History of maps from prehistory to Google Earth. What is a map? Monsters on maps. GIS and GPS: What are they?

It was an era of great energy and inventions like the telephone, the light bulb, and the mail order catalog. It was also an era of extremes; the robber barons of Rockefeller oil, Carnegie steel, and Jay Gould's gold contrasted with Ellis Island which processed a million immigrants a year. With the help of both extremes, we built our longest railroad (the Transcontinental) our biggest bridge (Brooklyn) and our tallest buildings (skyscrapers in Chicago). And it was an era of great romantic movements, from the cowboy, to our parks (from Central Park to Yosemite), to the Great White Way of the Chicago World's Fair. We had arrived.

It was an era of great energy and inventions like the telephone, the light bulb, and the mail order catalog. It was also an era of extremes; the robber barons of Rockefeller oil, Carnegie steel, and Jay Gould's gold contrasted with Ellis Island which processed a million immigrants a year. With the help of both extremes, we built our longest railroad (the Transcontinental) our biggest bridge (Brooklyn) and our tallest buildings (skyscrapers in Chicago). And it was an era of great romantic movements, from the cowboy, to our parks (from Central Park to Yosemite), to the Great White Way of the Chicago World's Fair. We had arrived.

Enhance your ability to identify and understand the common birds of our region. We will explore anatomy, reproduction, foods & foraging and the habitats in which to find the birds. The three sessions will cover Backyard Birds, Owls & Raptors and Water Birds. The course is geared toward beginning to intermediate-level birders.

Is China really an emerging superpower or is it a developing country facing significant internal challenges that preclude its continued rise? Can China still be considered a communist state, or is it something else? What are the prospects for democracy and civil society in China during the reform era? Why has China been able to unleash such significant economic growth in the last few decades? And at what costs to the environment and its citizens? This course will provide answers to these and other questions by taking a closer look at the Chinese polity, economy and society.

Throughout the centuries, artists of every medium have looked to the natural world for inspiration. In this class, we will consider how classical composers have responded to the various manifestations of Mother Nature, in both explicit and suggestive ways. The musical examples will range from Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" to Beethoven's "Pastoral" symphony, the "Raindrop" prelude of Chopin, and Copland's "Outdoor" overture. And, thanks to composer Alan Hovhaness, Mount Saint Helens will erupt!

June 6th, 1944 marked the 75th anniversary of one of the most critical operations in our Nation's history. It was a time when the largest naval and air task force ever assembled put everything they had into a must-win effort to establish a beachhead in Nazi occupied France. This course will cover the planning of the operation, its execution and the high price paid by the brave soldiers, sailors and airmen whose victory opened a door to regaining freedom in Western Europe.

Smells conjure up warm memories, emotions and human relationships. Our noses are amazing molecular detectors, but how much do we really know about our sense of smell? How does fragrance drive our moods? How do we perceive smells and describe them to others? What smells are associated with certain diseases? Come explore the biology that makes it possible to the chemistry behind fragrances and essential oils. Through lecture and hands-on activities, we will test your ability to identify smells, discuss odor molecules, describe the journey from nose to brain, and compare human smell abilities with other animals. We will investigate the source of essential oils, the creation of perfumes, product labels and regulations, and aromatherapy claims. This class is not suitable for individuals with chemical or fragrance sensitivities.

Initially released in 2015 Microsoft's latest and "last "operating system has been through at least five "feature updates" in addition to monthly "cumulative updates." Likewise, this popular course continues to update and focus on what's useful to you. Bring your Windows 10 laptop, tablet, or 2-in-1 computer to class and together we will explore useful ways with touch, keyboard, mouse or voice to improve your computing experience.

During the two sessions, discussions will focus on curiosity, love of learning, open-mindedness and judgment, just four of the elements research has found associated with wisdom. A short presentation will jump-start a discussion of each of the four elements. Participants are expected to contribute to discussions and to take in the contributions of others. Similar discussions have explored the role of personal experience in fueling wisdom, positive and negative impacts of aging on wisdom, and specific steps for developing wisdom.

