Active Lifelong Learning
Lifelong Learning - Lifelong Doing - Lifelong Friends
WELCOME TO ESCOM NEWS & CLUB NOTES – July/August 2022
Editor: Ellen Breazeale....breazeales@comcast.net
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ESCOM NEWS
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The ESCOM Council wishes everyone a wonderful time ahead filled with fun and good times with friends and family.
Photo Caption: The dog days of summer are the hot, sultry days between July 3 and August 11. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius, which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, and mad dogs!
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CLUB NOTES
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No matter what your interest, there’s an ESCOM club that’s ‘right’ for you.
Review the list below. See what’s being offered and
contact a club leader to join the group!
Most of the ESCOM clubs are continuing to meet via ZOOM.
Some clubs will be meeting in person at either the Deedy Lounge or the IVC ESCOM Center. Please access the ESCOM Club List for complete details.
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Arlene Stark
Philosophy of the Mind Club – Zoom
1st, 3rd & 5th Monday
10:00 am - noon
This club continues as a tribute to its esteemed late leader, Arlene Stark.
Discussions focus on Science and Philosophy.
We are currently viewing:
'The Learning Brain',
a Great Courses 24-lecture series
taught by Thad A. Polk, Ph.D.
The course overview: In-depth and surprising lessons on how the brain learns and remembers. You begin your journey by focusing on which parts of the brain are responsible for different kinds of memory, from long-term memory for personal experiences and memorized facts to short-term memory, and how these
memory systems work on a psychological and biological level.
All interested are invited to participate and contribute.
Photo Caption: Three facts about the brain: Sixty percent of the human brain is made of fat;
your brain isn't fully formed until age 25; your brain's storage capacity is considered
virtually unlimited.
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Astronomy Club
2nd Monday
10:00 am - Noon
IVC ESCOM Center
The ESCOM Astronomy Club is engaged in learning and discussing about the (non-mathematical) current knowledge of the structure of the universe and its components.
This includes the different kinds and lives of stars, planets and planetary systems, asteroids and comets, galaxies and galaxy clusters, to name a few.
We follow the contemporary discoveries of numerous active spacecraft
and earth-based and space-based telescopes which use the range of
the electro-magnetic spectrum.
We learn and discuss about the hunt for exo-planets and the conditions for and
against the possibility of life existing elsewhere.
Our format is roughly an hour of discussion and presentations of book reviews, contemporary space exploration events, and what
to look for in the current night sky.
We are now engaged in the lecture series from the Great Courses
titled “A Field Guide to the Planets”, after which we discuss the material
covered and any contemporary discoveries that provide insights to the lecture.
Contact: Michael Patrick mdpatric@pacbell.net 415-456-2778
Photo Caption: What: Planetary Nebula M 57 / NGC 6720, remanent of a star at the end of its life cycle
Where: Constellation Lyra Distance: 2,570 light years
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Book Banter Book Club – Zoom
2nd Wednesday 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Biographies, Autobiographies and semi-fictional biographies of lives before and after WWI.
Jul 13 - Margaret Mead book TBA
Aug 10 - "Nancy Drew, Girl Sleuth" by Melanie Rehak
Contact: Diana Davis:
Photo Caption: A plucky “titian-haired” sleuth solved her first mystery in 1930. Eighty million books later, Nancy Drew has survived the Depression, World War II, and the 60's to enter the pantheon of
American girlhood. She has both inspired and reflected the changes in her readers’ lives.
Here, Melanie Rehak solves an enduring literary mystery: Who created Nancy Drew?
And how did she go from pulp heroine to icon?
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4th Monday 1:00 - 3:00 pm
IVC ESCOM Center
Jul 25 - West with Giraffes, by Lynda Rutledge
Aug 22 - The Giver of Stars, by Jo Jo Moyes
Contact: Louise Kerr
Photo Caption: An emotional, rousing novel inspired by the incredible true story of two giraffes who made headlines and won the hearts of Depression-era America.
