Fall 2013 Catalog
September 16-November 8

Below is a list of the courses, special events and ongoing fall 2013 activities at all three locations (Fairfax, Reston and Loudoun). Unless otherwise noted, classes beginning with an F are held at Tallwood in Fairfax, an R at United Christian Parish in Reston, and an L at Mason's Loudoun County location in Sterling.

• To view non-course information in the catalog, click the following links for the Schedule of Classes (pdf) and Registration Form(pdf).
• If there is an instructor for a course that interests you, please check our page of instructor profiles.
• If you plan to print the catalog rather than read it on your computer screen, you may prefer to print the Fall 2013 Catalog (pdf) in its normal two-column format.
• Class hours are 9:40–11:05, 11:50–1:15, and 2:15–3:40, unless otherwise noted.

Specials

Activities

Schedule

Closed courses

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What's New

100 Art and Music CancelledF101  Film Appreciation: Short Films & Episodes from Film Classics F102  Understanding Opera, Part 1 F103  Beethoven F104  Music Sampler F105  Sketching and Drawing Workshop F106  Broadway at OLLI F107  Sketching and Drawing with Pencil and Ink F108  Singing for Fun F109  Watercolor Workshop R110  The Ongoing Pleasures of Music R111  iPad for Photography R112  Meet the Artists L113  Photography as Art L114  Watercolor Painting 200 Economics & Finance F201  Navigating Lifestyle Changes Facing Seniors F202  Federal Deficits and Debt F203  The Tom Crooker Investment Forum F204  An Economics Potpourri  300 History & International Studies F301  Disunited We Stand: The Tortuous Road to Victory F302  Films of the Great War, Part II F303  World War II: Its Origins, Course and Conseuences F304  The Utah War F305  1864: The Battle of Cedar Creek and the Senandoah Campaign F306  1864: The Campaign for Atlanta F307  1776 & the Revolution Within: The Struggle to Found a Nation F308  "Nothing short of hell on earth:" The Superlatives of 1916 F309  Formulating National Security Strategy during Vietnam F310  John S. Mosby: the Man and the Myth Combined R311  Civil War Potpourri: Part II R312  History of California R313  WWII: Along the Southern Shore of the Baltic Sea R314  The Silk Road: Golden Journey R315  The Struggle to Create Monumental Washington R316  Reconstruction: 1863-1877 L317  The War of 1812 L318  Let's Do the 60s L319  Engineers of Victory L320  Memories of the Trojan War L321  The Journals of Lewis and Clark Cancelled L322 French Heritage in America F323  Battle of Gettysburg and the 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address 400 Literature, Theater & Writing F401  OLLI Players Workshop F402  Readers’ Theater F403  MemoirWriting F404  To Kill a Mockingbird F405  Poetry Workshop F406  Reimagining Sherlock Holmes F407  A Close Reading of The Odyssey F408  Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary F409  Eight British Authors in Search of a Reader R410  The Bible as Literature: A Study of Human Interpretation R411  Let's Talk About Books R412  Literary Roundtable R413  Three Victorians R414  British Fiction: Julian Barnes' The Sense of an Ending L415  The New Yorker: A Roundtable Discussion L416  Eight British Authors in Search of a Reader L417  Mystery's Histories: Crime Fiction Set in Historical Periods L418  Writers’ Workshop: Writing the Mind Alive L419  Readers' Theater in Loudoun L420  Shakespeare's Troilus & Cressida 500 Languages F501  Beginning French F502  Intermediate Spanish F503  Spanish Conversational Forum F504  Basic Lation I (continued) 600 Religious Studies F601  Talmudic Ethics II F602  The Gospel According to Paul the Apostle R603  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints R604  The Gospel According to Paul the Apostle L605  Islam: Top Myths & The Reality Behind Them  L606  The Idea of a Soul in Judaism L607  The First Christians

650 Humanities and Social Sciences F651  Chinese Potpourri F652  The Ancient Greek Roots of Modern Science F653  Cultures and Religions of the Middle East F654  Culture and Spirituality of a Wabanaki Indian Tribe of Maine R655  Ontology and Its Uses in Human Communications R656  Poverty in America R657  OLLIgopoly Trivia for Fun L658  Mastering the Art of Grandparenting 700 Current Events F701  What’s in the Daily News? F702  Political Cartooning: The Power of the Pen F703  Law Enforcement Symposium II F704  Great Decisions 2013 F705  Deconstructing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict R706  The Supreme Court: Current Cases R707  All the News That's Fit to Print L708  Virginia Election Issues 800 Science, Technology & Health F801  Nuclear Power F802  Advances in Healthcare F803  Climate and Society F804  Beginner Chen-Style Tai Chi F805  Public Health: A Community Responsibility and Response R806  The History of Life on Earth - Part I R807  The Space Race: Going to the Moon, Apollo and Beyond... R808  The Practical Uses of Space R809  A History of Mathematics from 2000 BCE to 300 CE L810  From NanoTechnology to Permanent Human Habitats in the Solar System L811  Human Origins: Recent Discoveries L812  Healthcare Topics Cancelled L813  Earthwatch Institue: Preserving the Planet for the Future 900 Other Topics F901  Trip Tales Special Events 951  Fall for the Book: Dave Barry Cancelled 952  Fall for the Book: Peter Janney 953  Fall for the Book: Ronald Spector 954  Fall for the Book: David Baldacci 955  History of OLLI 956  The Iraq Estimate: Why and How It Went Wrong 957  "On Again, Off Again, On Again": Jefferson & Washington 958  Unbelieving Atheists: Organized Religion in China 959  Preview: Trip to Las Vegas, Zion Park and Bryce Canyon Park, June 2014 960  Obamacare Geekonomics: AKA What's It (ACAPPA) All About ALFIE 961  NASA's Findings on Mars Cancelled 962  John Campe: Revolutionary War Hero & Native of Loudoun 963  Legalizing Marijuana 964  Gravity 965  Novelist & Former D.C. Prosecutor Allison Leotta 966  Gay Marriage: What Next? 967  From Whence Cometh PCs? 968  Making the Visual Verbal in Live Theater 969  Federal Funding for Alternative Medicine 970  American Operettas: The Music of Victor Herbert 971  Through an Artist's Eyes: Learning to Live Creatively 972  Lyrics From the Heart 973  By Container Ship from New Jersey to Pernambuco 974  Papercrafting for the Holidays 975  The Science of Flight: How Things Fly 976  An Evening at Downton Abbey 977  Transportation and Redevelopment Priorities in Fairfax County 978  In Search of Jack the Ripper 979  Learning to Connect with the "Connected" Generation 980  Emotions in History (Tallwood) 981  Emotions in History (Loudoun) 982  Family History Basics: Get Started! 983  Books! Books! Books! 984  The Life and Times of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody 985 Martha Jefferson Randolph: A Woman Making History 986  Taste and Terroir in Loudoun County 987  Tour of the Marian DuPont Scott Equine Medical Center Cancelled 988  Let's Go to the Zoo! 989  Waterford Homes Tour and Crafts Exhibit 990  Six Characters in Search of an Author 991  A Trip to Harpers Ferry: "As Helpless as Rats in a Cage" Cancelled 992  Fun Game Day to Benefit Friends of OLLI (FOLLI) 993  A Lesson at Glenfiddich Farm Cookery School 994  Geology Hike in Great Falls Park 995  The Merchant

