April 2008

Boosters and Blue Jackets: The Navy and Urban Development in San Diego, 1900-1950

#301 Tuesday, April 1, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

San Diego presents an ideal example of twentieth-century urban development that focused on the Navy and other branches of the Federal government.  International affairs, such as the opening of the Panama Canal and territorial tensions with Japan gave increased urgency to national involvement in the local affairs of what had been a sleepy coastal town.  Over time, the Navy paid for much of the city’s infrastructure.  After the outbreak of World War II, national priorities dictated the course of further urban development in San Diego.

Instructor:  Abraham Shragge, Ph.D. in Modern United States History from UCSD; Director, Dimensions of Culture program at UCSD’S Thurgood Marshall College and volunteer curator of the Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in Balboa Park.

Theodore Dreiser: “The Worst Great Writer in American History” (Parts I-III)

#302A Wednesday, April 2, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

#302B Wednesday, April 9, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

#302C Wednesday, April 16, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

For many years, Theodore Dreiser’s (1871-1945) views on politics, religion and even science commanded national attention.  Today he is unknown, except to a handful of scholars.  Likewise, his major novels, including Sister Carrie (1900) and An American Tragedy (1925), are still studied for their social and historical insights, but rarely praised as literature.  He changed sex from a taboo subject to public obsession; he fought censorship, persecution, moral and aesthetic prudery, and won every battle.  Perhaps his most important contribution to American culture is his Trilogy of Desire (1912-47), a set of three novels about the rise and fall of an enormously rich and powerful, but unscrupulous (and promiscuous), tycoon.  Despite his undeniable achievements, Dreiser’s own imagination and craftsmanship have not been given their due.  His words reveal the universe, in all of its beauty and horror, which is both real and unreal, both actual and imaginary.  This paradox makes him, not a bad good writer or a good bad one but a maker of worlds in a class by himself.

Instructor:  Dennis Rohatyn, Ph.D. from Fordham University; Professor of Philosophy, University of San Diego.

F. Scott Fitzgerald and The Great Gatsby

#303 Thursday, April 3, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s life was a rich source of material for The Great Gatsby (1925), a novel that was recently rated the best and most important novel in American literature.  Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda, the king and queen of the Jazz Age, led a life that mirrored many of the characters and events in The Great Gatsby.  This lecture will discuss the many ways Fitzgerald refined and transformed these experiences into a literary classic.  The lecture will also discuss the many rich themes that have earned critical acclaim for The Great Gatsby in the years after Fitzgerald died thinking he was a failure as a writer.

Instructor: Dennis Clausen, Ph.D., Professor, English Dept., University of San Diego.  (See article on page 1.)

Gemological Institute

#304 Thursday, April 10, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) was founded in 1931 by Robert Shipley with the intention of providing education for jewelers about gemstones and jewelry.   In 1953, GIA introduced a diamond grading system that revolutionized the diamond industry.  Today more than 50 years later this system is accepted and used around the world and is popularly known as the 4 Cs of diamonds.  GIA also has a laboratory for grading the quality of diamonds and grades most of the large and high quality diamonds in the world. 

Instructor:  Bonnie Wolff is a Graduate Gemologist from GIA specializing in diamonds and colored stones.

Ben Jonson

#305 Tuesday, April 15, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Jonson (1572/3-1637) was Shakespeare’s friend and rival, who wrote outstanding short poems and funny comedies.  We will read a few of his excellent poems and passages from the plays.  Jonson had a wide literary influence in London and the early 17^th century.  In 1618-19, Jonson took a walking tour of Scotland and stayed with Drummond of Hawthornden, who recorded and published their conversations.  These give us a very Jonsonian and gossipy view of the London literary scene.

Instructor:  Catherine Blecki, Ph.D., from UCLA, specializing in 17^th Century Literature.  35 years teaching courses in English Literature from 16^th and 17^th Centuries, including many courses on Shakespeare. 

