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Course Descriptions - Fall 2010a Printer Friendly Version of this page is available. Here is the Registration Form. WINE & CHEESE OPEN HOUSE This is your chance to get together informally with course facilitators and fellow members of the Academy, to renew connections, pick up handouts and find out about any changes in the course schedules. Bring a friend or neighbor to find out what the Academy is all about, too. But let them know that many of the courses may already be filled by September 7. COURSESThe Fall 2010 course offerings are divided into Fine Arts & Music, Literature & Writing, History, Social Issues, Economics & Global Issues, Philosophy & Religion, Science, Food for Thought and Skills.
FINE ARTS & MUSICOPERA COLORADO TAKES THE STAGE You won’t want to miss this rare opportunity to get the inside story from the artistic and professional leadership of Opera Colorado about what it takes to get an opera ready for opening night. Brad Trexell, director of artistic planning, joins staffers and performers from Opera Colorado to explain and demonstrate how a season’s program is created and cast and how a work is staged. Cherity Koepke, director of education and community programs, will lead a discussion panel and direct a performance (at the Academy) of a one-act version of Romeo and Juliet set to the sumptuous music of Charles Gounod. Director of CU opera, Leigh Holman, and her students will explain how young singers train for a career in opera. In three separate lectures, Greg Carpenter, general director of Opera Colorado, provides insights into the three popular works that make up the company’s 2010-11 season: Puccini’s romantic La Bohème; Dvořák’s tragic Rusalka; and Rossini’s version of the Cinderella-story, La Cenerentola. Complete DVD showings of historic performances of the three featured operas round out the final three weeks of the course. They are sure to whet your appetite for the stage versions scheduled at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House this season. For group tickets to the operas, tear off the bottom of the separate flyer and include with your registration form. BALLET: MUSIC & DANCE You can sign up for either or both parts of this two-part course featuring the basics of both music and dance in the art of ballet. Music: The seven-week music segment features composers of ballet music from the late Italian Renaissance to the present, including Monteverdi, Gluck, Benoist, Ibert, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Martinů, and Prokofiev through John Cage. You'll learn how to tell baroque from romantic, classical from neoclassical, modern from contemporary, and find out why a ballet, unlike most other forms of music, is normally composed for a specific company or choreographer. You'll also find out who wrote a 20th century ballet for percussion only—and why. Dance: The three-week dance portion offers a who's who of ballet, with video and discussion of historically important performances and personalities from Louis XIV to the present, plus a primer on dance techniques, with demonstrations of moves and discussions of the choreographic process, dance notation and body memory. We'll also visit the Colorado Ballet studios to see Dracula in rehearsal and hear artistic director Gil Boggs recount his professional experiences with contemporary dance pioneers like the late Merce Cunningham. Instructors: Concert pianist Robin McNeil taught at the University of Illinois and the University of South Dakota, in addition to serving as executive director of the Denver Philharmonic Orchestra. Anne O’Connor, Colorado Ballet’s Education Director, will present and organize the ballet portion of this course. IMPRESSIONISM, Part Deux If you love the French impressionists (and who doesn’t?), you’ll love this course. Here’s your chance to take a closer look at some of the artists who ignited one of the most exciting artistic revolutions in history. Lectures serve up a savory stew of cultural and political history, biography, and visual treasures to focus on the lives and careers of Degas, Caillebotte, Mary Cassatt, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Toulouse-Lautrec. You’ll see how this close-knit group of artists responded to the poet and critic Baudelaire’s call for paintings of “modern life” during a period rife with radical social and intellectual change. One session features a virtual tour of the Impressionism-rich Barnes collection (Philadelphia) with Sally Kneser. Recommended reading: Françoise Bayle, A Fuller Understanding of the Paintings at Orsay (Artlys, 200l), (Buy from Amazon); Robert L. Herbert, Impressionism (Yale Univ. Press, 1988), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Despite his busy medical practice, David Wallack continues researching art history, his undergraduate major at Columbia College. He indulges his love for art at museums across the US and around the world when he isn’t pursuing his other lifelong fixation—baseball. DAM GREAT ART Some of the Denver Art Museum’s greatest treasures are featured in our fourth “DAM Great Art” series, focusing this time on ancient and