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Ongoing Activities
• Book Club
• Bridge Club
• Classic Fiction Book Club
• Cooking Club
• Craft and Conversation Group
• History Club
• Homer, etc.
• Knitting and Needlework Club
• Mah Jongg Club
• Memoir Writing Group
• Personal Computer User Group
• Photography Club
• Recorder Consort
• The Tom Crooker Investment Forum
• Travel Club
• Walking Group
• What’s in the Daily News? Continued

100 Art and Music

F101 Film Appreciation: Short Films & Episodes from Film Classics

Mondays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Instructor: Ted Mosser
In this course, participants will have an opportunity to see and discuss some critically acclaimed and entertaining short films as well as episodes from various renowned film classics. Several genres and themes will be interwoven throughout the course, including music, comedy, war, competition, fame and the power of dreams. We will see among others: Paisan (stories about the Allied invasion of Italy); An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (a Civil War short story); some episodes from Visions of Eight (on the Munich Olympics); Judoka (about an Olympic judo competitor); Lonely Boy (about singer Paul Anka); stories from O. Henry’s Full House; The Immigrant (a Charlie Chaplin film); The Red Balloon and Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams.
Ted Mosser was a high school English and film appreciation teacher for most of his adult life. He received his master’s degree from Boston University (thesis on teaching film appreciation). Since then he has taught film appreciation to adults and to high school students.  

F102 Understanding Opera, Part 1

Mondays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 16–Oct. 7
Four sessions
Instructor: Glenn Winters
Discover the world’s greatest art form or simply deepen your appreciation of it, guided by an operatic composer, singer and author. The first two productions of Virginia Opera’s 2013-2014 season, Verdi’s sparkling Shakespearean comedy Falstaff and Mozart’s immortal fantasy The Magic Flute, will form the basis for this course. Complete musical and dramatic analysis will be illustrated with audio and video excerpts.
Glenn Winters has been Virginia Opera’s community outreach musical director since 2004. For the adult education program Operation Opera, he speaks to thousands of Virginians each season. Dr. Winters, the author of The Opera Zoo: Singers, Composers and Other Primates, has composed two operas commissioned by Virginia Opera. He holds a DM degree from Northwestern University.

F103 Beethoven

Mondays, 2:15–3:40, Oct. 14–Nov. 4
Four sessions
Instructor: William Hudson
● Oct. 14: Sonatas and Chamber Music.
● Oct. 21: Concertos.
● Oct. 28: Symphonies No. 1 through No. 8.
● Nov. 4: Symphony No. 9.
For 30 years, William Hudson was conductor of the symphony orchestra and opera productions and head of the graduate orchestral conducting program at the University of Maryland School of Music. He recently retired after 37 years as music director and conductor of the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra. He conducted the Washington Ballet for several years and has been a guest conductor of orchestras around the world.

F104 Music Sampler

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Coordinators: Kathleen Meyer, Kathryn Hearden, Margaret Owens
Kathleen Meyer with Kathryn Hearden and Margaret Owens from the George Mason School of Music coordinate this course, which will highlight examples of the musical talent that abounds at George Mason. Each week knowledgeable and enthusiastic professors from the George Mason School of Music, often accompanied by their most promising students, will generously share their musical gifts with us in presentations that are varied, lively, informative and entertaining.

F105 Sketching & Drawing Workshop

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Kellar Annex
Moderators: Josie Tucker, Kathie West, Susann Hamilton
Class Limit: 14
Those who have taken a previous sketching/drawing class can continue to learn in a cooperative workshop environment where they will have the opportunity to present their work and receive feedback, encouragement and suggestions. Pencil, ink and charcoal will be used, and homework will be assigned.
Josie Tucker is a retired editor and publications officer whose hobby is sketching and drawing. Kathie West is a retired theater teacher whose hobby is painting and drawing. Susann Hamilton is a retired business executive and interior decorator who also enjoys sketching and drawing. All are OLLI members who have taken or taught several art courses and look forward to sharing their collective knowledge and creativity.

F106 Broadway at OLLI

Tuesdays, 1:45–3:45, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Note times
Coordinator: Dick Young
Come join our enthusiastic group that immerses itself weekly in musicals from Broadway and Hollywood. See again some memorable performances by Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, Ruby Keeler, Fred Astaire, Dick Powell, Ginger Rogers, Joel Grey and many more. This term’s shows, selected by classmates during the Spring term, will be Gypsy, Easter Parade, Porgy and Bess, Finian’s Rainbow, Carousel, Beauty and the Beast, 42nd Street and The Fantastics. Presenters will be Wendy Campbell (who’s never seen a musical she didn’t love), John Henkel (a movie nerd who’ll talk your ears off about classic films), Marianne Metz (who has led OLLI classes on Gene Kelly and classic American songwriters), Beverley Persell (aka OLLI’s French instructor), Martha Powers, (an OLLI newbie who is delighted to meet fellow Broadway musical buffs), Alan Rubin (formerly the EPA’s Dr. Sludge), Kathie West (a mainstay of OLLI theatrical activities) and Dick Young (a longtime musical aficionado who, at OLLI, is mostly a history guy).

F107 Sketching and Drawing with Pencil and Ink

Tuesdays, 1:45–3:00, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Note times
Kellar Annex
Instructors: Josie Tucker, Kathie West, Susann Hamilton
Class Limit: 12
Participants with or without previous experience will learn basic techniques for drawing with pencil and ink and will be introduced to materials useful in drawing simple objects, still life and landscapes. Class participation is expected, and homework will be assigned.
See F105 for instructor information.

F108 Singing for Fun

Thursdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Woodlands
Instructors: Linda George, Palmer McGrew
Once again, OLLI’s choral group, singing in chorus and ensembles, will emphasize popular music, Broadway show tunes and classic American songbook music. A great voice is not required, just a desire to sing for fun. You do not need to read music or even to have ever sung before. Gayle Parsons will accompany the singers on the piano.
Linda George has a degree in music and has taken private lessons in piano and voice for many years. She frequently performs in churches and retirement communities. Palmer McGrew, an OLLI member, has been a longtime performer in Singing for Fun and a substitute instructor/director for the class. He sings in the West Point Alumni Glee Club and in barbershop harmony with the Fairfax Jubil-Aires.

F109 Watercolor Workshop

Thursdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Coordinator: Linda Gersten
Class Limit: 15
This workshop will provide an opportunity for watercolor painters at all levels to meet and share skills while honing their watercolor techniques. Materials required include: #1, #6 and/or #8 round watercolor brushes; a paint palette for mixing colors; watercolor paper, 140 lb. cold press (Arches is best but you can use less expensive paper); a kneaded eraser; a Staedtler white plastic eraser and tubes of watercolor paint in white, charcoal black, cadmium yellow (medium), cadmium red (medium) and ultramarine blue, or a starter set of watercolors. Watercolor artists from the Lorton Workhouse Arts Center will share their expertise with the class. On October 17, Mike Flynn will join us and on October 31 we’ll be joined by Marnie Maree.

R110 The Ongoing Pleasures of Music

Mondays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Instructor: Gloria Sussman
This is a class dedicated to the enjoyment of the world’s greatest classical music. With the help of DVDs and YouTube, we will explore a wide variety of musical themes, composers and genres. We will listen to the artists of today and yesteryear and come away with renewed appreciation for their contributions to the performing arts.
Gloria Sussman has been teaching at OLLI since 2000 and continues to provide entertaining and listening programs for OLLI at Reston.