Charles Darwin

#306 Thursday, April 17, 1:30 p.m. To 3:30 p.m.

Other than Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin is arguably the most important figure in the history of science.  While he was not the first scientist to put forth a theory of evolution, it was his evolutionary theory of natural selection that changed the way humanity began viewing itself.  This lecture will offer an in-depth look at Darwin, his life and times. 

Instructor:  Bruno Leone, Fulbright Fellowship and National Endowment for the Humanities recipient.  M.A., University of Minnesota; history and anthropology instructor, University of Minnesota, author and scholastic editor.

America’s Ally - Jordan

#307 Tuesday, April 22, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Situated between Syria, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan came into being as an independent entity in 1946 following the fall of the Ottoman Empire.  This presentation will delve into the history of the country and its remarkable archeological sites such as Petra, the Roman ruins of Jerash, and Mount Nibo, the birthplace of Moses.  Jordan’s peaceful coexistence with its neighbors, stability, open market economy and focus on education, finance and tourism made it an attractive site for investment by oil-rich Gulf states and the west.

Instructor:   Farouk al Nasser, Ph.D.,  Born in Iraq, he graduated from Baghdad University and holds M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering.  Since August of 2003, he has spent a total of seven months in Iraq with lengthy visits to Jordan and Lebanon.

The ACLU Today

#308 Wednesday, April 23, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Since 1920, the American Civil Liberties Union has been defending the constitutional rights of all through history’s most challenging periods.  The sometimes unpopular stands that the ACLU has taken for freedom and fairness over those years are now widely acclaimed or taken for granted.  The San Diego affiliate of the ACLU observes its 75^th anniversary this year and celebrates a rich history of legal cases and advocacy work that will be reviewed in this lecture.

Instructor:  Mr. Kevin Keenan is an attorney and Executive Director of the ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties.  He is a graduate of Yale Law School.

Lucy Stone, Early Feminist (Parts I-III)

#309A Thursday, April 24, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

#309B Thursday, May 1, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

#309C Thursday, May 8, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The most widely admired women’s rights advocate of her era, Lucy Stone was a charismatic orator, adroit politician, and newspaper editor.  The daughter of an alcoholic and abusive father and the wife of a profligate and philandering husband, Stone bore the badge of psychological affliction.  Such a burden was counterbalanced by bedrock integrity, overarching intelligence, and an indefinable gift for touching the hearts of those who came in contact with her.  She was deeply involved in the abolition of slavery and the equality of women.  The lectures will focus on Stone’s public accomplishments, the conflicting demands of career and domestic life, her personal struggle for autonomy, and the triumphs and failures of and the schisms within this nation’s first women’s rights movement.

Instructor:  William F. Cheek, Ph.D., University of Virginia; Professor Emeritus of American History, SDSU.

The History of Jazz

#310 Tuesday, April 29, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Jazz is America’s music.  In the words of Yogi Berra:  “Anyone who understands jazz knows that you can’t understand it.  It’s too complicated. That’s what’s so simple about it.”  The musical element that makes jazz unique is improvisation.  To advance the understandings and enjoyment of jazz, this class will present a video that traces the history of jazz.  Following the video there will be a brief lecture and piano performance dealing with jazz improvisation.

Instructor:  Mr. Marv Drucker is a professional musician and teacher, B.A. Manhattan School of Music, M.A. Columbia University. 

Machiavelli – The Prince

#311 Wednesday, April 30, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 pm.

The lecture will begin with a analysis of Machiavelli on the question of pre-emptive war.  It will then examine what Machiavelli’s The Prince is all about and how it fits into Machiavelli’s larger commitment to republicanism.  Machiavelli’s lessons on the “art of the state” are not the popular misconception that the end justifies the means.  Machiavelli’s overall project, according to Isaiah Berlin, challenges the foundations of Western thought.

Instructor:  John A. Marino, Ph.D., University of Chicago; Associate Professor and Chair, UCSD Department of History.  (See article on page 1.)