modern art from China, India, Japan, Tibet, and Korea. You’ll discover the difference between Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and, during our concluding workshop, you’ll get up close and personal with the finer points of the Japanese tea ceremony and the arts of Ikebana and Haiku. You’ll learn about Chinese bronze vessels and the elaborately embroidered robes of the Qing dynasty court. Expert docents walk us through the intricacies of Samurai armor, masks, and swords; the technical and esthetic glories of Japanese lacquer boxes; and one of the finest collections of East Asian bamboo art in the world. They’ll initiate you into the meaning of the Tibetan sand mandala created by Tibetan monks at the museum in 1996, one of very few ever preserved for permanent viewing. And learning about the complex details of a 12th century bronze dancing Shiva will set the stage for a tour of the museum’s extensive holdings in art from India. Participants must be (or become) DAM members. Coordinators: Longtime art enthusiast Joanne Mendes has recently retired from a career spent organizing programs in art history in London and at the Denver Art Museum. The Academy’s liaison with the Denver Art Museum, Marty Corren joined the museum as a volunteer in 2006 and serves as an outstanding and popular docent. She recently completed training on the Asian art collection. THE GARDEN AS ART, Part 2 In this sequel to the 2009 course we turn to tropical and specialty gardens, American gardens, Southwestern garden design, public parks and nature preserves. We’ll see how gardens everywhere reflect the spirit of their time and place, and, with Audrey Hepburn as our guide, we’ll visit some sensational gardens on video. Gardens have been used to create beauty, to display wealth, to symbolize religious belief, to contrast wilderness and order, to turn abstract fantasy into solid form, to display and conserve rare plants, and to provide pleasure and enjoyment. Which styles do you enjoy the most? If you missed the earlier course, you’ll find all the background information you’ll need about world garden history and styles on the class website. Recommended reading: Van Zuylen, G., The Garden: Visions of Paradise (Thames & Hudson, 1995), (Buy from Amazon), and Adams, W.H., Gardens through History (Abbeville Press, 1991), (Buy from Amazon). Highly recommended viewing: Participants should have access to a computer in order to view the extensive images and virtual tours of gardens: http://home.comcast.net/~lorraine.sherry/gardens/ Facilitator: Lorraine Sherry’s academic and professional training and experience has been in science, technology and research/evaluation of instructional technology. With a lifelong passion for gardening, she pursued her horticultural education through CSU’s Colorado Master Gardener program and international travels that convinced her that garden design is a fine art. GET OUT YOUR WATERCOLORS! FILLED! Watercolor is a beguiling and exciting medium with a character all its own. Even if you’ve never handled a brush before, you’ll enjoy exploring watercolor’s idiosyncrasies while learning how to deal confidently with washes, glazes, and color mixing. Discover your hidden potential as you unleash the power of this demanding but rewarding medium. Beginners will practice specific exercises creating a variety of results and experienced artists may work on individual projects with mentoring. After you’ve registered, we’ll send a list of materials you’ll need. Limited to 20. Note the early start time. Instructor: Sharon Rouse’s skills as an experienced teacher of adult classes and workshops in a museum setting serve her well as a supervisor for student-teachers of art at Metro. Her work appears in various group shows and private collections. LITERATURE & WRITINGAGATHA CHRISTIE Many of the novels of Dame Agatha Christie, the most prolific mystery writer of all time, center on the activities of the fictional Belgian detective M. Hercule Poirot, who may be even better known than her amateur English sleuth Miss Jane Marple. This course, like the previous one dealing with the Marple character, focuses on four Poirot novels that have been made into movies or television shows: Murder on the Orient Express, The ABC Murders, Death on the Nile, and Lord Edgware Dies. We’ll read the books and view two film or TV versions of each one with an eye to answering such questions as how and why the videos differ so much from the original novels and which portrayals are preferable. You'll find the discussions fun whether you're a mystery aficionado or just getting acquainted with the genre. Required reading: Any book or books containing these mysteries: The ABC Murders, Death on the Nile, Lord Edgware Dies, and Murder on the Orient Express, (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: A retired DU mathematics professor, Bill Dorn has taught numerous courses on classic fictional detectives and is the author of five books on Sherlock Holmes. Check out his web site: http://web.me.com/billdorn/Hercule_Poirot_Sampler/WELCOME_PAGE.html. CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN SHORT STORIES FILLED! This course