R111 iPad for Photography

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Oct. 15–Nov. 5
Four sessions
Instructor: Stan Schretter
The many photography apps for the iPad make it a great platform for selection, editing and display of photographs. Many newer cameras can send images directly to the iPad via Wi-Fi and all cameras are supported via the Apple connection kit. This class will explore the use of the iPad supporting the photographer both in a mobile environment, such as traveling, and as a primary tool in editing and display even while at home. We will not deal with using the iPad as a camera. Bring your iPad to class to follow along as Stan demonstrates its use, including arranging your images to tell a story and uploading to the Internet to immediately share with your friends.
Stan Schretter, an OLLI member, is an avid amateur photographer and has taught courses at OLLI for many years.

R112 Meet the Artists

Thursdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 19–Oct. 24
Hunters Woods Community Center, CenterStage
Six sessions
Coordinator: Rosemary McDonald
● Sept. 19: Beverly Cosham and Guest. Beverly Cosham, much sought-after cabaret singer and actress, has performed at nightspots all over the country as well as at Blues Alley, The National Theatre, Kennedy Center and Lisner Auditorium. Leigh Spear, TAL of L.A. says, “Cosham is a rare find. Possessed with a voice that is probably one of the best natural instruments that we have heard.”
● Sept. 26: Sonya Hayes and Frank Conlon. Sonya Hayes, violinist, made her solo debut with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at the age of 15. She has performed as guest soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra (Young Peoples Concert Series). She was concertmaster for the Mantovani Orchestra’s tour to China in 2011. Frank Conlon, accompanist and concert pianist, is one of Washington’s best-known and favorite pianists. He teaches, performs and accompanies artists who play a variety of instruments.
● Oct. 3: Evelyn Mo. Evelyn Mo is a 14-year-old piano prodigy and a sophomore at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria. Her recent awards include first prize at the 2012 Blount-Slawson Young Artist Concerto competition and the 2012 Virginia Music Teachers Association High School Piano Concerto Competition. Evelyn also plays the violin and is currently the co-concertmaster of the American Youth Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra.
● Oct. 10: Dr. Miroslav and Natasa Loncar, Classical Guitarists. The artists are native Croatians who have performed throughout Europe and the United States. Miroslav has performed as solo artist with the Dubrovnik Festival Orchestra, the Graz Philharmonic, the Meridian Symphony and the Mississippi Symphony.
● Oct. 17: The Phoenix Winds Quintet. Rosalie Morrow has been principal flutist in the New World Orchestra, and the Annandale and Prince William Symphonies. Jane Hughes, oboe, is a music educator. Bill Jokela, a retired Army chaplain, plays bassoon. Allen Howe, a Reston physician, is the clarinetist and Ako Shiffer plays the French horn with ensembles in the Washington metro area.
● Oct. 24: The Chamasayan Sisters. Monika and Armine Chamasayan, violinists, and Marina Chamasayan, pianist, are all award winners of national and international competitions in Europe and the United States. They will perform works from the for strings and piano.

L113 Photography as Art

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 18–Oct. 9
Four sessions
Coordinators: Mary Coyne, Dennis Govoni
● Sep. 18: Shooting the Light: Dennis Govoni will discuss the concept of the “Photographer’s Light Clock” and how direction, quality of light and time of day play a significant role in the photograph’s outcome. Examples will be used from images taken by the presenter at different times during the day. Similar subjects will be explored showing how light during different times of the day can have a dramatic effect on what the viewer sees and experiences.
Dennis Govoni has been doing nature photography for nearly 50 years. He has degrees in both biology and botany and started his photographic journey in the great state of West Virginia while an undergraduate at Marietta College in Marietta, Ohio. His photographic interests are in macro, landscape and wildlife photography as well as general photography.
He has also been a primary photographer for a children’s book series on nature, has helped teach basic photography to an elementary school camera club and was a previous instructor at OLLI. He is currently an active member of the Northern Virginia Photographic Society (NVPS) where he serves as co-chair of the Education and Training Committee.
● Sep. 25: Finding Photographic Art in Ordinary Every Day Things: Dan Feighery’s presentation will focus on attempting to see, through the lens, mundane objects from different viewpoints in different light. It concentrates, not on LOOKING at things, but on form, shape, texture, tone and color - SEEING those aspects in a somewhat different way.
Dan Feighery, a retired Air Force flight instructor, has won awards in photo competitions, been selected Photographer of the Year in local photo clubs and has been the coordinator of the OLLI Photography Club.
●Oct. 2: Shooting Landscapes: In this presentation, Roger Lancaster will discuss what to look for in landscape photography, shooting in various conditions from overcast and cloudy to bright sunshine, and the small details that can have a big impact on the final product. He will use photographs from his own collection for illustrative purposes, plus provide hints on how to post-process landscape images to bring out the best results.
Roger Lancaster is a photographer/image artist from Falls Church, Virginia.
Originally from western Canada, Roger sees photography as a means of bringing the outdoors inside. His interests are in landscapes, the natural world and the out-of-the-ordinary. A member of the Northern Virginia Photographic Society, Roger has received numerous awards for his photography and has had photos published in photography journals.
● Oct. 9: Developing Your Personal Vision: Seeing In Black & White. Instructor to be announced.

L114 Watercolor Painting

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Instructor: Sigrid Blalock
This class will focus on creating textures with watercolor paint. Beginning and experienced painters will discover new techniques, using sponges and found objects to show textures of subjects ranging from nature to portraits. Materials needed: one set of cake or tube watercolor paints, 12–18 colors; assorted brushes; palette; container for water; one pad or block cold pressed watercolor paper, 9”x12”, 140 lb. wt.; one package silk sponges; ruler; pencil; plastic sheet to cover work space.
Sigrid Blalock, instructor of drawing and painting, has degrees from Syracuse University and American University. Her teaching experience includes several years with OLLI and the Smithsonian Associates.

200 Economics & Finance

F201 Navigating Lifestyle Changes Facing Seniors

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 18–Oct. 9
Four sessions
Coordinator: Leo Brennan
This four-part series addresses caregiving options and solutions, legal and financial considerations, and how to organize your life and family to meet these concerns. J. Michael May, financial planner and frequent presenter at OLLI, will moderate panels on caregiving, with legal and financial planning experts focusing on a broad range of problems facing seniors and potential solutions .
● Sept. 18: Caregiving Concerns. A case study, followed by questions and answers, will address caregiving concerns and a range of options to meet family needs. The panel of experts and their specialties include: Sandra Fields of Great Falls Assisted Living, memory care; Scott Maguire, non-medical in-home care and assisted living placement; Helen Flynn, seniors’ real estate and Megan Descutner, certified gerontology care manager.
● Sept. 25: Peggy O’Reilly, Certified Eldercare Attorney, will address the changing kaleidoscope of health care rules and regulations, highlighting some of the issues her clients face. She will also discuss the myths and realities of long-term care coverage as it pertains to Medicare and Medicaid.
● Oct. 2: Michael May, Chartered Financial Consultant® and Chartered Life Underwriter,® will address key issues facing his clients while providing a broad range of potential solutions drawn from his daily practice.
● Oct. 9: This class will be devoted to answering questions from those seeking additional information from a multi-disciplined panel of experts. on issues covered in the first three sessions.

F202 Federal Deficits and Debt

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Oct. 16–Nov. 6
Four sessions
Instructor: Jim Cantwell
This course will address several aspects of federal deficits, including the current debt level, how it has grown over time and projected debt levels over the next several decades. Because of their large and growing contributions to federal deficits, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and interest on the debt will be examined in some depth. Questions to be addressed include: Why does the federal debt matter, anyway? Is there a ratio of U.S. debt to national income where a debt-fueled economic crisis becomes inevitable? What is the trade-off between fiscal austerity and economic growth? Are America’s and our grandkids’ futures in peril because of the growing debt? How might the debt impact current retirees? The federal budget process will be examined. Class discussion will be supplemented with presentations by experts from the George Mason faculty or National Debt Commission members.
Jim Cantwell retired from the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee. He worked as a health economist/budget analyst at the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Budget and at the Government Accountability Office. He was an assistant professor of economics at Texas A&M University and a health economist with the American Medical Association. He is an OLLI member.