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Book Club Marin County – Zoom
4th Tuesday 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Note: While all meetings are scheduled to end at 3:00 pm,
the ending time is flexible.
Planned reading - always subject to change!
If anyone wishes to attend and purchase any of the selected books, they should feel free to contact Julio Burroughs to obtain book(s) via Book Passage
(to avoid shipping cost).
Of course, if you prefer not to purchase, try the Marin Library (they have curbside service).
If you are a library member, you also have access to Hoopla which has audio books.
As in the past, we welcome suggestions for future readings!
Jun 28: short stories: Lionel Trilling, "Of This Time, Of That Place"; and
John Updike, "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and So Forth"- to be emailed.
Juy 26: Arthur Miller play, "The Crucible", Penguin Classics 2003 paperback edition, estimated price $9.99.
Aug 23: Michel de Montaigne essay, "Of Solitude"; poems: "The Herdsman", Fernando Pessoa, and, time permitting, one or both of Anne Sexton's: "The Ambition Bird"
and "With Mercy for the Greedy." All to be e-mailed.
Julio Burroughs Julioburroughs@gmail.com 415-927-1488
Photo Caption: Based on historical people and real events, Arthur Miller's play, "The Crucible" uses
the destructive power of socially sanctioned violence unleashed by the rumors of witchcraft.
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Bridge Club
Every Wednesday
1:00 - 4:00 pm
Deedy Lounge - Kentfield
Intermediate players welcome
Contact: Margaret Harding
mfh10@comcast.net
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Warren Lefort, who holds the record for ESCOM membership -- an amazing 40 years -- recently was honored with a party celebrating his 98th birthday!
Described as an enthusiastic, warm, and generous man, Warren has been a member of the ESCOM Bridge Club for many years.
Photo Caption: David Wain Coon, Ed.D., the president of College of Marin, Warren, and
Luanne Mullin, the former ESCOM Council president and current Council member.
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Chess Club
Every Friday - 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Deedy Lounge - Kentfield
Newcomers -- at all levels -- are welcome but you must know how to play the game!
Contact: Bob Phillips
bob.phillips3@gmail.com 415-301-1906
Photo Caption: A missing rook has been found! An ancient chess piece kept in a drawer for 55 years and originally bought for £5 was sold in July 2019 at auction for $927,062. The piece made of walrus ivory is a standing, bearded warrior holding a sword in his right hand and a shield in his left. The many similarities make it almost certain that it is part of the famous Lewis Chessmen, found on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland's Outer Hebrides in 1831 and featured in a past issue of ESCOM Club News and Notes.
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Current Events and Issues – Zoom
2nd & 4th Thursday
10:00 am - noon
After more than 20 years, we are still actively engaged in discussing current events.
Through participation, ESCOM club members experience teaching
and learning opportunities.
We welcome new participants and topics that interest you.
Come, join us. Sit in on one session, no obligation - you may like the experience.
Many have! Hope to see you soon.
Photo Caption: The Federal Reserve System (better known as The Fed) was created in December 1913 after a series of financial panics led to the desire for central control of the monetary system in order to alleviate financial crises. Economists expect the Fed will continue to raise rates throughout the year as it battles inflation. Some analysts now forecast the central bank will announce another
0.75 percentage point increase in July
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Digital Camera Club
1st Monday - Field Outing
3rd Monday Club Meeting
1:00 - 3:00 pm
IVC ESCOM Center
Open to anyone who would like to expand their photographic capabilities by learning from others on how to capture images.
Our monthly camera club photo outings are currently scheduled outdoors with social distancing protocols and our virtual meetings are held via Zoom.
Contact: Harvey Abernathey
Photo Caption: Like thousands of New Yorkers, Sid and Michelle Monroe left the city after the events of September 11 and relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico, where they opened the Monroe Gallery of Photography in April 2002. Now, 20 years later, they’re celebrating their gallery’s anniversary by revisiting the topic of their first show: the photographers of LIFE Magazine. The exhibit celebrates what the Monroes call LIFE’s “stunning affirmation of the humanist notion that the camera’s proper function is to persuade and inform.” The photo of John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul Mccartney and Ringo Starr, taken in February 1964, relects that idea..