features all new stories! If you love great literature, you have found the right course, now in its third series (Best American Short Stories, 2008). The class examines one or two memorable stories each week, teasing out the meanings of each story and leaving you with a greater appreciation of the short story as an art form. Because short stories are so concentrated, each one will evoke questions and ambiguities to challenge your interpretation skills and offer new insights to universal experiences. Required reading: Salman Rushdie, ed., Best American Short Stories, 2008 (Mariner Books, 2008), (Buy from Amazon). Discussion Leader: Paulette Wasserstein, career teacher of English and education consultant, loves the exchange of ideas and sharing “a good read.” SHAKESPEARE FOR EVERYONE! “The remarkable thing about Shakespeare,” the poet Robert Graves once observed, “is that he really is very good—in spite of all the people who say he is very good.” Find out why Shakespeare’s plays are for everyone, not just cultural snobs. After a quick warm-up with everybody’s favorite star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet, we’ll look at three of the Bard’s best-known plays—the comedy Midsummer Night’s Dream, the tragedy Hamlet, and Henry V, tops among history plays—all with an eye to understanding why these 400-year-old tales are still as compelling, as moving and entertaining, as the day they were first performed. We’ll see why Shakespeare refuses to lie down and die, but instead remains a glorious force of nature—in short, a master storyteller. Facilitator: Rebecca Gorman is in her seventh year as a professor of English at Metro State, where she teaches courses in drama, writing, and cinema studies. CINEMA BEHIND THE SCENES Recommended reading: Karney, Robyn, Cinema, Year by Year (Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd, 2001), (Buy from Amazon), and anything by Leonard Maltin. Instructor: Now retired from a career in advertising and marketing, Len Marino has been in love with the movies since he was five. THE PLAY’S THE THING Discover the fun of reading plays aloud with a group. We’ll be spotlighting one-act plays this time around, including Bertolt Brecht’s very short Jewish Wife, a six-pager, and two early one-acts by Tennessee Williams that pay homage to his literary idol, D. H. Lawrence: Adam and Eve on a Ferry and I Rise in Flame, Cried the Phoenix. We’ll also read black playwright Jeff Stetson’s longer, more provocative drama, Fathers and Other Strangers, and two early efforts by Neil Simon (Come Blow Your Horn) and George Bernard Shaw (The Devil’s Disciple). You’ll get a copy of the play on the day it’s scheduled to be read, and parts will be assigned at random. Seated around the table, you can opt to get into character or play it straight. The pleasure of the experience comes from the playwright's skill and the fact that all participants have copies they can read—hearing problems are actually no problem. Limited to 12. Leader: Laura Rubin is a retired public school speech therapist, who has facilitated play reading groups for seven years in Jacksonville, Florida and Denver. She earned a B.A. and M.A. in speech therapy. POETRY WORKSHOP Here’s your chance to get tips from a practicing poet about how to banish your writer’s block. Find out how the use of metaphor can guide you to new insights, how harmony and dissonance enhance the emotional power of a poem, and how symbols resonate in the subconscious. Learn how sensory images, repetition, and internal rhyme can transform a first draft into a memorable final read. And find out how and where to get your poetry published, as well as what to look for in an effective support group. Note: Class meets am and pm. Recommended reading: Moustake, Nikki, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Writing Poetry (Alpha, 2001), (Buy from Amazon), and Behen, Robin, The Practice of Poetry (Harper Paperbacks, 1992), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Barb Lundy has published over 100 poems and in 2005 was nominated for a Pushcart Prize in poetry. She enjoys sharing her love of the craft through teaching, readings, and as a member of three writing groups. WRITING YOUR LIFE STORIES--GETTING STARTED FILLED! Whether you’re nineteen or ninety, you have stories to tell and wisdom to share. Learn how to begin compiling a collection of your life experiences to share with friends and family—or simply to read later at leisure. Spark your memory with innovative and engaging activities designed to bring to mind long-forgotten scenes from your past and to help you start getting them down on paper. Pick up your pen and open a new chapter on your life in the supportive atmosphere of this popular class. Limited to 14 participants. Facilitator: Kathy Boyer, a retired teacher, has conducted Life Stories workshops for libraries, summer camps, churches, community centers, and the Academy. She also helps individuals record their memories electronically. WRITE TO SAVE YOUR LIFE “Anyone who physically and emotionally outlasts childhood has something to write about forever,” offers author Lou Willett Stanek. You’ll agree once you discover the