TOPICS OFFERED FOR SPRING 2011

 

 

Please note that the books listed for each course are only possible candidates. 
Do not buy any until the pre-meeting and a decision on the common reading is made.

Classes start January 3rd and end April 29th.

Holiday periods are adapted to by individual class voting.

 

 

 

 

1.    (ANT)     WHO OWNS ANTIQUITY?

Should the British museum return the Elgin marbles to Greece? Should the bust of Nefertiti in Berlin be sent home to Cairo? Are the countries of origin able to care for the worldÕs history? We will discuss the legal, moral and ethical issues surrounding the ownership of the treasures of the world. Our common reading will be Stealing History: Tomb Raiders, Smugglers, and the Looting of the Ancient World, by Roger Atwood, which focuses on one incident in Peru as a case study of the insidious effects of the illicit antiquities trade. Presentations can address other incidents, such as those mentioned above, or related issues such as whether art confiscated from Holocaust survivors should be returned to their families.

Common Reading:   Stealing History: Tomb Raiders, Smugglers, and the Looting of the Ancient World, by Roger Atwood (St. MartinÕs Griffin, 2006, 368 pp)

Supplementary Reading:

Loot, the Battle over the Stolen Treasure of the Ancient World, by Sharon Waxman

(Times Books, 2009, 432 pages)

Who Owns Antiquity?: Museums and the Battle over Our Ancient Heritage, by James Cuno (Princeton University Press, 2008, 272 pages)

 

 

 

 

2.    (ART) MODERN ART: IMPRESSIONISM TO POST-MODERNISM

This class is for Omniloreans who want to better understand and appreciate modern art. Editor David Britt has written an introduction, used over 400 color illustrations and eight essayists to authoritatively introduce every major development in the visual arts since Impressionism. These eight essayists inform us of the periods and explain: Impressionism; Symbolism and Art Nouveau; Fauvism and Expressionism; Cubism, Futurism and Constructivism; Dada and Surrealism; Abstract Expressionism; Pop; and, Pluralism since 1960.

We will ask ourselves: what really is Òart?Ó Is it really just a splash of paint? How does it differ from Òmere design?Ó If art is the recreation of reality according to the values of the artist – then – what are those values? We will research the artists, their movements, what they wish to say and examine their 20th century masterpieces – and share our findings.

Common Reading:   Modern Art: Impressionism to Post-Modernism, edited by David Britt                                 (Thames & Hudson; 416 pages; September 1999)

 

3.    (BBG)      THE BIG BANG AND STEPHEN HAWKINGÕS VIEW OF THE

                                 UNIVERSE

Professor Hawking has published several books intended to introduce the layman to his view of the universe, including the six million copy best seller, A Brief History of Time. A second book, A Briefer History of Time, is a updated version that makes his discussion of deep questions about the universe more accessible. This book proceeds by small and careful steps from the early history of astronomy to today's efforts to construct a grand unified theory of the universe. His most recent book, The Grand Design, addresses questions like: Why is there a universe--why is there something rather than nothing? Why do we exist? Why are the laws of nature what they are? Did the universe need a designer and creator? Cosmology is the study of how the universe began. It uses observations (experimental physics) from Astronomy, high energy physics facilities like the Large Hadron Collider, and satellites (telescopes and cosmic microwave background). It also uses theory (theoretical physics) from Relativity, String Theory, Black Holes, etc., to come up with coherent theories of how the universe began. There are several leading contenders that we'll explore in this S/DG. We'll look at what each theory predicts for the future as well as religious and philosophical interpretations. We may even discuss the unknown characteristics of Dark Matter and Energy. Presentation topics can include experimental, theoretical, or philosophical results, interpretations and implications.  The key personalities and conflicts will keep us shaking our heads about the possibilities in our grand universe. While most presentations will not be overly mathematical a prior familiarity with the scientific concepts involved will be useful. The class will decide which book or books to use for discussion. The others may provide the basis for individual presentations.

Common Reading:

The Universe in a Nutshell, by Stephen Hawking (November 2001)

            A Briefer History of Time, by Stephen Hawking (2008)

 

 

 

4.    (CAL) CALIFORNIA STORIES

Since the 16th century when a Spanish romance writer wrote of a mythical island called California where Amazons rode beasts with golden harnesses, our state has been the subject of a rich heritage of all sorts of literature, especially short stories. From visitors like Mark Twain and Ambrose Bierce to natives like Jack London and John Steinbeck we have had the most famous and honored authors of their times write about our state, cities, and pueblos with characters ranging from inhabitants of Tortilla Flats to Hollywood high fliers.

This S/DG will choose from an anthology of California short stories by Bret Harte, Mark Twain, Ambrose Bierce, Jack London, Dashiel Hammett, Raymond Chandler, John Steinbeck and others.