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The Encouragement Writing Club – Zoom
Every Other Wednesday
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
The objective of this club is to share what you've written -- short story, essay, poem -- with the group which will review and critique your work...
honestly but gently.
Contact: Bernie Cookson
cooksonlaw@comcast.net
508-864-6367
Photo Caption: Gloria Steinem, an American feminist journalist and social political activist, became nationally recognized as a leader and a spokeswoman for the American feminist movement in the late 1960's and early 1970's through her writings as a columnist for 'New York' magazine as the co-founder of 'Ms' magazine. Her book, ' Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions' sold nearly a half a million copies since its original publication in 1983 and contains a diverse and timeless collection of her essays.
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Food Glorious Food! – Zoom
4th Tuesday 1:00 - 3:00 pm
Jul 26 - TBA
Aug 23 - TBA
Contact: Jackie Dagg
Diana Davis
Photo Caption: Bored during the pandemic but lacking the energy to make that weekday dinner.
TV cooking shows filled the gap for many and allowed them to dream of making sumptuous
meals at home. A favorite on PBS was a 26-episode series, ''Essential Pépin', hosted by chef Jacaues Pepin who started episodes with an introduction and step-by-step demonstration for each recipe. Featured dishes included flan á la vanille with caramel-cognac sauce, ricotta dumplings with
red pepper sauce, and crystallized puff pastry á l'orange.
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Friday Film Night - Zoom
4th Friday - 5:30 pm
Club members will watch a favorite film every month and discuss it afterwards.
Running time for films will be approximately 90 minutes allowing for plenty of time for everyone to be
mimic Roger Ebert.
Jul 22 - 'About Time'
Aug 26 - 'The Player'
Sep 23, 24, 25 - 'Town Like Alice' Binge-a-Thon
Note: If don't have an opportunity to contact the club leader, you can join the group and watch the movie by using this Zoom link:
https://marin-edu.zoom.us/j/97652600292?pwd=UDNxSldrRlc1dlY4RWhQbmJKSmNiQT09
Contact: Ellen Breazeale - breazeales@comcast.net
Photo Caption: In this Australian mini-series, two young lovers in Malaysia become separated by their captors during WWII and fight over the years to become reunited.
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Great Courses Group – Zoom
Every Thursday 1:00 - 2:30 pm
New Series starting July 21!
'Masterworks of American Art '
In this 24-lecture course, the viewer explores the remarkable history of American art from its origins in the colonial past until shortly before the First World War.
The lecturer is Professor William Kloss, M.A., an independent art historian.
You can 'drop in' and join us for these sessions.
Our meetings are fun and filled with lively discussions.
Photo Caption: 'Snap the Whip' is an 1872 oil painting by Winslow Homer. It depicts a group of
children playing crack the whip in a field in front of a small red schoolhouse. With more of America's population moving to cities, the portrait depicts the simplicity of rural agrarian life that Americans
Homer spent several summers in New York's Hudson Valley, and is said to have been inspired
to paint this scene by local boys playing at the Hurley schoolhouse
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Humanities Club
1st & 3rd & 5th Saturday
1:00 - 3:00 pm
IVC ESCOM Center
This club continues to study the history and cultures of Western and Eastern civilization.
Currently, the group is viewing a Great Courses series, ''Long 19th Century European History from 1787 to 1917" -- which marks the beginning of the modern
history of Europe.
Contact:Ruth King
ruthjjking@yahoo.com 415-898-5845
Photo caption: Italy, via a Grand Tour, was one of the top ten destinations for 19th Century travelers. The reputation of the Grand Tour as an experience of cultural and sexual awakening was intrinsically linked with Italy, and most young men of privilege in the 19th century still made the pilgrimage to Venice to complete their education. The Apian Way was a popular tourist site.