We are not your average book discussion group! Participants make their own reading choices and come prepared to present brief reviews and share their appraisals. You may select a past or current author in any genre. Learn from each other through informal discussion. This is a low fee class, but requires registration.

Tom Robbins, David Guterson, Jamie Ford and Jim Lynch wrote debut novels which were so popular that they served as springboards to a variety of other well received novels. In Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins (1970) a group of hippies develop a special attachment to "Captain Kendrick's Memorial Hot Dog Wildlife Preserve" in the Skagit Valley and make a potentially earth-shaking discovery. Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson (1995) and Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford (2009) reflect back on the heartbreaking internment of Japanese Americans--one triggered by a murder trial on Bainbridge Island, the other by the closing of an old hotel in Seattle. The Highest Tide by Jim Lynch (2005) is a coming of age story told by a thirteen-year-old boy who has a special attachment to the tidal flats of southern Puget Sound around Olympia. Students are requested to read Another Roadside Attraction before the first class meeting.

Flesh and Blood: Italian Masterpieces from the Capodimonte Museum, featuring works from High Renaissance and Baroque painters such as Raphael, Titian, and Artemisia Gentileschi, will run from October 17 to January 26, 2020 at Seattle Art Museum. All these paintings tell stories usually from the Bible or classical mythology, but with no clear beginning or ending. Session 1 will look at how artists of the early and High Renaissance conveyed events, moving from copious detail to a single telling moment. Session 2 will explore the visual storytelling of the late Renaissance, with particular focus on Venetian painters Titian, Veronese and Tintoretto. And Session 3 will follow the impact of Caravaggio's often violent realism on the narrative painting of the Baroque era. This course will help us better appreciate the exhibit from the foremost gallery in Naples.

This course is appropriate for new gardeners as well as those who have been at it for a while. Students will learn ideas, techniques and solutions they can apply to their particular gardening needs. Topics include how to plan a garden area for specific conditions, gardening successfully at any age, improving success with plant selections to fit the garden's conditions, using bulbs for year-round colorful gardening, inter-planting vegetables and flowers, starting seeds indoors and growing pollinator-friendly and health-friendly plants. We will discuss where to find additional gardening knowledge, such as key books and websites and Master Gardener answer clinics.

The first National Park, Yellowstone, was created by Congress on March 1, 1872. On Aug 25, 1916, Pres. Wilson signed the act creating the National Park Service. As of 2019, there are 59 Parks and 119 National Monuments listed on the Park web site, plus over 400 other places, such as National Seashores, designated as being worthy of protection and preservation because of the spectacular, and often fragile, geologic features they contain. Parks to be discussed in this class: Arches, Bryce, Canyon Lands, Zion, Capitol Reef, Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Petrified Forest, Carlsbad, Mammoth Cave, Virgin Islands. Monuments to be discussed: Cedar Breaks, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Natural Bridges, Rainbow Bridge, Oregon Caves, Jewel Cave, John Day, Dinosaur.

James Joyce said he wrote Dubliners "to betray the soul of that hemiplegia or paralysis which many consider a city," and did the job so vividly that no publisher would touch it for fear of a libel suit from the real Dubliners Joyce mentions in it by name. Readers anywhere, publishers feared, might be offended by its immorality, not to mention the frequent use of the word "bloody." Although Joyce felt "people might be willing to pay for the special odor of corruption which, I hope, floats over my stories," Dubliners' first publisher disagreed and in the eleventh hour destroyed the entire first printing. In this course we will examine where obscenity meets art in Dubliners and find out what all the bloody fuss is about. Students are asked to read the first three stories prior to our first class meeting.

A hands-on guided workshop designed for adult beginners, introducing the basics of iPad navigation, finding and using applications ("apps"), and tips and tricks. Participants will need their own iPad and email account (and their passwords available to them at class). Included are: Finding your way around with touch and stylus; installing and troubleshooting apps; managing picture and videos; email, browsers and internet safety; introducing social media in the iPad. (Unfortunately this class does not include time for one-on-one instruction.)