Common Reading:   Great California Stories, edited by A. Grove Day

                                   (1991; University of Nebraska Press)

 

5.    (CMP)          COMPROMISING, GOOD AND BAD

The last century had its share of political pacts that worked and those that didn't. It also had its share of both ethical and unethical compromises (contrasted with effective ones). In the provocative, suggested core text, Margalit--a professor emeritus of philosophy at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the George F. Kennan Professor at the Institute for Advanced Study, in Princeton--claims that 'rotten compromises are not allowed, even for the sake of peace.' Focusing on the political rather than on the personal, he defines a rotten compromise as 'an agreement to establish or maintain an inhuman regime.' Our discussions will provide a refreshing and instructive contrast to much that has become conventionally accepted in recent political thinking, particularly about the moral conflicts that arise in pursuit of peace. A key issue we'll be dealing with is: Recognizing that we are forced by circumstances to settle for much less than we aspire to on issues of justice, should we be judged by our compromises more than by our ideals and norms? Ideals tell us something important about what we would like to be, compromises tell us who we are.

Presentations may include the compromises (and their ethical implications) made in politics, diplomacy, economics, business, marriage, parenting, relationships, employ-ment, religion, science, etc

Common Reading:   On Compromise and Rotten Compromises, by Avishai Margalit (October 2009)

 

 

6.    (CUI) THE CUISINES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

More than a dozen countries in Europe and the Middle East rim the Mediterranean. Although their geography varies, they share a similar climate and terrain and their cuisines are based on many of the same agricultural products. Tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, spices and herbs, legumes and fish are among the ingredients basic to the cooking of most of these countries. But while these countries rely on many of the same ingredients and cooking techniques, because of geographical and cultural variations, each country in the Mediterranean basin has developed its own characteristic cuisine.

In addition to exploring a more healthful diet (Òthe healthiest diet in the world,Ó according to Alice Waters) and supporting a more ecologically sound agriculture, this S/DG will allow participants to research the geographical, historical, cultural, and technological factors that have influenced the development of each countryÕs approach to food.

Common Reading:   A Mediterranean Feast: The Story of the Birth of the Celebrated Cuisines of the Mediterranean from the Merchants of Venice to the Barbary Corsairs, with More than 500 Recipes, by Clifford A. Wright (Hardcover; ISBN-10: 0688153054; ISBN-13: 978-0688153052)

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. (DEC)    PRESIDENTIAL DECISIONS

Presidents make decisions. ThatÕs what we pay them to do. What do you think was the toughest decision a president ever made? This S/DG looks at presidential decisions and discusses their impact on the country and the world.

Possible presentation topics include: Thomas JeffersonÕs purchase of the Louisiana Territory; Abraham LincolnÕs Emancipation Proclamation; FDRÕs establishment of Social Security; and Harry TrumanÕs authorization of the use of the atomic bomb.

Common Reading:    The Buck Stops Here: The 28 Toughest Presidential Decisions and How They Changed History, Thomas J. Craughwell and Edwin Kiester, Jr. (May 2010)

 

 

8.    (ECO)    OUT OF EDEN – AN ODYSSEY OF ECOLOGICAL INVASION

Much as Rachel Carson's Silent Spring was a call to action against the pesticides that were devastating bird populations, Out of Eden sounds a warning about an environmental catastrophe that has become all too familiar today—the invasion of nonnative species. From kudzu to zebra mussels to Asian long-horned beetles, nonnative species are colonizing new habitats around the world at an alarming rate thanks to accidental and intentional human intervention. One of the leading causes of extinctions of native animals and plants, invasive species also wreak severe economic havoc, causing $79 billion worth of damage in the United States alone.

Exotic animals and plants have been migrating to new environments, resulting in a phenomenon that biologists call the homogenization of the world. Burdick's journey found him searching for the brown tree snake (indigenous to Australia) in Hawaii–once a paradise without serpents–and visiting NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the foothills of Pasadena, CA, where scientists take extreme measures to make sure that we neither introduce nor bring back alien species in our exploration of space. He had set out to solve an ecological riddle; but as he followed invasion biologists fighting exotic invaders in Tasmania, Guam, and San Francisco, his observations led him to ask philosophical questions about the nature of the natural world.

Common Reading:    Out of Eden: An Odyssey of Ecological Invasion, by Alan Burdick

                                    (May 2006)

 

 

9.    (ELE)    THE DISAPPEARING SPOON: THE STORY OF THE PERIODIC

                      TABLE OF ELEMENTS

Did you ever stare at the big chart with the letters and numbers on the wall of your high school chemistry class? Do you think the Periodic Table of Elements is one of the greatest achievements of humankind? Learn why science reporter Sam Keen thinks so as he crafts the stories of the elements, their properties, use and discovery. We learn why Dmitri Mendeleyev is regarded as the father of the Periodic Table. Our author relates the stories of the discovery these elements to the development of 20th century chemistry and physics.

