1450.

Mayan data point is more important, as Great Zimbabwe was not an independent civilization—it stayed it close contact with other civilized areas and had large levels of trade with them throughout its existence. Both datapoints suggest existential risks are much less likely.