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In October 1973, Israel fought and won the existential Yom Kippur War. We will discuss this conflict from the perspective of an ICBM Launch Officer who happened to be on "alert" during the decisive tank battle between Israel and Syria on the Golan Heights. This class will be paired with another single-session class: "The Titan II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile." Neither class is a prerequisite for the other.

This class will focus on recent developments in AI beginning with the release of ChatGPT in November 2022 and ending wherever we find ourselves a year later. ChatGPT thrust AI into the public spotlight as never before. Within five days of release, it had gained a million users and was the fastest-growing app in the history of software. Apocalyptic prophecies rang out in all directions, marked by phrases like "imminent utopia," "post-scarcity economy," and "extinction of humanity." Tom Friedman referred to our situation as a "Promethean moment."

Hundreds of AI researchers signed an open letter calling for a pause in the release of systems more powerful than GPT4, citing "profound risks to society and humanity." A later statement said that "mitigating the risk of extinction from AI should be a global priority."

Meanwhile, AI research proceeds apace. By the time this class meets, these issues may feel like old news and we may be focused on breakthroughs in medicine or robotics. This course will attempt to follow the changing AI landscape and explore the potential ways AI will affect our lives.

Building on the techniques learned in the beginning-level class, you'll learn to transform the basic dough into more beautiful, specialty seasonal bread. Prerequisite: "Artisan Bread Making: Beginning."

In this one-day class, participants will learn how to use four ingredients (flour, yeast, salt, and water) to make many kinds of bread, just like those lovely French baguettes. This class is based on the book The New Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and it is a prerequisite to "Artisan Bread Making: Advanced."

As WWII enters its fourth year, American airpower begins to achieve air supremacy over the Axis powers. Rapid technical advances and superior training overcome German secret weapons and Japanese suicide attacks. This class will describe the airplanes and personalities during this time period.

California's location on the edge of the continent has led to unique trajectories for "superbly independent" women in general, and women artists in particular. This class will examine the histories of creative women in the state, many of them only newly "rediscovered." The focus will be on the cultural context in which these women confronted the Western modernist canon in painting as well as their pioneering work in photography and craft.

This multimedia seminar celebrates how vocal duos, trios and groups are able blend their voices to create unforgettable harmonies and performances. Genres and musical styles include: The Big Band & Swing Era, Jazz, Pop & Vocalese, Rock & Doo Wop, The California Sound, Latin American, Country & Western; Bluegrass, Folk & Folk Rock, and Motown.

This musical journey explores both well-known and lesser-known vocal groups, such as the Boswell Sisters, Andrew Sisters, Glenn Miller & the Modernaires, Tommy Dorsey & the Pied Pipers, Mills Brothers, Four Freshmen, Hi Lo’s, Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, Manhattan Transfer, Dion & the Belmonts, Frankie Lymon, Marcels, Everly Brothers, Beach Boys, Afro Cuban All Stars, Bill Monroe & the Blue Grass Boys, Weavers, Kingston Trio, Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, CSN&Y, Supremes, Four Tops, Temptations and much more.

I'll share their backstories, musical influences, and reveal which other vocal groups they influenced. We'll listen to their recordings and watch classic video performances. The only prerequisite is a love of music and groups that brought us so many timeless recordings.

No previous Tai Chi experience is necessary. All the movements are slow and gentle, and no martial arts applications will be taught or practiced in this study group. These methods may help lessen body pain, correct spinal misalignment, cultivate a sense of internal energy, and rest the mind.

Participants can wear comfortable roomy or stretchy clothing and some soft tai chi shoes or socks to wear on their feet.

Chico State's tradition of academic excellence goes back more than 130 years. With over 900 faculty members and 13,000 students, the University's teaching and learning community is thriving. Discover the imagination, cutting-edge research, and expertise that flourishes in our own backyard!

A scintillating review of current themes in the media will be discussed in each class. Class members present a topic, discuss it, then open the floor for discussion and debate. Poetry, literature, scientific discovery, and educational progress are examples of the issues addressed. Special guests are welcome to present.

You may have heard of CRISPR (a gene-editing technique) being used to treat inherited genetic disorders and to make designer babies. But did you know it's also used to improve both the sustainability of food production and the nutritional value of our fruits and vegetables? The first products have been approved for sale in the US this year. Will you eagerly adopt or shun these modified foods? Through lectures, videos, and discussion, learn about CRISPR technology and alternative ways being used to change our food.

