Jefferson Unitarian Church, Golden   

This course will explore a number of significant FBI Undercover Operations from 1978 to 1998. The course will provide an overview and a history of FBI Undercover Operations. Some of the cases that will be discussed: Operation Double Steele; ABSCAM; NYCON; and Greylord. The instructor will provide unique insight to the inner workings of organized crime with some antidotal stories of organized crime members and “con” men!

Have you ever wondered how ballet dancers learn to dance with a partner? The simple answer is years of training and practice. This four-week course, offered by former professional dancers, explores how skilled ballet partners develop. By using curated videos, we will observe young ballet students in class as they learn the basic techniques of working with a partner. Then we’ll see professional dancers in rehearsals as they practice intricate moves building trust and teamwork for their performances on stage. Each class culminates with video performances of professionals partnering in pas de deux from famous and lesser-known ballets. We encourage discussion, so after each video there will be time for comments and questions, and we will provide the list of videos.

Need a break from the stress of the election? Then consider joining us for a weekly presentation of many of the classic and current stand-up comedians who have entertained us so hilariously over the years. We will cover male, female, ethnic, religious, global, and even political stand-up comedy, as well as touching on late-night comedy and sketch comedy. Background information will be provided on the performers. We will have plenty of time for questions and comments. Sid Caesar once said, "The best thing about humor is that it reminds people they are not alone", so let's get together and have some laughs with these amazing entertainers.

This course shines the spotlight on brass instruments in the context of classical music—the trumpet, trombone, tuba, and horn. Highly accomplished musicians will visit us with their instruments, talk about their musical journeys, and play for us. Along the way, we will explore the history of these instruments, the composers they inspired, and the ways our musical world combines them to delight audiences. We will learn a bit about how they are built, how they work, and why they have become such mainstays of the concert world. The musicians plan to perform a brass quintet during one of the sessions.

What drove some of the world's most famous explorers? How were they able to persevere? What resources did they use? How did they survive in desolate, unforgiving circumstances? When teammates died, how did the others react? And of course, what routes did they take? What did they discover? This five-week course will take a deep dive into ten historic voyages of discovery and survival. The last, featuring Peter Van Arsdale's own journey, explores the heartland of New Guinea and the remote tribe his team discovered. In each case, firsthand narratives—as well as numerous photographs and maps—will be included: Cabeza de Vaca (1527–1536, North America); De Soto (1539–1543, North America); Coronado (1540–1542, North America); Cook (1776–1780, Pacific Ocean); Bligh (1789, Pacific Ocean); Lewis and Clark (1803–1806, North America); Franklin (1845–1846, Arctic); Scott (1910–1913, Antarctic); Shackleton (1914–1916, Antarctic); Van Arsdale (1974, New Guinea).

Seven Colorado Authors League writers will share their unique paths to becoming published in this fascinating speaker series. Learn about their books, their techniques, their successes, and their failures. Featured authors include the following:

• Jaime Siebrase, Colorado Nature and Guidebook Writer
• Jean Jacobsen, Sweet Historical Romance Writer
• Michele Battiste, Award-Winning Essayist and Poet
• Tricia Copeland, Romance Fantasy Writer and Podcaster
• Ellen Busch, Memoirist, Leadership Coach
• Harry Maclean, New York Times Best-Selling True Crime Writer
• Steve Spangler, Emmy-Winning TV Personality & Science Author

A Q&A session follows each speaker, with an opportunity to try your talents with an optional writing exercise. Please note that these are all different League authors from those who led the 2024–25 classes.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping work, democracy, and daily life—and not always in ways that serve the public good. This discussion seminar turns the tables, using AI tools themselves to analyze the dangers AI poses to society and explore what we can do about them. We'll dig into the issues that matter most: AI alignment and human control; concentrated power and democratic erosion; labor displacement and inequality; algorithmic bias and surveillance; disinformation and social fragmentation; and the global governance gaps enabling unchecked AI development. For each topic, we'll provide an AI-generated research notebook—loaded with expert warnings, documented harms, and recommended remedies—that participants can query before each class. These notebooks are as easy to use as a web search, so no other technical background is required.

For decades Americans have demonized socialism, associating it with government ownership of businesses, central planning, and the violence seen in communist countries that arose in the 20th century. This discussion course will critique this conflation to reveal a more accurate notion of what socialism is around the world today and what it could be for America in the future. We'll use Richard D. Wolff's Understanding Socialism to structure our examination of this alternative structuring of society. The book blends history, analysis, and theory to challenge false narratives while confronting failures of various socialist experiments throughout history. It provides an updated path to socialism based on workplace democracy. Facilitators will encourage participants to use the electronic version of the book so they can analyze and challenge it using AI, and will dedicate some class time to guiding participants on how to accomplish this.

Required and Preferred: Electronic version of ($9.99) Understanding Socialism by Richard D. Wolff