We will learn why hydrogen is at the top left of the Periodic Table and why those elements that exist for but a fleeting moment are placed at the lower right. Our personal research may elaborate the basic facts of and stories about individual elements including hydrogen, oxygen, gold, thallium poisoning, silicon wafers, neon rain, gas warfare and the latest discoveries in atomic physics. Did you know that Ògallium spoonsÓ stirred in common tea will be ÒeatenÓ - and so simply disappear! Learn element science of today and tomorrow and so capture the fun and fascination of chemistry as never before.

Common Reading:   The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements, by Sam Keen (Little, Brown and Company, 2010; 400 pp)

 

 

 

10.    (EXT)      GOING TO EXTREMES: POLARITIES AND HOSTILITIES

In a society driven by extremism and a rapid rise in hate groups, we will explore the root causes, examine the symptoms and measure the dangers to political stability---even to democracy itself. Our focus will be on domestic extremism, not international terrorism. One new study, titled Rage on the Right, documents a 244 per cent rise last year in active Patriot groups---zealots who see the federal government as their enemy. We also will be looking at the increase in hate groups targeting racial, ethnic and religious groups.

The guides to this exploration will be two short books: Republic.com 2.0 and Going to Extremes: How Like Minds Unite and Divide, both by Cass R. Sunstein, a Harvard law professor and prominent constitutional lawyer. The first book explores the impact of technology on public discourse, arguing that when citizens gravitate toward those newspapers, blogs, podcasts and other media that reinforce their own views, they are able to filter out opposing or alternative viewpoints to create an ideologically exclusive "Daily Me." In the second book, Sunstein argues that homogenous groups of like-minded people tend to adopt more extreme positions than groups with a diversity of opinions.

Presentations can focus on examples of polarization from the media or from politics, or on organized hate groups, or on the causes of the polarization or on potential solutions.

Common Reading:

Republic.com 2.0, by Cass R. Sunstein (Princeton University Press, 2009; 272 pages)

Going to Extremes: How Like Minds Unite and Divide, by Cass R. Sunstein (Oxford University Press, 2009; 208 pages)

 

 

11.    (FIN)       THE FINANCIAL PANIC OF 2008

Forget CSI, forget Stephen King. The collapse of Wall Street and what transpired behind closed doors in Washington over the past couple of years provide a story nothing short of scary and hair-raising. Especially frightening were how unprepared Wall Street, the SEC, the banks, the regulators, the Secretary of the Treasury, the Federal Reserve, the worldÕs financial system and the then President of the United States were for this calamity, and how close we came to a depression that could have rivaled the Great Depression of the 1930s with 25% unemployment.

This will be an exciting and informative S/DG that should keep you at the edge of your seat. It will help you determine whether the bailout was necessary to keep us from going into a depression like the 1930s, and what you and our government ought to do to prevent another financial collapse.

Possible Topics for Presentation and Discussion:

>      Previous market crashes- Great Depression (1929), crash of 1987, Asian Crises, Dotcom Crash,

>      The sub-prime mortgage bubble that led to the collapse

>      How low interest rates, lack of regulation and credit agency AAA CDO ratings contributed to the collapse. 

>      Meet the three principal players in the story (Paulson, Bernanke, Gaithner)

>      Bankruptcies or near bankruptcies of Bear Sterns, Lehman Bros, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and others

>      Did the bailouts really work and whether they were or were not necessary.

>      Is the American capitalist free enterprise system now being replaced by an American socialist system

Possible Common Reading & Resource Materials:

The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, by Michael Lewis (Simon & Shuster, 2010)

This Time is Different, by Carmen M Reinhart & Kenneth S. Rogoff (2009)

To Big To Fail, by Andrew Ross Sorkin (Penguin Group. 2009)

In Fed We Trust, by David Wessel (Crown Business. 2009)

 

 

12.    (GRE)     ANCIENT GREECE

Why do the ancient Greeks occupy such a prominent place in conceptions of Western culture and identity? Why is Hellenic culture viewed as the uniquely essential starting point for understanding the art and reflection that define the West? Does this view tell the whole story?

Democracy, philosophy, theater, epic and lyric poetry, the writing of history, our aesthetic sensibilities, our ideals of athletic competition, and more -- clearly, the Greeks are a source of much that we esteem in our own culture.  We will trace the history and culture of ancient Greece from its earliest beginnings in about 1,500 B.C.E. to a period of magnificent achievement that plunged into darkness, followed by a second flowering of the civilization that is the foundation of our own

Our guide for this journey will be Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times, by Thomas R. Martin (Yale University Press paperback, 2000), which provides a survey of the period. Presentations will provide more detail on the history, culture, and personalities of ancient Greece.