May 2008

Lucy Stone, Early Feminist

#309 B Thursday, May 1, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

#309 C Thursday, May 8, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The most widely admired women’s rights advocate of her era (yes, more than Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony), Lucy Stone was a charismatic orator, adroit politician, and newspaper editor.  The daughter of an alcoholic and abusive father and the wife of a profligate and philandering husband, Stone bore the badge of psychological affliction.  Such a burden was counterbalanced by bedrock integrity, overarching intelligence, and an indefinable gift for touching the hearts of those who came in contact with her.  She was deeply involved in almost every reform issue of her time, most prominently, the abolition of slavery and the equality of women.  The lectures will focus on Stone’s public accomplishments, the conflicting demands of career and domestic life, her personal struggle for autonomy, and the triumphs and failures of the schisms within this nation’s first women’s rights movements.

Instructor:  William F. Cheek, Ph.D., University of Virginia, Professor Emeritus American History, SDSU, author and recipient of several awards including a Pulitzer Prize nomination for a biography of John Mercer Langston, a prominent nineteenth century black civil right leader.

 Post –Trauma Stress Disorder and the Military

#312 Tuesday, May 6, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

This lecture will focus on the history and prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in military populations.  Participants will learn about the constellation of symptoms that are required to make the diagnosis of PTSD as well as the different types of this disorder together with non-combat examples.  Risk factors for developing PTSD will also be explored together with the methods that clinicians use in identifying individuals with PTSD.

Instructor:  John A. Clapp, Ph.D., is a retired staff psychologist and Clinical Faculty member, Department of Mental Health Services, Naval Medical Center San Diego.  He is Board Certified in Clinical Psychology, a Fellow in the American Academy of Clinical Psychology, and a member of the American Psychological Association and the British Psychological Society.

Dealing with Islam

#313 Wednesday, May 7, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Cy Chadley will give an overview of what he has learned about Islamic theology and discuss how the West should be dealing with Islamists, those Muslims seeking the establishment of a global caliphate through terrorism or democracy.  Having traveled in over two dozen Muslim countries and observed their peoples, he will discuss their aspirations and how these should be addressed.

Instructor:  Cy Chadley was born and raised in London where he graduated from University College London after majoring in Economics.  His career with an international British construction company took him all over the world.   This work brought him to San Diego in 1981 where he decided to retire in 1991.  Cy became a U.S. citizen in 1993.

Gary Classical Music Group -  Lecture/Recital

#314 Tuesday, May 13, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

The Gary Classical Music Group, composed of San Diego’s own professional, classical musicians, will present the following concert in the salon environment of the Living Room at the Remington Club Phase II:

Meditation by Massenet

LaCinquataine by Gabriel Marie

The Swan by Saint-Saens

Scherzo by van Goens

Song Without Words by Davidoff

Brahm’s E-Minor Sonata

Beethoven’s Sonata in C Major

LIMITED SEATING - Early registration recommended.

The City of Pompeii

#315 Wednesday, May 14, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

On August 24, 79 AD, Pompeii went from a small, average city in Italy to a place that is best known for having been destroyed.  But before its destruction, Pompeii was a thriving town of merchants, manufacturers, farmers, and tourists.  Situated on the beautiful Bay of Naples, it attracted a diverse population.  In many ways the people of Pompeii were like us: they worked hard, worried about their families, enjoyed sports, and had spirited political contests.  In other ways, however, they were very different from us.  You are invited to come with us to explore Pompeii - the homes, the businesses, the public areas - to see what it can tell us about the people who lived there, from the wealthiest businessman to the slave, and to see how people who might seem very distant from us were often very much the same.

Instructor:  Patricia Dintrone holds a Ph.D. in ancient history from the University of Virginia and is an emerita faculty member from SDSU, where she taught a variety of history courses for 24 years.  She has lectured at CEC-RB on topics ranging from ancient Egypt to some of the more colorful Roman emperors.