rich vein of topics in your past and experience the joy of preserving these treasured tales. We’ll share and encourage each other in class and tackle some writing at home. Reading your stories aloud will prove a powerful affirmation, and listening to others as they share theirs is an effective way to improve your own writing. Join this group, capped at 12, to learn how to transform your cherished memories into your memoirs. This is a repeat of the popular course taught in fall 2009 and spring 2010. Recommended reading: Lou Willett Stanek, Writing Your Life (Collins, 1996), (Buy from Amazon), and Frank Thomas, How to Write the Story of Your Life (Writers’ Digest Books, 1989), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Patricia Cox has taught writing to upper elementary students for the Denver Public Schools and for Cherry Creek School District. Her credo is: “Write to save your life, and write to share your life.” WRITING YOUR LIFE STORIES--FINISHING YOUR PROJECT If you’ve completed any memoir-writing class and are serious about continuing your project, this is the class for you. Participants will be expected to write at least one new piece each week to read to the class for possible feedback and encouragement. At the end of the five sessions, members will be ready to form an independent, ongoing writing group. Limited to 10 participants Facilitator: Kathy Boyer, a retired teacher, has conducted Life Stories workshops for libraries, summer camps, churches, community centers, and the Academy. She also helps individuals record their memories electronically. HISTORYWNNING WARS IN THE 21ST CENTURY Recommended reading: Hammes, Thomas X., The Sling and the Stone: On War in the 21st Century (Zenith Press, 2006), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Bob Mendes is a widely traveled retired petroleum engineer with a special interest in military history. LEGACY OF THE CRUSADES “Today the wars of the crusaders are ended,” British commander General Allenby is said to have declared after wresting Jerusalem from German and Turkish forces in December 1917. Yet, nearly a century later, and a full millennium after the fall of Jerusalem in the first Crusade, the Christian West remains embroiled in conflict with much of the Muslim World. We’ll explore the origins of this clash, from the first Crusade against Palestine to the fifth Crusade against Egypt. We’ll also examine the unification of Muslims under Saladin and how the memory of the Crusades faded in the minds of Muslims only to be rekindled by the experiences of colonialism in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Finally, we will discuss how the Crusades have left a lingering scar on the thinking of both Islam and the West, and what it may mean for the future. Recommended viewing & reading: Madden, Thomas, The New Concise History of the Crusades (Rowman & Littlefield, 2006), pp 213-225, (Buy from Amazon); Hillenbrand, Carole, The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives (Edinburgh University Press, 1999), pp 589-616, (Buy from Amazon); Siberry, Elizabith, The New Crusades: Images of the Crusades in the 19th and early 20th Centuries (Ashgate: Aldershot, 2000), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Walt Meyer is a “retired technocrat” whose recent study of Islam has rekindled his long interest in the Crusades and their considerable impact on current relations between Islam and the West. FROM PEARL HARBOR & MIDWAY TO TOKYO BAY Unlike Tom Hanks’s recent TV series, this course focuses on the “why’s” of the war in the Pacific, not on the heroic acts of our troops there during WWII. Why did Japan decide to attack the United States in the first place, and why did Admiral Yamamoto attack Midway? What made Admiral Kimmel so sure that the Japanese wouldn’t attack Pearl Harbor? And why didn’t Admiral Halsey take steps to prevent the American landings in Leyte Gulf from ending in near-disaster? What influenced President Truman’s decision to drop two atomic bombs on Japanese cities? With the benefit of more than 65 years of hindsight, we’ll talk about what role luck played in many wartime outcomes, delve into the successes and failures of military leaders on both sides, and consider strategies that might have been more effective. Required reading: Dunnigan, James, Victory at Sea: World War II in the Pacific (Harper Paperbacks, 1996), (Buy from Amazon). Recommended reading: Prange, Gordon, At Dawn We Slept: The Untold Story of Pearl Harbor (Penguin Books, 1982), (Buy from Amazon), and Costello, John, The Pacific War: 1941-1945 (Harper Perennial, 1982), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Dick Young, a political activist and history buff, has taught a course on Pearl Harbor at various Elderhostels and the continuing education programs of several universities. SOCIAL ISSUESDISASTER GIVING In the wake of recent earthquakes, floods, and other natural disasters, Americans have donated millions to international relief efforts in hopes of improving the lives of survivors. Yet most of us know almost nothing about how our dollars are spent or whether they have much real impact in emerging countries. In this class