Common Reading:   Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times, by Thomas R. Martin (Yale University Press, 2000, 254 pages)

 

13.    (GUB)     THE SECRET LIFE OF THE GROWN-UP BRAIN

Can an old brain learn, and then remember what it learns? As we Omniloreans know, brains continue to develop through and beyond middle age. If kept in good shape, the brain can continue to build pathways that help its owner recognize patterns and, as a consequence, see significance and even solutions much faster than a young person can.

According to The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain, we get smarter - our judgment improves, our ability to see the big picture improves, and our ability to read people improves. We become better managers, better parents, and better leaders--even better air traffic controllers! We are more emotionally stable and often more creative.

This S/DG explores the way adults learn and discusses the ideas of The Times health editor, Barbara Strauch.

Common Reading:    The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain, by Barbara Stauch

(April 2010)

 

 

14.    (HIN)     HINDUISM: RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY, AND A WAY OF LIFE

Erich Fromm once wrote, ÒIn Brahmanism [Hinduism] as well as in Buddhism and Taoism, the ultimate aim of religion is not the right belief, but the right action [right conduct of life or on dharma in Sanskrit].Ó We might add that the focus is on realizing—not only in believing, but in being and becoming. Since most people in the United States follow a monotheistic religion, they find Hinduism very complex and daunting. One reason could be that Hinduism did not have any founder who laid down any set dogmas or doctrines. Not surprisingly, Hinduism has been an evolving religion. In this course we will explore the nature of God (personal or impersonal) and the human soul, will discuss the questions of creation, heaven and hell, and also the doctrines of karma and reincarnation, spiritual disciplines—four systems of Yoga, and the subject of science and religion, as seen from a Hindu perspective.

Common Reading:    The Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of the WorldÕs Oldest Religion, by Swami Bhaskarananda

(Viveka Press, January 2002)

 

 

 

15.    (IMM)            COMING TO AMERICA: IMMIGRATION AND ETHNICITY

Immigration has played a significant role in the development of America but what are the facts of immigration history? This class will read and discuss Coming to America: A History of Immigration and Ethnicity in American Life by Roger Daniels in search of a better understanding of our immigration history. This book covers the 400-year history of the movement of people to America. Who arrived, where and why they came to the United States and the policies that influenced who was permitted to come to this country. The book has been called Òencyclopedic in scope yet lively and provocativeÉOne of those rare books that will serve experts and the general public equally well.Ó For many this book will confirm some of what we know about immigration and bring an important new understanding about this important part of our history.

Common Reading:   Coming to America (Second Edition): A History of Immigration and Ethnicity in American Life, Roger Daniels (Harper Perennial, 2002, 453 pages)

 

16.    (ISM)  ISLAM IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

Though it is the fastest growing religion in the world, Islam remains shrouded in ignorance and fear. Can an Islamic state be founded on democratic values such as pluralism and human rights? A young scholar of comparative religions, Reza Aslan has earned international acclaim for the passion and clarity he has brought to this question. In this S/D/G class members will study and analyze the text by Reza Aslan, which will provide an opportunity for participants to do independent study on various topics and lead class discussion.

Common Reading:   No God But God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, by Reza Aslan (Random House, 2005)

 

 

17.    (JAZ) JAZZ, POETRY AND ART

Jazz has been called ÒAmericaÕs Classical MusicÓ; the only art form created totally by Americans; AmericaÕs contribution to the arts. But what, you may ask, is "Jazz Poetry?" It is any poetry that has been informed or inspired by jazz music, just as "Jazz Art" is any art that has been informed or inspired by jazz. When one explores, it is fascinating to discover how many poets and artists have turned to jazz for inspiration.

This offering will explore jazz poetry and sample jazz-related art, together with the jazz music that informed and inspired them. Each attendee will make a presentation, either on a chapter of the common reading or on a related topic. Participants will be asked to discuss the various periods in the development of jazz poetry and/or art and to share with each other examples from those periods that they find moving or interesting. Or, they may wish to present historical vignettes (short, descriptive literary sketches) of the jazz musicians, poets and/or artists who have contributed to their respective genres. The particular focus will be the interaction between jazz, poetry and art, although participants will have discretion with regard to topics they wish to present.