F203 The Tom Crooker Investment Forum

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Moderator: Al Smuzynski
The Investment Forum, which meets weekly throughout the year, addresses investment topics of particular interest to retirees. A weekly agenda is distributed, and each session begins with an open discussion of recent events in the economy and financial markets and their impact on investment decisions. Member presentations and discussions typically include topics such as recent market indicators, discussions of individual stocks, bonds, funds (mutual, exchange-traded and closed-end), REITS, options, commodities, master limited partnerships, sectors, allocations and investment strategies. We use analyses and data from the financial press. The forum website, http://www.olligmu.org/~finforum/, includes the agendas and articles of interest submitted by members.
Al Smuzynski, a retired bank regulator and an advocate of affordable housing, currently serves on the boards of Virginia Community Capital and Community Capital Bank of Virginia.

F204 An Economics Potpourri

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Coordinator: Leo Brennan
We are again fortunate to have a talented team from the George Mason Economics Department return to OLLI to challenge our thinking. In the complex global economy of this century, today’s economists delve into areas of research seldom considered in the past. Prepare to be intrigued, provoked, dazzled and enlightened.
● Sept. 19: A Glimpse of the North Korean Economy. Yong Yoon.
● Sept. 26: Liberalism: How the Term Got Started and What It Originally Meant. Dan Klein.
● Oct. 3: Immigration Restrictions: A Solution in Search of a Problem. Bryan Caplan.
● Oct. 10: From the Persecuting to the Protective State? Jewish Expulsions and Weather Shocks, 1100–1800. Mark Koyama.
● Oct. 17: Economic Experiments on Trust and Exchange. Kevin McCabe.
● Oct. 24: What About Trust?: Human Capital, Social Capital and Institutions. John Nye.
● Oct. 31: Goldilocks and the Three Branches of Government: How to Get Foreign Policy Just Right. Austin Middleton.
● Nov. 7: Daniel Houser, Chair of the Economics Department, will surprise us with his latest economics challenge.

300 History & International Studies

F301 Disunited We Stand: The Tortuous Road to Victory

Mondays, 9:40–11:05, Oct. 14–Nov. 4
Four sessions
Instructor: Douglas Hottel
By 1945, the Allied Powers (U.S., Britain, France, Russia) had successfully concluded a global war on land, sea and in the air against the Axis powers (Germany, Japan, Italy) What has been frequently ignored and overlooked are the difficulties associated with approving and implementing widely diverging agendas to achieve that victory. This four-part course will examine the considerable friction that occurred between Allied political and military leaders, and how global rivalries, national ambitions and personal ego almost overwhelmed the best intentions of the victors. Classroom materials will include books, film and posters.
Douglas Hottel, an OLLI member since 2010, is a retired Navy officer and Department of Defense analyst. He received a BA in History/Political Science from Bethany College, WV; an MA in International Affairs from Catholic University of America, and an MA in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. His previous presentations include The Battle of Britain and The National Intelligence Community.

F302 Films of the Great War, Part II

Mondays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Instructor: Bernie Oppel
This course continues the film exploration of the World War I, begun in the spring of 2013. Providing a three dimensional complement to the ongoing NPS and other courses on the war, it is an historical examination of the aspects of the war as seen through the medium of film. World War I arguably set the stage for the remainder of the 20th century. Its tumultuous impact even to the present day is significant. We go beyond the Western Front to explore other areas and topics. Most of the films are different from the spring course, but one or two of the earlier favorites may be repeated. The goal is to understand how serious films produced about the war reflected contemporary reality or perceived reality of the war. The films look to balance the horrifying, the hopeless and the ugly with the humane and the courageous. Ranging from classics such as Paths of Glory to more recent productions such as My Boy Jack and Capitaine Conan, the films reflect artistic merit, historical accuracy and realism. A few sessions will run five to 15 minutes over schedule and there will be split sessions. Expect historical background commentary and class discussion of the films and the Great War.
Bernie Oppel, an OLLI member, is a retired Foreign Service Officer and retired Air Force colonel. He holds a PhD in modern European/Russian history from Duke University and taught history at the USAF Academy.

F303 World War II: Its Origins, Course and Consequences

Mondays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Instructor: William Reader
World War II was the most catastrophic and consequential event of the 20th century. Out of it came the Cold War, the Communist regime in China, the bloody and turbulent end of European colonialism and the seeds of several future wars. But World War II, because of the innovations it produced and the things it popularized, also had some interesting and even bizarre social effects that helped create the world we live in today: T-shirts, Coca Cola, American popular culture, DDT, penicillin and Spam. It gave us the electronic computer, the jet airplane, the rocket as a weapon of war (and later as explorer of space), the cruise missile and the concept of frequency-jumping (the basis of cellular telephone technology.) It launched the political careers of Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. The class will cover the key events—the Japanese invasion of China and later Vietnam, the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, the remilitarization of the Rhineland, the Anschluss, Munich and the Nazi-Soviet Pact—that led up to the war. It will discuss major events and battles and how they affected the subsequent course of the war as well as the strategies, tactics and weaponry used to wage it. The class will also relate the world views of Adolf Hitler, the Japanese militarists, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and American and British political and military leaders to the events leading up to the war, the actions they took during the war and the postwar world they envisioned.
William Reader, an OLLI member, has a PhD in American social history from the University of Massachusetts. He retired in 2008 after 37 years with the federal government and has since taught OLLI courses on The History of Media, American Social and Cultural History, How a Few Simple Things Changed History, How a Few Overlooked Technologies Changed History, America between the World Wars and A History of American Politics.

F304 The Utah War

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Ephriam Dickson
In 1857, President James Buchanan ordered the Army to build several military forts in Utah in an effort to re-establish federal authority within a territory viewed by many to be on the verge of rebellion. Sparked by concerns over the growing power of The Church of Latter-day Saints within the Great Basin Desert, the so-called Utah War resulted in the deployment of nearly one-third of the entire U.S. Army, the largest movement of troops since the Mexican War a decade earlier. In response, Brigham Young and his Mormon militia threatened to launch a religious war. Learn more about this little-known episode in American history and discuss its implications for the larger national debate about religious freedom, federal authority and the proper role of the Army in domestic affairs.
Ephriam Dickson has taught at OLLI at the University of Utah for five years. He moved to Northern Virginia to join the project team for the new National Museum of the U.S. Army, to be located at Fort Belvoir.

F305 1864: The Battle of Cedar Creek and the Shenandoah Campaign

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 17–Oct. 8
Four sessions
Instructor: Patrick Diehl
This course covers the pivotal campaign in the Shenandoah Valley in summer-fall of 1864. This campaign was the Southʼs attempt to draw Union forces away from the siege lines at Petersburg and to move the focus of the conflict far from Richmond.
This course will examine the reasons behind Robert E. Leeʼs risky decision to dispatch his famed 2nd Corps under Jubal Early to the Shenandoah Valley while still facing Grantʼs superior forces in the Army of the Potomac. We will learn how Earlyʼs men came within a whisker of capturing Washington, DC. We will touch upon how the war turned savagely on the civilian populations of both sides in the summer of 1864. The different strengths and weaknesses of both General Early and his counterpart, Union General Phillip Sheridan, will be examined. We will see how these qualities affected the outcome of the major battles of the campaign. The critical battles to be studied are 3rd Winchester, Fisherʼs Hill, Tomʼs Brook and Cedar Creek, which cemented Union control of the Valley by the end of October 1864. In several of the battles, the CSA army came remarkably close to victory but each time a set of unusual circumstances seemed to snatch the opportunity away. Also covered is the “Burning” of the Valley by Union forces which had a devastating effect upon supply capacity of the Valley for CSA armies in several theaters. At the end of every session, time will be allotted for the class to discuss together lessons learned and any “What If…” scenarios that might have changed the outcome of the war.
Patrick Diehl, an OLLI member, spent 36 years in the CIA as an operations officer, mostly overseas, and served as an instructor at the CIA training school. He has visited most of the major battle sites of the Civil War and to prepare for this course he consulted with National Park personnel and trekked through the relevant battlefields.