we’ll consider the factors such as media coverage, high-tech solicitations, and mega-events—that make us more, or less, inclined to donate, and we’ll discuss what steps we can take to make more informed charitable donations. Facilitator: Sheila Porter, a retired clinical and forensic psychologist, traces her interest in genocide, the plight of Africa, and the erratic progress of the developing world in part to her volunteer projects in Cambodia and Africa. BOMBARDED WITH PERSUASION Would you have given Bernie Madoff your life savings? Even if you can honestly answer “no,” you’re probably as susceptible as the rest of us to the seduction of subtle persuasion. We all need to heighten our awareness of the techniques that individuals, politicians, companies, and the media use to influence us. Obviously, we need to exercise vigilance, whether to avoid unscrupulous ploys or to respond more discriminatingly to the assertions of those we trust. We’ll probe the way persuasion works, analyze messages from diverse sources, and evaluate the role of persuasion in creating social and cultural change. Facilitator: A career teacher with degrees in speech and music as well as communication theory and psychology, Sherma Erholm is intrigued by the social role of increasingly sophisticated persuasion techniques—for better or worse. RELATIONSHIPS In human relationships, conflict is inevitable . . . says who? Do you engage in conflict or avoid it entirely? Can you have a dynamic discussion about a difficult problem without having the roof blow off, or is the outcome typically negative? Join others in exploring what you already know about solving interpersonal problems, what you can do to manage conflicts more effectively, and how you can model these skills in your home, office, or community. In this hands-on, interactive course you’ll consider embracing conflicts as learning opportunities. We’ll see a mock mediation, meet a panel of experts in the field, and find out about various conflict management methods, local resources, and volunteer opportunities. October is Conflict Resolution Month in Colorado: For more information go to www.conflictresolutionmonth.org. Required reading: Lederach, John Paul, The Little Book of Conflict Transformation (Good Books, 2003), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Mary Zinn has more than twenty years in the dispute resolution field as a practitioner, trainer and curriculum designer. Her presentations are known to be engaging and enlightening. CELEBRATING WOMEN OVER SIXTY Chances are, you’re either in or nearing the “third third” of your life and probably wondering, like Ellie Greenberg, “How could that be? Where has the time gone? Stop the clock!” Join Ellie as she reviews recent research on adult development, explores the personal issues and options you’re facing in life after 55, and explains steps you can take to smooth the way for making life transitions. We’ll check out various over-55 websites and blogs and take a look at intergenerational opportunities and barriers—all with the goal of uncovering new ways to live a vibrant and active life during your lengthening “third third.” This is a repeat course with some new twists. New and returning participants are welcome. Required reading: (included in tuition) Elinor Miller Greenberg and Fay Wadsworth Whitney, A Time of Our Own: In Celebration of Women over Sixty (Fulcrum Publishing, 2008). Recommended reading: Betty Friedan, The Fountain of Age (Simon & Schuster, 1993), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Author, teacher, and educator, Ellie Greenberg is perhaps best known for developing and leading University without Walls in the 1970s, the start of a 40-year career in providing “access to opportunity” for adults. All RISE! HOW OUR COURTS ENSURE EQUAL JUSTICE If what you know about our judicial system depends largely on the media coverage of sensational cases, this course will prove a real eye-opener. Taught by attorneys and judges with first-hand courtroom experience, the course was designed jointly by the Colorado Bar Association and the Colorado Judicial Institute’s Our Courts program to explain how State and Federal courts actually work—and how judicial procedures help keep the law fair and impartial. The Our Courts program recently won a national award from the ABA and has been recognized by Sandra Day O’Conner. Topics include the selection and evaluation of judges, the differences between practices followed in criminal and civil cases, the basics of bankruptcy, and the ways in which Abraham Lincoln's commitment to equality and liberty transformed the system more than a century ago. This is a repeat of the popular course last spring. ECONOMICS & GLOBAL ISSUESGREAT DECISIONS IN AMERICA’S CURRENT FOREIGN POLICY The Great Decisions Discussion Groups are part of a nation-wide program developed by the Foreign Policy Association. Each year thousands of Americans discuss and formulate their opinions on eight vital foreign policy issues. This year’s topics include: Special Envoys, Kenya and R2P, Global Crime, U.S.