Common Reading:   Jazz Poetry from the 1920s to the Present, by Sascha Feinstein (Praeger, Westport, CT, 1997; available in paperback)

Other suggested resources:

The Jazz Poetry Anthology, edited by Sascha Feinstein and Yusef Komunyakaa (Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN, 1991), available in paperback;

The Second Set: The Jazz Poetry Anthology, Volume 2, edited by Sascha Feinstein and Yusef Komunyakaa (Indiana University Press, Bloomington, IN, 1996; available in paperback);

Jazz Poems, by Kevin Young (Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2006).

 

18.    (KND)      THE PRICE OF KINDNESS

What role does kindness and altruism play in the adaptability of humans and animals in their quest for survival? We have seen many acts of kindness in recorded human history: those seemingly modest and unassuming people during World War II who put themselves at peril to save Jews from the Nazis; the acts of philanthropists in establishing libraries and other endowments in this country or making drugs available to poor countries; Albert Schweitzer; Mother Teresa; the list goes on and on. Animals have also been observed demonstrating a willingness to sacrifice for the greater good.

George Price made it his ambition to study the phenomenon. A genius who worked on the Manhattan Project, who wrote many articles and authored many inventions, he moved to London in the 1960Õs to find the Òlaw of human nature.Ó He desired to place the apparent altruistic behavior that could be observed in the natural world into the context of evolutionary biology. He ultimately lived on the streets, having given away all he possessed. He died alone by his own hand.

The book The Price of Altruism might serve as a reference for this S/DG, which includes a scientific study of altruism, but many other books are available. Possible topics include: works of altruism by individuals; the life of George Price; the role of religion in altruism; the role of wealthy philanthropists; biological factors in altruism; etc. Be kind to yourself and choose this S/DG.

Common Reading:   The Price of Altruism: George Price and the Search for the Origins of Kindness, by Oren Solomon Harman (June 2010)

 

19.    (LAT)      SUDDEN FICTION LATINO

We have a diverse group of new and recent Latin American short stories originally written in Spanish and translated, or written in English by authors of Latin American descent. They are as short as one page or as long as several pages. They are humorous, moving, challenging, political and dazzling. Authors include the much lauded and the rising talents.

Possible topics for discussion include literary styles, construction and language, gender roles, feminism and machismo, Catholicism in Latin culture, historic figures (i.e. Montezuma) and myths, life in exile, healing and folk medicine, Latin American arts, emigration and work.

Common Reading:   Sudden Fiction Latino, edited by Robert Shapard, James Thomas

                                    and Ray Gonzalez (W.W. Norton, 2010; paperback).

Additional suggested reference:    The Penguin History of Latin America, by Edwin Williamson (Penguin, revised 2009, paperback)

 

 

20.    (MPO)            THE TRAVELS OF MARCO POLO

We have all heard of this brave Venice merchant and his travels – but how many of us have ever read his account as he wrote it? Born in 1254 Marco Polo traveled the Silk Road as a merchant on his way through the Middle East, South Asia and China. In his ÒTravelsÓ he writes like an anthropologist with many colorful stories of his fascination with the East and of ChinaÕs much higher 13th Century civilization. This fascinated his Renaissance European readers. We can follow his narrative with map in hand as he writes of the terrain, natural resources, buildings, trade goods of the regions along The Silk Road. Like others before, we can marvel at his account of the Mongol Emperor Kublai KhanÕs court in China.

We will also be entertained by plenty of racy tales of cannibalism, polygamy, polyandry(!), cults of assassins, sexual behaviors, prostitution and magic rituals along the way. We might research these Asian practices and features of 13th Century China civilization - including city planning, public welfare, military technology, fire depart-ments, and others for comparison with our own. Our book is a new revised edition of a classic translation with new editorial notes and an introduction by an award winning travel-writer. Discover first hand why this fascinating travelogue adventure has enthralled readers for over 700 years!

Common Reading:   The Travels of Marco Polo, by Marco Polo, edited by Peter Harris (EverymanÕs Library, 2008; 472 pages)

 

21.    (NXT)     THE NEXT 100 YEARS

This class will read and discuss the book, The Next 100 Years, by George Friedman. Friedman draws on long-term historical and geopolitical patterns to develop provocative and unexpected forecasts for the next 20 years, 40 years, 60 years, etc. Among them: Rather than becoming a global power, China will fragment; Turkey will greatly expand her sphere of influence; industrialized countries which now seek to restrict immigration from poorer countries will instead compete to attract such immigrants; Mexico will become a world power and challenge the United States for supremacy on the North American continent. These and other surprising forecasts will provide ample material for fascinating discussions. The book is available from Amazon.com for about $16.00 and at local book stores for slightly more.