This course covers what vitamins and minerals are, how much on average an older adult should consume and highlights some good dietary sources for each nutrient. Students will have the opportunity to evaluate their diet to determine whether they are obtaining vitamins and minerals in recommended quantities. The consequences of insufficient vitamin and mineral consumption as well as the risks of toxicity from oversupplementation will be discussed and regulations governing supplement labeling, manufacture and safety will be addressed.

In this course we will read a sampling of poets writing at the dawn of lyric poetry in the west. Sappho, the love-poetess of Lesbos; Archilochus, the soldier poet of Paros; and Theocritus, the inventor of pastoral. These poets invented genres and poetic conventions that have influenced western literature to this present day. Course packet will be made available by the instructor. Students are asked to read the selection from Sappho for the first meeting.

Making personal and family health care decisions is complicated by shifting scientific evidence, contradictory guidelines, glitzy ads and personal preferences. Even after doing research on alternatives, the patient must navigate the dysfunctional US healthcare system and the conflicted world of specialties, for-profit corporations and insurance restrictions. Learn how to identify the best available evidence and apply it to your personal health care needs. Distinguish professionals from profiteers. Avoid scams. Keep costs, complications and consequences in context. Learn to communicate effectively with your doctor to exercise informed choices. Class presentations, discussion and exercises will focus on: Choosing and using your doctor; making decisions for treatments; making decisions for preventive services; end of life care choices.

In this 2-part series, Erica Miner explores two composers, one of whom is known almost exclusively for his operas and the other mainly for his orchestral music. Part 1: Puccini - Puccini is thought of as a late 19th century composer, but his 'breakout' operas actually premiered in the 1890s and he established himself as a major force with early 20th century operas such as Tosca and Madama Butterfly. Erica will discuss his first big hit Manon Lescaut and one of his later operas La Fanciulla del West. Part 2: Stravinsky - A lynchpin of the 20th century, Stravinsky wrote only one opera, The Rake's Progress, but his Oedipus Rex is thought of as an opera/oratorio. Erica discusses both of these monumental works.

To the moon for a month of Moondays! By the time this course starts, the fireworks will be over, but the saga continues. On July 20, 2019, we will have celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first human landing on the lunar surface: Apollo 11, with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. La Luna is our nearest celestial neighbor, the source of Earth's tides and the eclipses, and the constantly changing illuminator of the night skies. It likely formed by a giant asteroid impact in the early eons of the solar system and is said to be geologically "dead", but it may be a source of outer-space resources, and may be the first human outpost in space. Along with the Apollo mission, all these and more are features of our moon and will be the topics to study as we look out at our solar system and our closest companion in the grand celestial dance.

People know and love the psalms. It is the song book of the Old Testament. It is a book of prayers and stories, of sorrow and joys, of a people from long ago. It is a book filled with feelings of hope, fear, anger, love, faith and joy of real people. There are 150 songs, written by many authors, over 800 years. Because the feelings are real, and the words and thoughts timeless, the songs have been a source of inspiration for people for more than 3,000 years. The Psalms reach into every corner of the human experience, speaking to universal needs of people in every time and place: Thanksgiving, instruction remembrance, vengeance, lament, trust and praise. Join our class as we explore 30 of these beloved songs.

We shall explore the full range of social, political, economic, historical, geopolitical and religious strains that make the Middle East so prone to extremism. Particular attention will be paid to sectarianization of the region for political purposes. Examples will be drawn from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Israel/Palestine, Iran, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states.

Let the power of Rumi inspire your soul this Fall! This 13th century mystical Persian poet's insights into life, joy, loss, freedom, longing, spirit and imagination still resonate in today's world. As a Sufi, Rumi was the founder of the "whirling dervishes." Learn about Rumi's mentor, the mysterious Shams of Tabriz. Rumi often refers to him as the "friend." The book Rumi: The Big Red Book, translated by Coleman Barks, will be the text for this course and will be the touchstone for our discussion sessions. Rumi is the most widely read poet in America today. An introductory DVD on Rumi's life will conclude our first class session.