-China Security Relations, Global Financial Crisis, Russia and its Neighbors, the Persian Gulf, Peace-building and Conflict Resolution. Each 15-page chapter in the Great Decisions Briefing Book places the issues in historical context and provides background, current policies, and alternative options. Discussion questions, annotated reading suggestions, and additional resources, including websites, are provided. Videos featuring renowned experts in the field provide additional food for thought. Registration is required by September 1 so that books may be ordered. Required reading: Great Decisions Briefing Book, which will be mailed in advance. Facilitator: Vee Sabel is a confirmed foreign policy junkie and world traveler. She is a skilled facilitator who loves to hear the opinions of others and gain new perspective on issues. THE WEALTH & POVERTY OF NATIONS With little in the way of natural resources, how did Japan become rich while African nations with a wealth of natural resources remained mired in poverty for centuries? Why did China and the Arab World, leading civilizations in the first millennium, begin to fall behind Europe in the second? How did once-rich nations like Spain and Italy become poor, and how did the United States become a world leader in less than 100 years? This class offers valuable historical perspective on the underlying causes for the development of nations. Required reading: Landes, David S., The Wealth and Poverty of Nations (W.W. Norton & Co., 1999), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Charles Hall, a retired lawyer, has examined the subject of wealth and poverty for several years, and always appreciates hearing the views of others. HOW SUCCESSFUL CULTURES GET THAT WAY Contrary to the popular, politically correct, but fallacious idea that all cultures are equally valuable, some cultures propel their people to ever greater heights of achievement and prosperity while others hold their people back and actually regress. We’ll attempt to define the characteristics that produce success or failure and try to understand why some nations make decisions that are obviously failure prone. We’ll seek to identify the most successful cultures in the world and pinpoint the superior qualities that have enabled them to keep their advantage over centuries. We’ll consider how attitudes about immigration, assimilation, and population growth play into policy choices, and, with a special look at Afghanistan, we’ll see how the outcome of wars can be affected by culture. We’ll try to answer such questions as what makes a successful culture endure and how can a culture acquire successful qualities more quickly. We’ll end by proposing the qualities needed to design a cultural policy favorable to the continued advancement of our nation. Recommended reading: Sowell, Thomas, Migrations and Cultures: A World View (Basic Books, 1997), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Ralph Plimpton has had a lifelong interest in economic, political, cultural, and social issues and has facilitated popular Academy courses on topics such as current energy issues and how culture shapes nations. DISSECTING CURRENT ECONOMIC ISSUES In early 2010, after a financial upheaval that laid waste our savings and left the country deeply in debt, the U.S. economy appeared to be on the road to a strong but jobless recovery. However, the sovereign debt and banking crises that erupted in the European Union in the spring could plunge the world back into stagnation. To make matters worse, the prospect of widening federal deficits and growing national debt in the US make us vulnerable to catching the European disease. This term we’ll take a close look at the European crises and assess the implications for the US economy. In anticipation of the November report from the President’s Bipartisan Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, we’ll review the Congressional Budget Office’s August update of the 10-year forecast for US deficits and national debt. We’ll also review the canons of taxation and study the forms of new tax policy that might be recommended. Those who’ve taken Jim's other courses can attest that you’ll enjoy this class even without a background in economics. The course will be supported by the www.PositiveExternalities.com web site. Lecturer: Jim Kneser loves putting his educational training in economics and finance plus his vocational experience in private equity to work researching the facts behind the news and putting current developments in proper historical context. PHILOSOPHY & RELIGIONWESTERN CONCEPTS OF GOD THROUGH TIME People have struggled throughout recorded history to define the concept of God and how it relates to human beings. In this course we’ll look at a wide range of approaches that Western civilizations have put forward, from the Bible and early Rabbinical literature to 20th century theologians. Among the stops on our timeline will be Philo's spiritual monotheism, the neo-Aristotelianism of Maimonides, the mysticism of Luria, the pantheism of Spinoza, Buber’s philosophy of dialogue, the limited theism of Steinberg, the religious naturalism of Kaplan, the humanism of Fromm, the depth theology of Heschel—and others participants suggest. Required reading: Sonsino, Rifat, Finding