F306 1864: The Campaign for Atlanta

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 15–Nov. 5
Four sessions
Instructor: Dick Young
The North and South were both war-weary in May 1864 when the Union forces commenced their campaign to capture Atlanta, a rail hub and manufacturing mainstay that was critical to the South’s military capability. The North was gripped by frustration because the war inconclusively dragged on after more than three years. There were staggering casualties on both sides and the Union attempts to take Richmond failed. The South was holding on, hoping for Lincoln’s defeat in the November election in the face of growing anti-war sentiments in the North, and also hoping to receive support from foreign powers that would profit from resumption of trade with the southern states. We will study the campaign of General Sherman’s Union forces that led to the North’s occupation of Atlanta – an event which had an “impact [which] cannot be exaggerated” wrote historian James M. McPherson.
Dick Young, an OLLI Board member, has taught previous courses on the Civil War in the West and other subjects. He attributes much of his interest in the war to his ancestors’ participation in it. Supplementing other sources, this course will include entries from the diary of Dick’s great-grandfather, Capt. Henry Jackson McCord.

F307 1776 & the Revolution Within: The Struggle to Found a Nation

Tuesdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Nick Timreck
In 1776, the Continental Congress declared independence from Great Britain. Our British fathers rejected the colonists’ desire for freedom, the war was fought and Americans were finally on their own by 1783. But was the revolution complete? This course will examine the progress of the revolution between 1776 and 1789 as Americans attempted to fashion a new identity and establish the sovereignty of a new republic. There will be assigned readings on a weekly basis.
Nick Timreck is an academic assistant in the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at George Mason. He holds an MA in U.S. history from George Mason.

F308 “Nothing short of hell on earth:” The Superlatives of 1916

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Church of the Good Shepherd
Coordinators: Michael Kelly, Brad Berger, Emmett Fenlon
Recalling the British shells that rent the earth about him, German soldier Gustav Ebelhauser described the 1916 Battle of the Somme as “nothing short of hell on earth.” The 1914 crisis dissolved into the 1915 reality as 18 months of war erased the naïve notions with which nations had entered the Great War. Now, both sides acknowledged that 1916 promised a pivotal year of battle on land, in the air and at sea. No soothsayer, however, foretold that fate fixed 1916 as a year of “hell on earth” superlatives. In 1916, Germany and France struggled through the war’s greatest battle of attrition, Germany and Great Britain fought the war’s largest naval engagement, the British army suffered its worst day of losses in its entire history, imperial Russia launched its last major combined offensive operation and the Ottoman Empire enjoyed its strongest position before its eventual collapse. As in 1914 and 1915, the tenor of 1916 found expression through the words of politicians, military leaders, soldiers, sailors, doctors, nurses and civilians that continue to inform later generations.
National Park Service Rangers have participated with OLLI in nearly 75 thematic courses, special events and trips since 2001.

F309 Formulating National Security Strategy during Vietnam

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 18–Oct. 9
Four sessions
Instructor: Alan Gropman
The Vietnam War was, arguably, the worst disaster to befall the United States since the American Civil War. It was a defeat, and defeats are costly morally as well as internationally. The U.S. outnumbered its Vietnamese adversaries and vastly out-produced them in materiel. The U.S. military members were better educated, better fed and healthier. Yet the U.S. still lost. There are many reasons for the defeat, and we will deal with all of them, but the most serious lapse was strategy. The United States had a faulty national security strategy. At its most basic, the strategy was: DO NOT LOSE! This is not a banner people will salute. The failure was fashioned by both political parties, the various presidents and their national security advisors, secretaries of defense and other advisers. Congress, however, does not escape all blame because from the fall of the French in the mid-1950s, it gave the executive a blank check. This was not the first nor the last time that has happened and the people paid then, before and after.
Alan Gropman, a retired Air Force colonel, has a PhD in black military history and was chairman of the Grand Strategy Department at the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He has written four books and more than 300 other publications.

F310 John S. Mosby: the Man and the Myth Combined

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 17–Nov. 7
Four sessions
Instructor: John C. Carter
John Singleton Mosby, also known as “the Gray Ghost,” was a man whose personal life intertwined with the legend created by his supporters, his enemies and the general public both during and after the Civil War. It is difficult, if not impossible, to separate the myth from the man; his legend preceded him in battle and all that he did throughout his life. It affected his performance and even those of his adversaries. We will examine Mosby’s early life, his Civil War service and his postwar life. He was an attorney throughout his adult life, serving both in the federal government and in private practice. Mosby’s greatest feature was not his size—he was a fairly short man—but his presence, his aura and his ability to make almost anyone like and respect him. In each class we will look at one or two of his most notable Civil War exploits—especially his famous Fairfax Court House raid—and we will put it into context within the larger Civil War and what was happening in Northern Virginia.
John C. Carter was born and raised in the Northern Virginia area, graduated from Ferrum College and the University of Tennessee. He earned Master’s degrees at George Mason in history and psychology. He worked for over 35 years in university administration, retiring recently from Christopher Newport University.

R311 Civil War Potpourri: Part II

Mondays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 16–Oct. 7
Four sessions
Instructor: Patrick McGinty
This class will focus on irregular warfare and terrorism. We will begin the discussion of irregular warfare by examining prewar events in “Bleeding Kansas,” followed by John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry. Our wartime discussion will center on William Quantrill, “Bloody Bill” Anderson and the massacres at Fort Pillow and Sand Creek. We will pause briefly to ask the question: What were the rules of warfare at this time? (The answer may surprise you.) We then switch our focus to political assassinations (both successful and unsuccessful), chemical and biological warfare, arson and sabotage. This course differs significantly from the Civil War Potpourri course offered during the fall 2012 term; therefore, attendance at the previous course is not required in order to take this one.
Patrick McGinty, an OLLI member, is a retired naval officer (Surface Warfare; Intelligence sub specialist) with an MA and PhD from Georgetown University. He taught various history courses for University of Maryland University College from 1989 to 2007. The history of terrorism, history of violence in America and the history of substance abuse in America were his primary areas of concentration.

R312 History of California

Mondays, 2:15–3:40, Oct. 14–Nov. 4
Four sessions
Instructor: Richard Stillson
Picture this: a young screenwriter is pitching a movie idea to a studio head. He enthuses that it takes place in an imaginary land of contrasts and superlatives. The highest mountain in the country would be close to the lowest desert; a gang-scarred ghetto would be in the same city as the most ostentatious mansions in the country; his land would lead the world in the highest tech industries but also lead the nation in agriculture; it would be the symbol of private enterprise but the government would own half the land area. The hopeful writer stops as the movie mogul thunders “Get Out!! You’re just describing my state of California.” How right he is. The reality of California must seem as if it came out of the overwrought imagination of a La La Land writer. In four OLLI sessions we will be exposed to a cross section of the diverse geography, cultures and economies of the state through part of its history--the period beginning with the Gold Rush. We will look at how the environment, the federal government, agriculture, mining, movies, and high and low-tech industry and transportation impacted the diversity, conflicts and changes in the state.
Richard Stillson grew up in California and has a PhD in economics from Stanford. After a career at the International Monetary Fund, he retired to indulge his passion for history and earned a PhD in history from Johns Hopkins. He teaches history at George Mason. Dr. Stillson is the author of Spreading the News: A History of Information in the California Gold Rush.