Common Reading:   The Next 100 Years, by George Friedman (Feb. 2010, paperback)

 

22.    (OCN)   SAVING THE OCEANS AND MARINE LIFE

The oceans are precious but threatened resources. They were once thought so vast as to be impervious to human influences, but they have suffered in just the past 50 years from many dangerous changes which have harmed marine life and in turn pose a threat to our human food supply. Our knowledge of the oceans has exploded during this period, as has our capacity to upset the delicate balance of marine systems. Overfishing has driven many species to the brink of extinction. Coral reefs are dying from elevated temperatures and pollution. Oxygen-deprived Òdead zonesÓ blight coastal waters.

The recent Gulf oil disaster serves as a dramatic reminder of how vulnerable our water environment can suddenly become.

This S/DG will study the five oceans, their gigantic power and sweep and the myriad life forms therein. We will examine the many complex problems which bedevil these great bodies of water. We will explore the remarkable history of how humans have interacted with the sea, both fearing and revering it, both using and abusing it. Finally we will examine the ways in which we are seeking through national and international measures to stop the assault on this most precious of all our resources. Is there hope of success? Join us in the pursuit of an answer.

Possible Topics

>    Origins and evolution of oceans. Plate tectonics, currents, the five great oceans.

>    Origins, evolution of life in the oceans.

>    Oceans and climate. Water cycle, wind patterns, hurricanes, climate change.

>    The biological ocean. Diversity, abyss to shorelines, plankton to Blue Whales, past extinctions.

>    Humans and the ocean. Myths and legends. Ancient navigation, settlers, traders, explorers, pirates.

>    Ocean science, scientists. Early observations, Capt. Cook, Darwin, and others. WoodÕs Hole and other centers. Satellites and modern technology.

>    Saving the marine mammals, especially whales and dolphins: history, understanding of their intelligence and communication, prospects for future conservation.

>    Coral reefs: their nature and future.

>    Case study—dams and irrigation needs vs. fish: the declining salmon industry.

>    Overfishing and feeding 2-3 billion more people in 2050. Enlightened regulation. Fish farming.

>    Resources: oil and offshore drilling. Energy from waves and tides. A source of fresh water. Other mineral resources.

>    Pollutants. Trash, plastics, underwater sounds. Effect on life systems.

>    Endangered species act. Ocean preserves can they help preserve marine life? .

>    International cooperation (commissions, treaties, councils). Will they create change? Will they save the oceans?

Common Reading:    TBD

Supplemental Reading:

World Ocean Census: a Global Survey of Marine Life, by Darlene Trew Crist, et al. (Firefly Books, 2009)

Ocean: an Illustrated Atlas, by Sylvia Earle (National Geographic, 2008)

The World is Blue:  How Our Fate and the OceanÕs are One, by Sylvia Earle (National Geographic, 2009)

Blue Frontier: Saving AmericaÕs Living Seas, by David Helvarg (W.H.Freeman, 2001)

Seasick: Ocean Change and the Extinction of Life on Earth, by Alanna Mitchell (Univ. Chicago Press, 2009)

The Oceans, by Ellen J. Prager (McGraw Hill, 1999)

Oceans, an Illustrated Reference, by Dorrik Stow (University of Chicago Press, 2001)

Web Sites:
http://sites.google.com/site/dickheiser/feynmanlectures (videos of the above lectures)

23.    (OVR)   OVERTHROW: AMERICAÕS CENTURY OF REGIME CHANGE

                           FROM HAWAII TO IRAQ               

In this book author Stephen Kinzer, a NY Times correspondent, argues that beginning with the takeover of Hawaii the US Government has been complicit in the overthrow of fourteen regimes. He argues that in most cases the peoples of the target country suffered, including the thwarting their sovereign political aspirations. The well-being of the people in both countries suffers because ÔblowbackÓ terrorist retaliation has led to huge costs of military defense and the curtailment of Bill of Rights freedoms.

The author argues that it is often corporate interests seeking lucrative benefits who lobby politicians to be complicit in changing regimes abroad. Such changes in regime may result from our support of friendly coups, fomenting internal revolt using many propaganda means or just plain military takeovers. The author notes that our imperial ambitions have been shared over the years by the likes of England, France, China, Holland, Spain, Japan, Germany, Turkey and Russia. Themes for our personal research and discussion might include more detailed examination of these changes in regime, the role played by locals, the impact on both peoples and the rewards to those who lobby for them. We can also address when our interventions abroad legitimately support American self-defense and how we might cut through the false propaganda of regime-change promoting politicians.