God, Selected Responses (Urj Press, 2002), (Buy from Amazon). Facilitator: Ralph Stern has spent the past 40 years reading about theology, theodicy and comparative religion. In 1986 he entered the Jewish Theological Seminary and received a Masters in Jewish Philosophy. PATHWAYS TO SPIRITUALITY Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic or a dispassionate observer of world-wide movements, you’ll enjoy exploring what Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay, and even Buddha have said about spirituality. We’ll examine a host of questions: What is spirituality? What is mysticism? How does spirituality impact our lives? Can we heal ourselves? Is God still speaking to us today? Join us on an active, responsible, and creative journey to find to your personal answers through class discussion and re-examination of your beliefs. Facilitators: While the real estate business was her vocation, Sue Haskell’s avocation has always been spirituality. Her extensive spiritual studies range from EST to Reiki and a course in miracles. With advanced degrees in Global Religions and The Study of Higher Consciousness, Barbara Rush envisions her Special Focus Ministry as a natural extension of her passion to help expand humankind’s “oneness.” DOCTORS ON THE EDGE FILLED! Doctors lie, betray confidences, and break the law. Can this be right? If their decisions are the best of anguishing alternatives, perhaps they are right. But where would you draw the line? To examine these issues, we’ll analyze absorbing, true stories about dilemmas facing doctors and patients—situations like euthanasia, assisted suicide, advance directives, abortion, sterilization, marital infidelity, intersexuality, birth defects, AIDs confidentiality, and rape. All participants are expected to read the appropriate chapters of Dr. Abrams’ book Doctors on the Edge (included in the course tuition) so they will be prepared to offer their opinions each week. You’ll face the dilemma. You’ll make the decision. This is a repeat of the popular course offered in fall 2009 and spring 2010. Registration required by September 1 so that books may be ordered. Limited to 24. Instructor: An obstetrician and gynecologist since 1959, Dr. Fred Abrams has taught biomedical ethics and spearheaded medical ethics programs for health-care professionals, teachers, community leaders, and hospital ethics committees. SCIENCEBLACK HOLES EXPLAINED Almost everyone has heard of black holes, but few outside the field of cosmology grasp the true nature of these awe-inspiring phenomena or the implications they hold for our universe. We‘ll dive into the subject with the help of a video lecture series featuring the dynamic Alex Filippenko, distinguished astronomer and award-winning professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Each week, we'll view and discuss two lavishly illustrated 30-minute DVDs, which also touch on other cutting-edge concepts in astronomy, including general relativity, supermassive monsters at the heart of galaxies, and wormholes that connect universes. No alien encounters are anticipated—though we’ll meet guest speaker Professor Andrew Hamilton from CU-Boulder, who has agreed to answer your unresolved questions at the final session. Recommended reading: Thorne, Kip, Black Holes and Time Warps: Einstein’s Outrageous Legacy (W.W. Norton & Company, 1995), (Buy from Amazon), and Kaufmann, Wm. J., Black Holes and Warped Spacetime (Bantam Books, 1981), (Buy from Amazon). Instructor: Since retiring from the computer industry, John Anderson has enthusiastically resumed his undergraduate interest in physics and the history of science. His degree from Yale is in physics, and he has facilitated science classes such as “Feynman Physics Fest” and “Particle Physics for Non-Scientists.” CU SCIENCE SAMPLER The University of Colorado at Boulder has put together a timely series of science lectures featuring 10 distinguished faculty members. Only one lecturer is scheduled per morning, so there will be more time for questions. You needn’t be a science nerd to take advantage of this rare opportunity to learn about recent scientific discoveries and get acquainted with accomplished researchers at Colorado’s flagship university. No prerequisites, required reading, or quizzes. Each lecture stands alone, so you won’t fall behind if you have to miss a class. Part 1: Wednesday mornings Part 2: Thursday mornings HUMAN BEHAVIOR & NEUROBIOLOGY The 19th-century satirist Ambrose Bierce was right on when he defined the brain as “an apparatus with which we think we think.” Most of us know little about our bodies, much less about how our brain works. Neurobiology (the study of the nervous system) is only one of 50 or so overlapping scientific fields comprising neuroscience, and it’s in a state of constant flux as new investigative methods like functional MRI provide clarifying insights. This is the second part of a course that began in fall 2009 and was interrupted in the 2010 spring term. It is not necessary to have attended previous lectures. These remaining talks stand on their own. To bring everyone up-to-date there’ll be a brief review at the first class of the