R313 WWII: Along the Southern Shore of the Baltic Sea

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 17–Oct. 8
Four sessions
Instructor: Ed Janusz
The war and its aftermath are presented from two perspectives. The first is based on the reminiscences of a woman, born in the Baltics, who is forced by the war to transition from “The Lady of the Manor” to a displaced person in postwar Germany. Her remarkable story of survival during Soviet and German occupations includes a year of travelling in a covered wagon along the shore of the Baltic Sea through the bitter winter of 1944-1945. The second is a historical perspective that weaves in the political/military environment within which her story takes place, focusing on the major German and Soviet operations on the Eastern Front and the policies of the belligerent powers toward civilian populations and refugees. This perspective attempts to provide an explanation, with the benefit of 70 years of hindsight, on why things happened the way they did. This course has been taught at OLLI’s Tallwood and Loudoun locations.
Ed Janusz, an OLLI member for seven years, is an engineer by education and profession and an amateur military historian by avocation. He retired after a career in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the aerospace and computer services industries. His book, Fading Echoes from the Baltic Shores, was recently published.

R314 The Silk Road: Golden Journey

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 17–Oct. 8
Four sessions
Instructor: Robert Springer
The Silk Road is a system of historic overland trade routes linking the Orient and Europe. For 1,500 years it provided the primary contact between the East and West and was the route followed by merchants, scholars and all manner of humanity. These caravans, which crossed searing deserts and tortuous mountain passes, brought not only valuable cargoes, such as silk, spices and jewels, but also ideas, inventions and religions that changed the world. A general overview of the Silk Road, its evolution, history and impact on the civilizations it touched, will be presented. That will be followed by a discussion of special topics related to China, Central Asia and the Middle Eastern countries through which the route passed. Topics include:  
● Syria, Lebanon, Jordan. Traveling ancient routes, today and yesterday, including Petra.             
● The “Great Game.” The 19th century competition between Russia and Great Britain for the control of Central Asia. The Afghan wars.
● Greek, Buddhist and other art along the Silk Road.
Robert Springer was a professor at the American University, where he was a department chairman for many years before taking emeritus status. He was a consultant and program director at the Institute for Defense Analysis. He has lived in, or travelled extensively in. most of the Silk Road countries.

R315  The Struggle to Create Monumental Washington

Wednesdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center, Lake Anne
Coordinators: Michael Kelly, Brad Berger, Emmett Fenlon
The National Park Service proudly administers many of this nation’s great historic and natural treasures. Its National Mall and Memorial Parks unit is home for many internationally recognized icons of freedom. Each day, thousands of visitors journey to places such as the Thomas Jefferson Memorial or the World War II Memorial without realizing the full extent of thought, effort and dedication that ensured their existence, nor the firestorm of crisis, controversy, competition, criticism and complaint through which nearly every Washington, D.C. site emerged. These national memorials enjoy an enviable place within a select, exclusive club of survivors. Moreover, they possess many fascinating details that most visitors miss in their rush to see everything in a day. Join us for an insider’s view and learn everything there is to know about many of Washington’s landmarks.
National Park Rangers have participated with OLLI in nearly 75 thematic courses, special events and trips since 2001.

R316 Reconstruction: 1863–1877

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Oct. 17–Nov. 7
Four sessions
Instructor: Roger Brown
The 12 years after the Civil War saw changes in American society, economy, politics and constitutional order that were far-reaching and transformative. Among the most significant were the social and economic gains made by four million recently liberated black Americans, several experiments in interracial democracy in the southern states, the consolidation of a centralized federal government and the attempts by Washington to create a new and more just racial order in the white-supremacist South. This course will explore these themes, which have been developed and refined by historians over the past 40years. Together, they form a new interpretation of a Reconstruction radically different from the older “tragic era” version of a defeated South coerced by federal bayonets misgoverned by a vindictive Republican Congressional majority, corrupt carpetbaggers and incompetent black freedmen.
Roger Brown, Professor of History emeritus, American University, has taught courses in U.S. history for nearly 40 years. Recently at OLLI he has taught courses on the Development of American Political Parties, The War of 1812,and Four Elections that Changed American History.

L317 The War of 1812

Mondays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 16–Sept. 30, Oct. 14–Nov. 4
Seven sessions
Instructor: Keith Young
This course examines the War of 1812 with Great Britain, a war which neither country wanted but  were not able to avoid. Although the war ended in what was realistically a draw, the young American republic learned some very valuable lessons. Andrew Jackson’s decisive victory at New Orleans on January 8, 1815, occurred before news of the signing of the Treaty of Ghent reached America. The official end of the war did not occur until February 16, 1815, when the U.S. Senate approved the treaty. This course commemorates the bicentennial of the war and explains how it took place, just to set the record straight.
Keith Young, a retired naval officer with an interest in military history, lectures on many Civil War and World War II topics.

L318 Let's Do The 60s

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 17–Oct. 15
Five sessions
Coordinators: Karen Carter, Ray Beery
After two very interesting and fun courses on the decade of the 1950s, OLLI members will now describe their lives during the 1960s.
● Sept. 17: Dick Kennedy. He graduated from college, got married, started his first full-time job in New York City and joined the Marines, all in 1966. For the rest of the decade, he lived in five states, had two of his three children and survived Vietnam.
● Sept. 24: Dan Brandel. After graduating from engineering school in 1961, Dan moved to Boston to work as an engineer for a company responsible for implementing nuclear bomb tests for the Atomic Energy Commission. As a part of this activity he ran a nuclear detection station on Guam. While in Boston, he went to many music venues. In 1965 and 1966, he was a Peace Corps Volunteer in India where he worked with an Indian small business as a designer of electric circuits. After India he returned to Boston where he worked for NASA and attended Northeastern University and MIT.
● Oct. 1: Roz and Hal Lurie. On they go from the 50s to the 60s. They left Gloucester, MA, one very old town, to move in the 60s to Marblehead, MA, another very old town. Roz said to please take note that “very old refers to the town, not to them.”
● Oct. 8: Mark Weinstein. The 1960s were the seminal years of Mark’s life. He graduated from Tufts University in June 1960 with a BSEE and an Air Force ROTC commission. The Air Force shaped the rest of his life. The random hand of bureaucratic assignments first sent him to the National Security Agency where he worked his way up; then to San Antonio where like so many others he was up to his ears with Vietnam and then to Germany vs. the Russians. Along the way he married Nancy and they had Stephanie. The rest is as they say — history.
Tom Eger. In the early sixties, he was a student at Penn State where he received a BS and MS in Electrical Engineering. As an engineer, he watched a remarkable transformation of electronics from the working level. He lived in State College Pa. where his two daughters were born. This was a very quiet college town during the war protests.
● Oct. 15: Kathie West. Kathie will talk about her boarding school Emma Willard and what it was like. She will focus on the history of the school and her experiences there.