Through lectures, videos, and discussions, we will consider what five artists – Georgia O'Keeffe, Edward Hopper, Faith Ringgold, Wayne Thiebaud, and Audrey Flack – expressed about life in America. Participants will receive emails with something to read, something to watch, and a discussion preparation exercise in advance of each class meeting.

If you've studied French in the past – even as long ago as high school – and can construct a basic sentence in French, join us in improving our abilities to communicate orally and in writing. The class uses a text, but doesn't always follow its sequence. If you are completely new to French, this is not the class for you.

This class will focus on grammar, usage, creating French sentences, and improving listening skills, plus reading French stories. Two primary topics for this term are use of the partitive and relative pronouns.

Let go of stress and come home to yourself. Over millennia, the sages of the Himalayan Yoga Tradition developed highly effective methods of movement, relaxation, and meditation. In this study group you will learn foundational practices from the Himalayan Yoga Tradition. Each session will have three phases: gentle movement and breathing, deep relaxation, and meditation. Members can expect to leave this class refreshed. Please note that the movements taught in this study group are not acrobatics. They are suitable for people with no yoga experience. If you've attended yoga classes and found them to be too strenuous or otherwise challenging, this study group is for you.

"Great Decisions" is the Foreign Policy Association's public education program about US foreign policy and global affairs issues. We will cover four of the Foreign Policy Association's topics and add some additional topics that are of interest to the class.

Let's face it! We are all going to "go" one of these days, and green burial is the greenest way. Learn about the science and practice of green burial, as well as other alternative disposition methods, like water cremation and human composting. We will discuss the green burial movement and its connection with land conservation and restoration. We will also hear from conservation practitioners in this field.

This lecture series consists of distinct classes, each designed to address a unique area of health-related issues. Presented by highly-qualified physicians and other caregivers, these classes will provide you with an opportunity to learn more about staying healthy and active. Each class is a complete topic and participants are invited to attend any combination of the offerings during the series.

This class will introduce participants to Prismacolor pencil use. These pencils have a wax base so it is good to know how to use and take care of them. The class will address what types of paper to use, basic procedures for color swatching, color blending strategies, layering colors, sharpening techniques, and preparing and working on a complete colored pencil drawing. Completed Prismacolor pencil drawings can look like paintings with a thoughtful approach, proper blending, and some patience.

Each week we are inundated with local and national news articles involving the law. We will review recent cases as they appeared in the news and learn how the case was brought and the reasoning behind the outcome. Members of the class will be encouraged to suggest newsworthy cases.

Knitting with others is a wonderful learning environment. This class is designed to give knitters who have mastered the basic stitches of knit and purl a chance to work on a project of their choosing while we chat and share ideas online with other knitters. All levels of ability are welcome! Gale contributes to the class by offering tips and suggestions for patterns, yarn, and tools based on her years of knitting experience.

Explore London: Its literary past and present, its museums and churches large and small, and its connections with royalty

Pam Tibbetts wrote for Rapture Theatre that "Hamlet is an enigma, a paradox, a multi-layered mystery. For centuries it has fascinated audiences, critics, and scholars alike." Can reading the play from a writer's perspective help you better understand it? Join OLLI instructor and stage and screenplay writer Lynn Elliott to examine this question and see how the techniques writers use to build what we see today on stage, in television, and in movies are the same techniques Shakespeare used in his writing.

In June 2020 we offered "Lessons from the Black Death" to examine how medieval societies responded to the plague and how the modern world was reacting to the pandemic, then only a few months old. Three years on, we're revisiting our assessments and noticing how, so far, modern America is recounting its history of the pandemic.

My Neighbor's Voice (MNV) is committed to encouraging respectful conversations about the things that matter most. Using MNV Listening Cards, we focus on universal community questions ranging from American culture to civic rights and responsibilities, spiritual thought to health and environment, and more. During class, we have a moderated listening practice with our cards. Each participant takes turns answering questions and listening to their neighbor answer a related question. At the end of several listening rounds, we open the forum up for free discussion of the topic of the day.

Each week the class will read poems by an individual poet, a collection of poems on a specific subject, or a collection of poems in a specific style. A wide range of poets and poetry will be presented, from classic to contemporary, and we will discuss them from the perspective that the poet creates the work, but the reader activates it.

Dogs were the first domesticated animals and have been our companions for thousands of years. This class will consider how dogs evolved from wolves; the various roles of dogs in human society; basics of dog biology, sensory systems, and behavior; dog-human interactions; village dogs; how dogs experience the world; and how we can become better partners with our canine companions.