complex factors at work in human behavior. We’ll continue with discussions on genetics and heritability and examine in some detail, human aggression, which is of such fundamental importance in today’s world. We’ll end with a revealing look at what your brain has to accomplish through just one single day in your life. Highly recommended reading: Michael S. Gazzaniga, The Ethical Brain (Dana Press, 2005), (Buy from Amazon). Instructor: Bennie Bub, MD, FRCS, is a South African neurosurgeon board-certified in three different specialties on three continents. After immigrating to the US in 1976, he practiced in Denver as an anesthesiologist for more than 20 years before founding a successful database company, from which he has retired to indulge his love of music, travel, and reading. FOOD FOR THOUGHTEXPERTS & ENTERTAINERS A) Sept. 15 “De-stress—Any Time, Any Place” In this “experiential hour,” certified Yoga teacher Lisa Eller Davis invites you to discover how to use your intellectual curiosity to create new pathways in your mind. You will experience ways to access concentration and focus, relaxation and joy. SKILLSCHATTING IN ESPAÑOL Tailored to fit beginners as well as those with some previous Spanish language experience, this lively class covers basic vocabulary and phrases essential for travel and casual conversation. You'll learn what to say in common situations—“My luggage seems to have taken a different flight,” or “Did I really order this?”—and how to avoid common mistakes like inviting your newfound Spanish-speaking friends into your “cama” instead of your “casa.” Will you be fluent by the end of the class? No. But will you have a weekly fiesta of fun and gain greater confidence in this musical and increasingly important language? Si! (On the first day the group will be divided according to their Spanish levels.) Facilitators: Susan Blake-Smith grew up in Mexico City and enjoys sharing her love of the Mexican language, history, and culture. She has served on several nonprofit boards and has worked as a volunteer and fundraiser for many others. Cyndi Sauvage is a worldwide traveler to over 75 countries, and lived for several years in Spain. She is a 15-year veteran of the publishing industry and has been involved in every aspect of writing, editing and producing a wide variety of magazines, books and newspapers. COMPUTER TIPS This course will be driven mainly by the PC-related questions participants bring to it, but it will also address such general issues as how to find the File You Know You Saved, how to use Google to best advantage, how to put together a mailing list and send messages to all or some of the names, how to book travel effectively, and what you need to know about different operating systems (i.e., Vista or XP) and application programs (i.e., Quicken, Word, and Excel). We'll also cover common computer terminology and buzzwords, decipher the meaning of jpg, ppt, docx, and other funny letters that follow file names, and deal with specific individual problems that can be shared with the group. Bring your own laptop or watch Carri use hers. Computer Super-User: Carri Currier has been involved with computers since the late 60’s when she started as a programmer. As the owner of a computer consulting company she customized off-the-shelf software for her industry. BRIDGE: PLAY OF THE HAND These courses focus on how to play the cards rather than how to bid. Learn various techniques for handling different card combinations and become faster at deciding what to do first. Join as a single, with a partner, or as a foursome. Beginning level: Participants will learn basic finesses, discarding losers, promoting length, and ruffing. Open to those who already have a basic knowledge of bidding, including those who play socially. There will be assigned (required) reading from Play of the Hand in the 21st Century, explanations, Q&A, and playing pre-set hands. Those who are uncertain about their ability level should contact Milt Shioya, '303-331-8654'. Intermediate level: This is a continuing class. Participants should already be comfortable using basic finesses, discarding losers, promoting length, and ruffing. Intermediate level bidding skill is also expected, including a thorough understanding of Stayman, Jacoby transfers, weak twos, and strong two clubs. We’ll spend one hour examining hands, drilling, lecture, and Q&A, followed by an hour playing pre-set hands. New participants must have the permission of the instructor, Sally Kneser, 303-770-0788. Beginning level required reading: Audrey Grant, Play of the Hand in the 21st Century (Baron Barclay Bridge, 2008), (Buy from Amazon). Recommended reading: Watson, Louis, Watson's Classic Book on The Play of the Hand at Bridge (Harper Paperbacks, 1971), (Buy from Amazon). Instructors: Milt Shioya (Beginning level) is an avid bridge play who has proven himself at the bridge table with over 1000 master points, and thus is a Silver Life Master. Bridge nut and art groupie Sally Kneser (Intermediate level) is also the Academy's Director. Sally is a Life Master in bridge and enjoys explaining the basics of the game.
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