L319 Engineers of Victory

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 16–Nov. 6
Four sessions
Instructor: Mark Weinstein
Most discussions of warfare either concentrate on generals and their grand strategies or, at the other end, are stories about an individual soldier or crew member on a single ship or bomber. This course has a different focus. It covers some of the nuts and bolts account of how a leader’s designs and vision of success were carried out by mid-level and often invisible ordinary soldiers, scientists, engineers and businessmen through technology and management (T&M).
The first T&M efforts began in 1940 and ran independently but in parallel with (1) President Roosevelt’s decision to refocus the U.S. manufacturing sector to support the forthcoming industrialized war and (2) in England, the development and organization of a new field, Operational Research (OR), that would turn back the tide of German submarines and revolutionize the way wars are planned, waged and won.
At the January 1943 Casablanca Conference, Churchill and Roosevelt laid the grand design for the invasion of Europe and the eventual campaign against Japan. That was the easy part; then came the most massive planning and supply operation in history. In addition to the rifles, bullets, food, uniforms and vehicles an almost unscalable wall of technology had to be invented and produced to overcome the Axis’ formidable and technologically advanced forces. There was only about a year and a half to accomplish this.
Session One (How to gear up to produce the full needs of the “Arsenal of Democracy”) covers how US industry, particularly the automotive industry, was restructured and organized beginning in pre-war 1940.
Session Two (How to get the convoys safely across the Atlantic) discusses how the British Admiralty, in a desperate search to be able to stretch limited resources, grudgingly began to accept inputs from academia by using the new field of OR to stem grim convoy losses.
Sessions Three and Four (How to win command of the air. How to stop a blitzkrieg. How to seize an enemy-held shore.  How to defeat the “Tyranny of Distance” in the Pacific.) will discuss individual technology leaps that provided the Allied forces the tools to overcome specific Axis capabilities. 
This course will build on materials in both Paul Kennedy’s Engineers of Victory and Stephan Budiansky’s Blackett’s War plus other material from Smithsonian sources.
Mark Weinstein, a six-year OLLI member, is a retired electrical engineer and a docent at both Smithsonian Air and Space Museums. He started building model aircraft when he was 10 and continued through a career in the active and reserve Air Force. He is a history buff, a news junky and is intrigued by technology. In his wild youth and single days he flew a Piper Tri-Pacer.

L320 Memories of the Trojan War

Wednesdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 18–Oct. 9
Four sessions
Instructor: Diane Thompson
The first lecture will cover the Mediterranean Bronze Age of Greece and Troy—the historical context of the Trojan War. In the second lecture we will examine Homer’s Iliad, composed several hundred years after the Trojan War, focusing on the main themes (rage, love, honor, war) and characters (Agamemnon, Achilles, Ajax, Hector, Calchas, Chryseis, Briseis, Diomedes, Ulysses) that will eventually show up in Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida. The third lecture will discuss the changing uses of Troy stories in classical Greek dramas and in Vergil’s Aeneid, which transforms the Trojan losers into the noble founders of a new Roman race in Italy. In the final lecture we will look at transformations of some Trojan and Greek characters in the Christian Middle Ages and Renaissance, especially Achilles, Troilus and Criseyde.
Diane Thompson received her PhD in Comparative Literature at CUNY in 1981 and has been teaching English and world literature at Northern Virginia Community College ever since. She has studied Troy stories since graduate school and has written a book on this topic, The Trojan War: Literature and Legends from the Bronze Age to the Present.

L321 The Journals of Lewis and Clark

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 19, Oct. 3–Oct. 24, Nov. 7
Note dates
Six sessions
Instructor: Carole Lyman
Grizzly bear attacks! Horses stolen by Indians! Near starvation in the mountains! Buffalo as far as the eye can see! Thrill to the adventures of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as they explore the Louisiana Purchase from 1804 to 1806. Chuckle at the creative spelling of Captain Clark. Marvel at the Native American heroine from the Snake Tribe who becomes their guide and walks all the way to the Pacific with her baby on her back. The true story of Lewis and Clark, in the form of their original journals, is better than any fictional novel.
Carole Lyman, an OLLI member, is a retired attorney with 25 years of experience in the federal government and nonprofit sectors. Currently she is a docent at the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Her major at the University of Illinois was Social Studies and she has had a lifelong interest in history and art. After a visit to the Lewis and Clark exhibit at the St. Louis Arch, she was inspired to read the original journals.

L322 French Heritage in America

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 19–Oct. 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Ray Beery
We are frequently reminded of the Irish and German contributions to America, less so that of the French. In this course, we will dust off that history to refresh ourmemoires. In colonial days, Europeans planted three flags on our continent: New England, New Spain and New France, which included big chunks of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Louisiana. During the Revolution, we could not have prevailed without the armies of Lafayette and Rochambeau and the fleet of Admiral De Grasse. Before the Civil War, Alexis de Tocqueville toured extensively and wrote a volume of observations still read in American history courses. American soldiers fought in France in both World Wars, leaving a significant legacy in both countries. Mutual cooperation in all social spheres down to today contributed to the French heritage in America.
Ray Beery is an OLLI member and frequent teacher. He studied French at the University of Kansas, visited Paris and Avignon while a soldier in the Army of Occupation, in Germany (1953), then served as an Air Force officer at Laon Air Base in Picardy from 1957-60, where he witnessed the coming of the Fifth Republic and the presidency of Charles de Gaulle.

F323 Battle of Gettysburg and the 150th Anniversary of the Gettysburg Address

Thursdays, 9:40 –11:05, Oct. 17 – Nov. 7
Four sessions
Instructor: Alan Gropman
The Battle of Gettysburg will probably live forever in controversy. Gettysburg has been variously interpreted as central strategically or not, differently before and after the civil rights reform over the centrality of slavery as a cause of the war, by either a northerner or southerner closed to arguments opposing his or her views, or people with an axe to grind. We will explore this epochal battle in four lessons in October and November, 2013—the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address. We will use one of our four periods to discuss the 272 word Address seeking to understand Lincoln’s purpose and the effect his speech had on the Civil War and its aftermath. Probably the first historical account of the Battle and its place in history was delivered by Edward Everett on the same day Abraham Lincoln gave his glorious funeral oration in November, 1863, in Gettysburg’s Evergreen Cemetery. Everett considered Gettysburg to be a significant strategic victory. There have been arguments about the encounter ever since. The most lingering controversy has been the causes of the Confederate defeat. Who was responsible for the beating since nobody in the South from July 4 onward, could blame Robert E. Lee for the defeat? Well hardly nobody, Porter Alexander was, as usual accurate on this account, and General Thomas—Old Pete—Longstreet was spot on before and after July 3, 1863, and Longstreet’s reputation suffered for more than 100 years for his accurate analysis. We will deal with this issue in detail. Alan Gropman, a retired Air Force colonel, has a PhD in black military history and was chairman of the Grand Strategy Department at the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He has written four books and more than 300 other publications.

400 Literature, Theater & Writing

F401 OLLI Players Workshop

Mondays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Instructor: Kathie West
This is a continuing acting and producing workshop for serious theater-minded participants. “The OLLI Players” is now known as an amateur theater group affiliated with George Mason. This workshop will involve memorization of short scenes and monologues, which will then be presented as community outreach. There will also be unmemorized pieces that we can present. Maybe some of you have a scene or play you would like to see put on; bring it and we will try it. You will learn the ins and outs of presentation, memorization skills and acting tricks. If we are asked to present at a hospital, senior center or other venues you must be willing to travel during the day. This workshop will be the embodiment of all of Readers’ Theater and acting combined. The previous workshop group is invested in the success of this one. Be able and willing to tout OLLI and your talents!
For instructor information see F105.

