History & Current Events   

During each class, a French cinema masterpiece will be presented and followed by a brief discussion. The films represent a variety of genres, Comedies, Musicals, Noir and more. Here is the list of movies:
- A nous la liberté (Freedom for all), René Clair, 1931, which inspired Chaplin’s Modern Times.
- Le Salaire de la Peur (The Wage of Fear), HG Clouzot 1953.
- Les 400 Coups (The 400 Blows), François Truffaut, 1959.
- Le Mépris (Contempt), Jean-Luc Godard, 1963.
- L’Armée des Ombres (Army of Shadows), Jean-Pierre Melville, 1969,
- Z, Costa-Gavras, 1969, Oscar Best international Movie,
- Les Aventures de Rabbi Jacob (The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob), G. Oury, 1973,
- Anatomie d’une chute (Anatomy of a Fall), Justine Triet, 2023

Clash of Wings (Part 2)  is a wide-ranging survey of the great air campaigns of World War II extending from the first bombs dropped in Poland to the atomic weapons exploded in Japan. It covers all theaters from the frozen steps of the Soviet Union to the nightmare heat of Pacific jungle fighting. In each theater, the principal focus is on the people doing the fighting, and it is important to note that the ordinary soldiers, sailors, and airmen fought with dignity and courage irrespective of their country or their cause. As each campaign is analyzed, we will take note of the technical developments of the time— new aircraft, new weapons, new tactics-- and the leadership is evaluated.

Stay informed and have your say on the news of the day. Instructors will choose a few current event topics each week, give a brief presentation for each and then ask for thoughtful comments and questions from the class. These discussions are very much valued and are the core of the class. Class members are also encouraged to choose a topic of their own and present it for discussion.  Class leaders will change weekly. 

The class will focus on geopolitical hot spots, including updates on China’s internal challenges, China vs. US and our global allies, the global impact of technology, Health Care and other new geopolitical challenges.

No prior experience with printmaking necessary. Hands-on class with all materials and tools supplied for the first class session, we will even supply a pencil for you to take notes. Explore the art, history, materials, of this modern interpretation of a printing process dating back to the early 19th Century. Make one-of-a-kind prints by applying ink to a soft GELLI® printing plate and manipulating the ink in a variety of ways that transfers to paper for display or repurposed to a variety of art and craft projects. If you have seen GELLI® printing demonstrated on YouTube, and you’d like to try the technique before buying a lot of equipment; this is the class for you. Please read the syllabus for more information about SUPPLIES or materials needed.
Contact Peter for supplies...     Note: Class Limit 15

FREE EVENT
This class will consist of attendees cleaning twenty million year old fossils. A power point presentation of paleontology of dinosaurs and shark teeth will be shown. Attendees also will complete a paleontology field map. The presentation will conclude with people understanding the basis of fossilization, digging up dinosaurs and documenting them.

These sessions will explore how American workers get cheated out of wages, a situation that takes billions out of paychecks every year. Despite state and federal laws, the problem has become so severe as to constitute the norm rather than the exception in some industries. We will explore the history of wage payment; the origins of overtime; how different industries compensate workers; exemptions from certain laws; child labor violations, and what we can do to address the problem. Supplemental materials will be provided to all students. Your instructor promises to keep it light and easy to understand.