May Mini Courses   

**This class will be taught In-Person**

For more than 40 years, both Democrats and Republicans in Washington, California, and San Francisco have followed an economic policy that until 1980 was widely discredited. The result is the crisis of homelessness and housing prices that are driving many out of the city. We will explore.

**This class will be taught In-Person**

California’s Gold Rush transformed an agricultural frontier based on cattle and wheat to an urban, industrial powerhouse. Individual panning for gold evolved into quartz and hydraulic mining requiring capital, financial institutions, iron and steel foundries, and factories producing mining, shipping, transportation, and building construction equipment. Between 1850 and 1860, the states’ population increased from 92,597 to 379,994. Initially sheltered by tents, adobes, crudely constructed log cabins, and wood shacks, small cottages were made possible by mechanized lumbering and the arrival of skilled artisans. Settlers joined together to build communities providing civic stability and public services – water, sanitation, fire protection.

**This class will be taught on Zoom**

From 1920’s “Haunted Spooks” to “Zombieland,” the genre of horror-comedy has never really, well, died.

Humor and horror seem pretty different; one’s a pie in the face, the other’s an axe in the skull. Yet this talk proposes that the two genres are not mortal enemies. Using video clips and examples ranging from Freud & Kant to Abbott & Costello, we’ll explore how horror and humor share a mordant view of our relationship to pain; an obsession with the human body and its multifarious fluids; and a subtext of death and transcendence underlying the eviscerated flesh and fart jokes.

**This class will be taught on Zoom**

**Considering the class is only two hours long, it is strongly advised to watch the film, Metropolis in advance for optimal learning outcomes, although it is not mandatory. The hyperlink will take you to a free version on YouTube.**

Embark on a cinematic exploration of Fritz Lang and his revolutionary film "Metropolis," inspired by Thomas Elsaesser's analysis. Delve into Lang's expressionist vision, dissecting the film's historical context, cinematic techniques, and cultural impact. Decode the symbolism and societal reflections within "Metropolis."  Ideal for film enthusiasts and students of cinema theory, this course promises a compelling journey into the heart of one of cinema's most significant masterpieces.

California artists may follow styles that originate in Europe or New York, but they put their own stamp on them.  In 1962, Pop Art burst on the art scene when the Ferus Gallery on La Cienega Blvd in Los Angeles exhibited Andy Warhol’s soup cans. Local artists were mining the same territory, bringing objects of contemporary life, like ice cream cones, gas stations, and the Goodyear blimp, into art. Learn about a few California Pop stars—Ed Ruscha, Wayne Thiebaud, Joan Brown, Roger Kuntz, and Robert Colescott—in this talk.

**This class will be taught on Zoom**

Turn your ordinary snapshots into extraordinary photographs using only the tools on your iPhone. Learn  how to expertly capture and edit images. Gain inspiration to find your creative vision in this hands-on  workshop. By the end you will understand the ins and outs of iPhone photography.

• Instruction on how to take professional quality photos with your iPhone or mobile device ·
• How to Edit and enhance your iPhone  photos using the Photos App.
• Optimize the native camera on your iPhone 
• Discover all the features of the Photos App, and how to sort & organize your photos
• Learn to use editing techniques on your mobile device through live demonstration. 

*An iPhone 10s or newer is recommended although all users are welcome. Some features demonstrated may not be available on older models. Please update your software to the latest version. 

**This class will be taught In-Person**
**This class will be 3 sessions long**

Most people have little interest in becoming experts in Artificial Intelligence, but a great deal of interest in learning about what’s causing all the current excitement and how the technology might affect their lives. This mini-course promises to cover the major points in the past and the present (e.g., ChatGPT) along with what may be over the horizon with predictions for the future.