Passwords are our first line of defense...and our greatest weakness. The best passwords (unique, long, filled with random letters, numbers and symbols) are the hardest to remember. Let's talk about a different approach to password creation, and options available that go beyond password usage. Finally, let's address the challenge of managing this mess and the best, safest ways to store and retrieve your passwords.

In this course we will undertake a reading of Shakespeare's last play, in which an exiled magician thwarts his political enemies on an enchanted island (and which will be performing at Seattle Shakespeare Company from Oct. 15 through Nov. 10.) We will consider how the play provides a meditation on voyages of colonization taking place during Shakespeare's day and how Prospero's magic operates as metaphor for the playwright's art. Students are asked to read through Act 2 for the first class meeting. Any edition of the play will do, though it is recommended to find one with annotations and line numbers (the instructor prefers Signet Classic paperbacks, widely available.)

The Best American Essays of 2015 is the text for this course. These varied, fascinating, and complex essays are about individuals' connections to one another, society, and the times. They include connections which are genetic or spiritual, or by bonds of family, ethnicity, or belief. These connections are explored across the vicissitudes of life. The course will include lecture and lively discussion at every session - please borrow or buy the book!

The class includes an introduction to macroeconomics, including unemployment, inflation, budget deficits, monetary policy, and trade. We will address the history of the US economy from the creation of the Federal Reserve System to the aftermath of the Great Recession and the macroeconomic policies of the Trump Administration.

When the weather is good, the waters of Puget Sound sparkle in the sunshine and look clean, almost pristine. However, beneath the surface, the water and sediments are polluted with contaminants from stormwater, agricultural runoff, industrial discharges, as well as toxic chemicals not removed from treated sewage. Climate change in our region also impairs water quality. Water quality issues harm the health and survival of salmon, other fish, shellfish, and our beloved but endangered Puget Sound resident orca whales. This course will include lectures, stories, videos, and discussions about the relationship between water quality and aquatic life in Puget Sound, actions underway to improve water quality and protect these valuable natural resources, and what each of us can do in our daily lives to contribute to a healthy Puget Sound.

Let's talk about love, specifically in the 12 short romances that the medieval French poet Marie de France wrote for Henry II's court in 12th-century England. Her famous narrative poems move the traditional focus of romance from men's chivalric exploits to women's courtly love concerns, inviting an exploration of gender roles and identities, and of the tensions between social obligations and the pursuit of personal happiness. In the lais we encounter magical creatures, miraculous transformations and marvelous objects amid stories of love fulfilled or thwarted, and these vivid images move us to imagine and think critically within the simple language of her telling. Reading list: The Lais of Marie de France (Robert Hanning & Joan Ferrante); selections from Marie's Fables and Andreas Capellanus' De amore. Images: Manuscript art & marginalia.

2020 will mark the 100th Anniversary of passage of the 19th Amendment granting women the right to vote in the United States. It was the culmination of 70 years of effort and persistence by women to achieve their goal. The course will look at the suffrage movement from its beginnings in 1848 at the Seneca Falls Convention to ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. The course will look at the key leaders of the movement including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Carrie Chapman Catt and Alice Paul. It will explore the split over tactics and membership of the major women’s associations in 1869 as well as the evolution of arguments both for and against women’s right to vote from 1848 to 1920.

Would you cut off your leg if it was the only way to save another person's life? Would you torture someone if you thought it would result in information that would prevent a bomb from exploding and killing hundreds of people? Would you politically oppress a people for a limited time if it would increase the overall well-being of the citizenry? Your affirmative answer to these questions marks you as a utilitarian. In this class we will explore different ethical conundrums with a view towards assessing the various views of ethical philosophers as they grapple with intransigent problems in morality and ethical behavior.