Common Reading:     Overthrow: AmericaÕs Century of Regime Change from Hawaii

                                                  to Iraq, by Stephen Kinzer, Times Books, 2007; 426 pp)

 

 

24.    (POE)      READING AND ENJOYING POETRY, THE SEQUEL

Reading and Enjoying Poetry, the Sequel gives you the chance to read and discuss your favorite poems, poets, poetic forms, and poetry movements -- and find out what appeals to others. The suggested class format will consist of oral readings of poems followed by a brief analysis and discussion of each poem. There will be an opportunity for several participants to read and discuss their favorite poems at each meeting. It is suggested that we share about 5 to 10 poems each meeting. We will also provide time for open reading of poems brought in by all class members.

No core text is proposed. However, if we agree at the pre-meeting to select a text, that will be fine. There are many good poetry anthologies available from which we can select poems. The only proposed requirement is that you bring in a sufficient number of copies of any poem you wish to share so that everyone will be able to follow your reading and join in the discussion. You also may use the desktop projector for this purpose.

This S/DG will be similar to other poetry S/DGs held in the past. The class will be conducted in an easygoing, informal style designed to maximize participation and will encourage reading and discussing of poetry. Poetry authors will be especially encouraged to bring in their own work for discussion and critique.

No Common Reading.

 

 

25.    (SHK) SHAKESPEARE: ALL THE WORLDÕS A STAGE É

The Omnilorean New Globe Theater re-opens in January to present three of the BardÕs great plays. With players standing and with a few props, we propose to do reading walk-throughs of: Richard III (the end-of-the-War-of-the-Roses story of one of the bloodiest kings in English history, whose treachery ended his own life too), King Lear (thought by some to be the greatest of the BardÕs tragedies), and as relief from two such serious plays, a choice from the BardÕs many comedies to be made at the December pre-meeting (perhaps The Merry Wives of Windsor? - or - AllÕs Well That Ends Well? - or - The WinterÕs Tale?).

In this S/DG you will learn how to research all perspectives of ShakespeareÕs works — sources of each play upon which the Bard builds rich characters and enhances the plots, how to play each character Òin character,Ó themes, symbols, images, motifs, commentary on issues of the day, and all manner of rhyme and reason. Class members will serve on one playÕs Board of Directors, responsible for casting roles for the repertory and leading discussions based on the research optionally adding videos, music, and costumes. For a glimpse of how we live the Bard in this S/DG, check out http://omnilore.org/members/Curriculum/SDGs/10c-SHK_Shakespeare to view this fallÕs Shakespeare classÕs website of links to internet references relevant to our plays and downloadable organizing artifacts.

There are no prerequisites, theatrical or otherwise. You will find that the Bard of Stratford-on-Avon will teach us, just as heÕs taught others for four hundred years. With plenty for the novice as well as the veteran, it is a foregone conclusion members will leave this class with a fuller understanding of the masterful story construction, realistic characters with depth and humanity, and the rich, evocative language which have earned Shakespeare the title of greatest writer in the English language. (Did you realize some of the italicized phrases in this write-up are among the over 2000 words & phrases Shakespeare coined – roughly one-tenth of the commonly used English language?)

Common Reading:   Selected Plays

 

 

26.    (SIX)       SIX DEGREES OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SEPARATION 

MySpace. Facebook. YouTube. Wikipedia. Twitter. LinkedIn - Social networking sites are a global phenomenon boasting hundreds of millions of members. Is it a fad or is it a wave of the Future? This S/DG will research this trend and examine internet website creations that have changed the way people gain information and interact with each other Members will discuss such topics as: What is Social Networking? Who does itÉkids, students, seniors, business professionals, executives, politicians? What are the various online websites and how do they work? Why would someone participate? What are the risks of such interaction? What are the ÒmarketÓ aspects of it? How is it being utilized in the medical profession, in the political arena, in the marketplace? Is it for me?

Possible topics for exploration include: Wikipedia, MySpace, eBay, Amazon, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Napster, iTunes, Youtube, Politico, LinkedIn, Twitter, Huffington Post.

Because most books in print concentrate on using the Internet and social networking for business purposes, no common reading has been suggested. The Internet itself along with newspapers and magazines should yield information for research. This S/DG also lends itself to utilizing the wireless connectivity available in our classroom for live demonstrations of the various websites.

Common Reading:   Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler (September 2009)

 

 

27.    (SLG) SPINOZA, LEIBNIZ AND GOD

According to Nietzsche, "Every great philosophy is... a personal confession of its creator and a kind of involuntary and unperceived memoir." We will explore this insight with respect to the lives and works of 17th-century philosophers Spinoza and Leibniz. In November 1676, Leibniz, "the ultimate insider... an orthodox Lutheran from conservative Germany," journeyed to The Hague to visit the self-sufficient, freethinking Spinoza." A prodigious polymath, Leibniz understood Spinoza's insight that "science was in the process of rendering the God of revelation obsolete; that it had already undermined the special place of the human individual in nature." Spinoza embraced this new world. Seeing the orthodox God as a "prop for theocratic tyranny," he articulated the basic theory for the modern secular state. Leibniz, on the other hand, spent the rest of his life championing God and theocracy like a defense lawyer. Leibniz's reaction to Spinoza and modernity set the tone for "the dominant form of modern philosophy"—a category that includes Kant, Hegel, Bergson, Heidegger, etc. We will have an opportunity to discuss not only these philosophers, but all that followed and were affected by them. Presentations can be made on contemporaries or successors that dealt with the same issues.