This class will discuss how tax law changes, rising interest rates, and a changing economy may affect your investments and retirement plans. We will share the financial market perspectives of respected economists and explore the investment trends and best practices in a constantly changing economic landscape. We will discuss various investment vehicles, such as mutual funds, index funds, ETFs, alternative investments, and others. The class will finish by highlighting the principles of financial planning and how they can be applied to your personal retirement goals.

This class will discuss favorite science fiction authors, their books, and the human, political, and scientific issues they raise. The books and authors will be chosen by Sydney from suggestions by participants. This is a fun, free-flowing gathering of science fiction enthusiasts. Please join us and bring your ideas, insights, and suspension of disbelief.

This class will consider kingship in Shakespeare, drawing on scenes and passages from several different plays. You will be able to find materials in published sources or free online. Email Jack (jdayer@ucdavis.edu) for more specifics for guidance in making your decision or for doing any advance preparation you would like to do. If you want study just one play in full, it would be Henry IV, Part 1.

By looking at "great" buildings throughout history, we will learn about the principles of architecture; the importance of materials, technology, and patronage in the construction of a building; and how to look at architecture in general. Each week we will examine two or three important buildings and the role innovation plays in architecture.

This class begins by explaining the mysteries of the brain. We'll address how you can navigate our complicated and fragmented healthcare system. Besides simplifying common neurological conditions, such as headache, dizziness, stroke, Parkinson's Disease, and memory loss, we will examine testing and imaging of the nervous system. This class will also delve into prevention of illness, focusing on healthy lifestyles, and intimately address end-of-life issues.

In this course we will look at the future of wellness and health with emphasis on prevention and monitoring for early detection of disorders. Topics covered will include precision medicine, genomics, impact of Artificial Intelligence on health care, organoids, stem cells, transplants, drug development, bionics, biotechnology, and much more.

The planet we live on is facing many crises. To understand them better, we need to look at the basic principles of ecology, the study of our home, the Earth. In this course we will discuss the theories that ecology is based on and apply this knowledge to the problems our living environment faces in the 21st century.

The Titan II was our first ICBM capable of instantaneous launch 24/7. We will discuss it from the perspective of the instructor, a former launch officer. This class will be paired with another single-session class: "50th Anniversary of the Yom Kippur War: Israel's Last Conventional War." Neither class is a prerequisite for the other.

Start your Tuesday with music and songs. Join us in a fun, informal weekly sing-along. Bring your voices and/or musical instruments. The operative word is "fun." If you like music, you will like this class. All levels welcome!

It seems the war in Ukraine will shape the 21st century in many ways. Suddenly, the history of eastern Europe has taken on a new importance for an understanding of what is going on. That is a major thesis of Yale's distinguished historian, Timothy Snyder, in his class "The Making of Modern Ukraine," available to the public at https://online.yale.edu/courses/making-modern-ukraine. We use his lectures to introduce each of our sessions in this two-semester class. In tandem with Professor Snyder's insights, we use a range of supplementary materials to foster an understanding of the region and its place in global affairs. Events as they unfold will provide a continuing source of class discussion.

In very dry geological terms, volcanoes are vents where lava and steam reach the surface of the Earth. While accurate, that description doesn't begin to do them justice. They have the potential to create significant hazards to communities close to them (as is the case near the Cascades), and the biggest have the potential to impact global climate. The figures can be staggering. For example, the loudest naturally occurring sound was the explosion at the volcano Krakatoa in 1883. The sound was reportedly heard 3,000 miles away. That eruption also generated a tsunami reaching over 40 meters high. To put that in perspective, had tall buildings been in the area, the wave would have reached roughly the tenth floor. In 1815, Mount Tambora erupted, ejecting approximately 200 cubic kilometers of material into the atmosphere. More recently, when the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted in 2022, a huge plume of water vapor was launched into Earth's atmosphere. It was so much water that it would have filled over 55,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Join me for this four-week study group in which we will explore the geology and geophysics of volcanoes and their eruptions. This will include a focus on notable eruptions from history as well as present day hazards.

Grab your sketchbook and assorted art materials! The goal of this class is to complete a piece of art each week during class time. For each session we will look at a photo, video clip, or artwork, briefly discuss it, and then create our own piece. Prior to each session, specific art materials that will be used by the instructor for that week will be shared. Participants are welcome to follow along with the instructor or take off in a direction of their own.

Learn to write a short 10- to 20-minute play. We will cover the basics of playwriting, including format, structure, character, conflict, and dialogue. This is a workshop-style class in which we discuss concepts and techniques, share what we have written, and write short exercises to develop skills. Prompts will be offered to stimulate your ideas. There will be an opportunity for some of the plays to be performed in the annual OLLI Play Festival.