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Moral and Ethical,
Legal Roundtable
1st and 3rd Tuesday
10:00 am – noon
Deedy Lounge - Kentfield
The Roundtable is a long running ESCOM Club for discussions, explorations, and issues in our contemporary world.
Stimulating discussions among and between the attendees and the facilitator are the primary mode of participation.
Join us with your ideas and opinions.
Contact: Kevin Colgate
Photo Caption: No, this picture wasn't taken in Marin but in Pune, india where grammar school children, wearing chick and calf costumes, gathered together in a protest organized by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) to dramatize the issue of greenhouse-gas emmissions.
The United Nations states that animal agriculture is responsible for more
human-induced greenhouse-gas emissions than the worldwide transport sector and warns
that a global shift to vegan eating is necessary to stem the worst effects of climate change.
One study concluded that the consumption of meat, eggs and dairy may be the biggest
threat to much of the world’s plant and animal life, thanks to the clearing of land to rear animals
for these industries and grow the crops to feed them.
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Opera and Beyond Club - Zoom
2nd Tuesday 1:00 - 4:00 pm
This session presents a showing of a complete opera.
Last Wednesday 1:00 - 3:00 pm
This session is a gathering to share the glories of opera. You do not have to know a lot about opera.
Everyone may contribute by
selecting their favorite opera aria.
The club leader will access it on YouTube and talk about it during the session. Also, you can share an article about opera, music, composer, an anecdote,
Your enthusiasm and desire to participate is what counts!
* If you would like to suggest an opera or have access to any operas,
please contact the club leader.
Contact: Michael Sachs
Photo Caption: The Marin Chapter of the San Francisco Opera Guild is staging its annual 'Arias in the Afternoon' on Sunday, August 7 @ 2PM in the San Dominico Music Conservatory in San Anselmo. The event, which benefits music programs in Marin grade schools, features a concert by this year's SF Opera's Adler Fellows, followed by an artists reception. Info and tickets can be obtained
by calling 415-382-0185 or by e-mailikng MCSFOG@comcast.net
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Reading Great Plays - Zoom
3rd Tuesday 1:00 - 4:00 pm
We'll be reading a play each month and
attempt to release its magic to reveal
the author's main objective -- storytelling.
There is no memorization, no accents, no ego and no stress... just the joy of bringing the play alive!!!
Contact: Gary Gonser ggonser3@gmail.com
Photo Caption: The American Conservatory Theater, based primarily in San Francisco's Geary Theater, has announced its 2022-2023 Season. For more info, access this link.
..https://www.act-sf.org/whats-on/.
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Reflections on WWII Club – Zoom
Fridays 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
Fifty-five million people died in the Second World War, the greatest conflict in human history.
To better understand all aspects of this conflict and to share our own experiences, we'll be watching video series from the Great Courses group.
Photo Caption: The issue of war profiteering didn’t emerge first during World War II. It was part of an ugly legacy left over from World War I. Exposés chronicled the windfall profits made by military contractors. This, in turn, fed a critique of capitalism between the wars, as socialists argued that profiteering was a symptom of unbridled capitalist exploitation. By April 1942, Senator Harry Truman and others in Congress managed to craft the Renegotiation Act, soon signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to rein in the contractors. The practice of renegotiation allowed government committees to oversee contracts and take back payments deemed excessive.
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Spanish Club – Zoom
Every Friday 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Intermediate level conversation
in Spanish on various topics.
Contact: Roberta Schwarz, reschwarz@sbcglobal.net 949-922-3291
or Paula Hammons paulahammons@yahoo.com 415-948-8451
Photo Caption: Jai alai , considered one of the fastest and most dangerous sports in existence, originated as a handball game over four centuries ago in the Basque area of Spain’s Pyrenees Mountains. The game spread quickly in the early 1900's to Hispanic speaking countries and the Phillippines as well as parts of the U.S., such as Florida where it became a popular sport for gambling. The jai alai palace in Tijuana was the premier destination for the sport in the American Southwest and the game drew audiences from both sides of the border.