War in Mexico - Drug Cartels

#316 Thursday, May 15, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

This talk will focus generally on Mexico’s rule of law challenges, with special attention to the elevated levels of crime and violence experienced in recent years.  Dr. Shirk will pay special attention to recent federal efforts to combat drug trafficking and organized crime, as well as sub-national initiatives experimenting with oral trials, mediation, and other legal innovations.  Participants will learn what reforms are needed to achieve an overhaul of the administration of justice in Mexico, and how the United States can partner with Mexico to strengthen bi-national security.

Instructor:  David Shirk, Ph.D. in political science from UCSD; Assistant Professor of Political Science and Director of the Trans-Border Institute, University of San Diego.

The Federal Reserve Bank

#317 Tuesday, May 20, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

The dreaded term, “stagflation,” last muttered in the inflation-filled days of the 1970s and early 1980s is once again on the lips of economists and pundits.  Thirty years ago it was decisive action by the Federal Reserve that eventually helped to tame this beast.  Will the Fed be able to do so again or will the U.S. economy return to the recessions of the late Carter and early Reagan years?  What tools and policies does the Fed have on it’s Batman utility belt of monetary powers to deal with such economic maladies?  Dr. Carl Luna will discuss the powers and policy making of the Fed and its central role in managing American monetary policy.

Instructor:  Carl Luna, Ph.D. from American University; Professor of Political Science, San Diego Mesa College; lecturer on international political economy, University of San Diego.

Books Too Good to Miss

#318 Wednesday, May 21, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

“Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier.” (Kathleen Norris.)  It is one of life’s pleasures to read a book so good you can hardly wait to get back to it.  Are you still looking for the “good” book?  Maybe Sandy can help!  She will be giving a brief description of a dozen recently published books – 6 fiction and 6 non-fiction.  These are not titles found on bestseller lists, but really good books you won’t want to miss.

Instructor:  Sandy Steel has been a librarian with the San Diego Public Library for the past 23 years.  She started her career at the Rancho Bernardo Library and has worked at several other branches throughout the city.  She is a regular speaker for the Oasis Senior Program, the Remington Club and the University of San Diego.

What’s New in Estate Planning

#319 Tuesday, May 27, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon

Is Rancho Bernardo the Estate Planning capital of the United States?  Well, maybe that is going too far, but where else is the citizenship as educated about wills and trusts?  Rancho Bernardians are wonderful planners, who keep their affairs in good order.  But what happens when someone dies?  Will your family know what to do?  How will your estate planning documents really work?  Encourage your children to come visit you this coming Memorial Day weekend, and stay one more day to attend this seminar with you.  This class promises to be lively and full of stories, with time for your questions.  Your instructor will provide you with an invaluable checklist for handling an estate and trust, incorporating over 30 years of experience.

Instructor:  Roberta J. Robinson, J.D. from the University of San Diego; California Board Certified Specialist in Probate, Estate Planning and Trust Law; teaches “Family Estate Planning” at SDSU Extension; Past Chairwoman of the Probate, Trust and Estate Planning Section, San Diego North County Bar Association.

The Philadelphia Story (Movie)

#321 Thursday, May 29, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

A spoiled and willful heiress is divorced from her husband who still pursues her and is courted by a gossip columnist.  The film is a wise and sparkling comedy with a witty, romantic script, director George Cukor’s exquisite sense of timing, pacing, and use of dialogue, and a case of performers headed by three of the all-time best in the business – Cary Grant, James Stewart, and Katherine Hepburn.  The supporting players, Ruth Hussey, Roland Young, and petite Virginia Weidler ain’t bad, either.  Not to be missed!

Instructor:  William F. Cheek, Ph.D., University of Virginia, Professor Emeritus American History, SDSU, author and recipient of several awards including a Pulitzer Prize nomination for a biography of John Mercer Langston, a prominent nineteenth century black civil right leader.