Common Reading:   The Courtier and the Heretic: Leibniz, Spinoza, and the Fate of God in the Modern World, by Matthew Stewart (Paperback)

 

 

28.    (TED) TED TALKS: IDEAS WORTH SPREADING

A click on www.ted.com will take you to an unusual and fascinating website – TED talks. TED is a small nonprofit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, and Design. Since then its scope has become ever broader, adding people from the worlds of Arts, Business, Culture, Science, and Global Issues. The annual TED Conference is held in Long Beach, California, and the TED Global conference is in Oxford UK. At these conferences TED brings together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes). These are, for the most part, riveting talks by remarkable people made available free to the world online.

Participants can click on ted.com, select a talk and do research on the subject and/or perhaps the speaker. The talk will serve as a nucleus for the Presentation. For instance, should the you select a talk by Ramachandran on his brain research, you can do a presentation on Ramachandran, his work on phantom limbs, or the subject of current brain research. Selecting a talk by Isabel Allende would could focus on AllendeÕs captivating literary work, her views on feminism around the world, or a study of the state of feminism around the world. As is customary, at the meeting before the presentation the Presenter provides the group with a handout announcing the talk chosen and questions or ideas for consideration leading to discussion. Group members watch the talk at home and come prepared for informed discussion.

This S/DG was offered in the Spring 2010 Trimester requiring three classes to satisfy all who wanted to take it. By popular demand it will be offered again to members who have access to a computer. With more than 450 talks are now available and more added each week there are plenty of talks that have not been subjects of the earlier classes.

No Common Reading.

 

 

29.   (TUR)    CRESCENT AND STAR: TURKEY BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

Modern Turkey has a geopolitical opportunity to become a mighty and stabilizing influence westward to the European Balkans and eastward to the Caucuses and Central Asia. Istanbul symbolizes this because it was the capital of two empires – the Byzantine and the Ottoman – for almost two thousand years. A revitalized modern Turkey is proving itself to be a major U.S. ally permitting air bases, is allied with NATO in the Òwar on terrorÓ, enjoys a strategic partnership with Israel, hosts a major oil pipeline and may even have a shot at entering the EU. This is the optimistic thesis of our author, Stephen Kinzer, a NY Times correspondent in Turkey for four years.

Kinzer offers us a sympathetic portrait of Turkish customs and the great revolutionary leader Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. It was in 1922 that Ataturk questioned why Turkey lacked the technology, wealth creation and the ability of self-governance of Western nations. He and his military followers sought to create a secular republic adopting many Western Enlightenment practices and re-orienting Turkey towards the West. Our author does not shirk in portraying TurkeyÕs dark side: failure in acknowledging the Armenian genocide as payback for their support of the enemy Russia; the oppression of the Kurdish minority; the possibility of overthrow by Islamic fundamentalists; the periodic military coups to maintain AtaturkÕs secularist legacy; and the use of dictatorial force in daily rule. Our personal research and discussion focus will examine whether our authorÕs optimism is in fact warranted.

Common Reading:   Crescent and Star: Turkey between Two Worlds, by Stephen Kinzer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008; 288 pages)

 

 

30.    (WRI) THE WRITING MIND

This S/DG concentrates on fostering creativity and improving techniques of the writer through the production of original pieces of writing, literary critique and presentations by each group member. Presentations are on literary topics or on the philosophy, subtleties or techniques of writing. Each member will be responsible for; a presentation, at least two submissions of original fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or other form of writing, and for reading and critiquing submissions from other group members.

Common Reading:   None Suggested.

 

 

The following course is the CSUDH lecture series and will be given at the CSUDH campus on the first and third Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to noon.

It will probably start the third week of January (January 19th) and end in late April, making a total of seven lectures.

 

31.    (CSU) CSUDH SPRING 2011 LECTURE SERIES

This series is being planned by OLLI at CSUDH and will either concern music or science The completed topic lineup for this series will either be printed in the Nov.-Dec 2010 newsletter or sent as an e-mail sometime in November.

If you are interested in the CSUDH lecture series, let us know by placing an X in the coordinator box next to the CSU topic, so we can have a list of those to inform when more details become available about the series. However, do NOT enter it in the course "order of preference box" along with your other S/DG topics.