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Table Games Club
2nd and 4th Wednesday
11:00 am - 12:30 pm
IVC ESCOM Center
Games such as Scrabble, RummiKube, Mexican Train (Dominoes), and card games!
We encourage fun and participation. Game rules are followed but there maybe some 'wiggle-room' (so keep your rule-books at home!)
Sue Derana; (415) 987-1719; sderana@yahoo.com
Photo caption: Sternhalma, commonly known as Chinese checkers, is a strategy board game of German origin that can be played by two, three, four, or six people, playing individually or with partners. The objective is to be first to race all of one's pieces across the hexagram-shaped board into "home"—the corner of the star opposite one's starting corner -- using single-step moves
or moves that jump over other pieces.
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Trivia Quiz
Calling All Smarty Pants - Zoom
4th Sunday - 7:00 p.m.
Hosted by Janis Luft, longtime Mistress of Trivia for the Belvedere-Tiburon Library.
General knowledge questions.
Interactive team contest (teams assigned).
Jul 24 & Aug 28 - Hope to see you for another round of Bear with Me Trivia.
As always, you’ll get 4 rounds of 5 questions, many with multiple answers.
You’ll jot down your own answers and at the end of each round of questions, the club leader will randomly sort you into Zoom rooms where you will decide on a team name (funny, punny names encouraged) and confer with your teammates before
presenting your group’s answers.
The winning team gets bragging rights for a whole month!!!
Photo Caption: Four facts about ice cream:
It takes 12 pounds of milk to produce just 1 gallon of ice cream.
The average number of licks to finish a scoop of ice cream is 50.
The country that consumes the most ice cream is the USA, followed by Australia then Norway.
The most popular flavor is vanilla, then chocolate.
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The Ur Discussion Group
Every Friday - Noon- 2:00 pm
Deedy Lounge - Kentfield
This club, which examines Utimate Reality, grew out of a Community Education course on Atheism. It is not, however, an atheist or believer discussion group. It tends more toward analytical philosophy, brain science and poetry, with the idea that UR has some good questions, but not so many good answers.
The group, for now, is reading 'This Life: Secular Faith and Spiritual Freedom' by Martin Hägglund.
The book offers a basis for transforming lives, demonstrating that commitment to freedom and democracy should lead beyond both religion and capitalism. Philosopher Martin Hägglund argues that we need to cultivate not a religious faith in eternity but a secular faith devoted to our finite life together. He shows that all spiritual questions of freedom are inseparable from economic and material conditions: what matters is how we treat one another in this life and what we do with our time.
First meeting on Friday, August 5.
All interested are invited to participate and contribute.
Photo Caption: Bull's head in sheet gold with lapis beard found in grave 789 of
the Royal Cemetery at Ur. Part of a collection at The Penn Museum in Philadelphia.
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"The Wednesday Detection Club" – Zoom
1st Wednesday
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Jul 6 - "The Right Sort of Man" by Allison Montclaire
Aug 3 - "The Windsor Knot" by S. J. Bennett
Contact: Diana Davis
Photo Caption: . In a London slowly recovering from World War II, two women join forces to launch a business venture in the heart of Mayfair―The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Miss Iris Sparks, quick-witted and impulsive, and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, practical and widowed with a young son. But their promising start is threatened when their newest client is found murdered.
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"Who Done It?" Book Club – Zoom
3rd Wednesday
1:00 - 3:00 pm
We’re a Mystery Book Club
Jul 20 - "Bruno, Chief of Police" by Martin Walker
Aug 17 - "Bookman's Promise" by John Dunning
Contact: Diana Davis
Photo Caption: Benoît Courrèges, aka Bruno, is a policeman in a small village in the South of France. He’s a former soldier who has embraced the pleasures and slow rhythms of country life. He has a gun but never wears it; he has the power to arrest but never uses it. But then the murder of an elderly North African who fought in the French army changes all that.
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For the complete ESCOM Club List, Click Here
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ESCOM | Telephone: 415-485-9652 | email: escom@marin.edu
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