F402 Readers’ Theater

Mondays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Coordinators: Wendy Campbell, Roxanne Cramer, Manny Pablo, Kathie West
Class limit: 28
OLLI’s unique brand of Readers’ Theater is great fun for the hams among us! If the idea of acting appeals to you, come and give it a try. Scripts are usually short skits, acts or scenes from longer plays. Parts are handed out each week for the following week. Occasionally a longer script needs a designated director. We do not memorize parts; instead we rehearse them ahead of class with our fellow characters. Rehearsals often take place between OLLI classes, but also can be done by phone if there are just two characters. Props or costumes are not required, but the actors often dress for the part in some way––perhaps with a hat or scarf. Time between skits allows for kudos, comments and suggestions from the audience.

F403 Memoir Writing

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Kellar Annex
Instructor: Dianne Hennessy King
Class limit: 24
Learn to write about your individual and shared history in ways that will clarify your vision, whether you are looking into your past, documenting your present or contemplating your future. There will be some writing exercises during class in response to prompts, such as quotations, music and video clips. We’ll also share some ideas on memoir techniques.
Dianne Hennessy King is a cultural anthropologist, writing instructor, editor and television producer. She is the coordinator of the annual “Writing Your Personal History” symposium in Vienna. This will be her seventh memoir class at OLLI. Dianne is on the board of The Virginia Writers Club and is co-authoring a book, The Craft of Memoir, to be published in 2013.

F404 To Kill a Mockingbird

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Donna McCurdy
To Kill a Mockingbird, which has captivated readers for five decades, began as a short story. Harper Lee submitted the story in 1957 as one among a number of short stories. J.B. Lippincott, Harper Lee’s New York publisher, rejected the book because, according to Lippincott, it seemed more like a series of short stories than a unified novel. In 1960 Lee expanded the short story and To Kill A Mockingbird, the novel, was published. Join us as we explore, through lecture, small group discussion and viewing of selected scenes from the 1962 movie, the world of Maycomb, Alabama, in the 1930s, a place where “People moved slowly…[where] There was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with.” Find out why it was “a sin to kill a mockingbird” and find new meaning in the most widely read American novel ever. After all, as Atticus tells Scout, “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view . . . until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” A syllabus will be provided at the first class meeting with assigned reading for all subsequent classes; all lecture notes and handouts will also be posted in advance of each class on DocStore.
Donna Macurdy, an OLLI member, is a retired Fairfax County high school English teacher. She has served as a teacher consultant to the Northern Virginia Writing Project at George Mason. She is a member of the OLLI Language/Literature/Theater Program Planning Group and recently taught The Great Gatsby.

F405 Poetry Workshop

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Moderators: Mike McNamara, Jan Bohall
Class Limit: 18
This workshop allows both novice and experienced poets the opportunity to share their work with others and to receive suggestions for improvement. Workshop members should bring an original poem in draft or revised form to each session. Two poems should be sent to the office for duplication one week before the first workshop and a third poem brought to the first session.
Mike McNamara, an OLLI member, has been published in several literary journals and magazines and has been a recipient of awards in the Poetry Society of Virginia’s annual competitions.
Jan Bohall, also an OLLI member, has had poems published in various periodicals and has won awards in the 2012 and 2013 Poetry Society of Virginia contests.

F406 Reimagining Sherlock Holmes

Tuesdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Peter E. Blau
“There is nothing new under the sun,” Sherlock Holmes once said. But he was wrong! We will compare the original Sherlock Holmes stories with some of the many reimagined and reinvented versions, from 1893 to 2013, on stage, screen, radio, television and the Internet. We will use The Complete Sherlock Holmes, first published by Doubleday in 1930 and available from Barnes & Noble. (Make sure you have an edition with all 60 of the stories).
Peter E. Blau, a geologist and journalist, discovered the world of Sherlockians in 1948 and has been a member of The Baker Street Irregulars since 1959, currently serving as secretary. He joined the Red Circle of Washington, the local Sherlockian society, in 1970. The society’s website is www.redcircledc.org.

F407 A Close Reading of The Odyssey

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Instructor: Barbara Nelson
Homer’s Odyssey continues to be the standard by which heroic narratives are evaluated; it requires readers to consider the complexities of leadership and the importance of relationships between spouses, parents and children, friends, and even humans and immortals. This course is a close reading of The Odyssey in seminar format, analyzing and discussing all 24 books (chapters), using Robert Fagles’ 1996 translation (ISBN 0 14 02.6886 3). The first class will provide background and context about the Trojan War, Odysseus’ personality and reputation, and the role of the gods in the lives of mortals. Each of the next six classes will have a reading assignment of approximately four books to prepare for discussion. James Joyce’s classic novel Ulysses is a modern adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey. In the eighth session, we will play the tape of a university lecture on Ulysses and its relation to The Odyssey. Class members can then consider if they are interested in forming a club or joint study group to delve further into Ulysses with the help of lecture tapes and other available material. Bob Zener is organizing this later effort.
Barbara Nelson joined OLLI in 2007 after reading Mike McNamara’s description of the program in the Washington Post. She taught for over 30 years at the secondary level, with the last 20 years at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. Barbara has taught other classes at OLLI, including The Iliad, The Aeneid, Sophocles’ plays, Dante’s Inferno, dystopian literature and other topics that interest OLLI learners. Bob Zener is a retired lawyer who has presented OLLI courses on environmental and constitutional law and on literature.

F408 Gustave Flaubert: Madame Bovary

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Instructor: Elisabeth Wolpert
Arguably the greatest novel of 19th-century France, Madame Bovary raises key issues in human relations, ethics and social justice, as well as problems concerning the use and misuse of language, novelistic structure, tone and figurative expression in literature. Flaubert speaks of our inability to think beyond the limits of our education and language; of the rampant materialism, addiction and greed of modern society; of false spirituality; of compulsive sexual gratification—in sum, of the mediocrity of modern life and the inability to express ourselves in words that are but products of our mass culture. Flaubert dramatizes the waste of women’s potential and the triumph of the shallow and the pretentious. You will need a copy of Madame Bovary. A limited number of used copies will be available for sale in the OLLI office for $4 after September 1.
Elisabeth Wolpert was born and educated in France. Her doctoral thesis dealt with 16th century French literature. She taught for 30 years before coming to Virginia to take care of her grandson. She has enjoyed being a member of OLLI for the past two years.

F409 Eight British Authors in Search of a Reader

Thursdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Instructor: Kay Menchel
Each session of this eight-week class will be devoted to one British author and will be a mixture of biography and literary analysis. No advance reading is required; we will look at excerpts from each author’s work during the class. The aim is to deepen your appreciation of these authors and to introduce some of their lesser-known works. There will be plenty of film clips to demonstrate how the words of these literary lions have been translated to the big and small screen. The authors we will study together are: George Eliot, Rudyard Kipling, Virginia Woolf, E.M. Forster, Evelyn Waugh, George Orwell, Graham Greene and Alan Bennett.
Kay Menchel, who grew up in Yorkshire, England, is a lawyer who also has an MA in English literature from George Mason. She looks forward to sharing her passion for English literature with OLLI members.

R410 The Bible as Literature: A Study of Human Interpretation

Mondays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Instructor: Chad Loewen-Schmidt
This course will challenge traditional methods of interpretation of the Torah and Christian New Testament and our ability to rethink what we have learned and what drives our interpretations. All narratives, whether fictional or factual in their orientation, are designed to meet certain conscious and unconscious needs—for power, community, pleasure, escape, sympathy, etc. In the same way that stories serve the interests of their tellers, our interpretations of those stories serve and reflect our own culturally specific interests and needs. The course will seek answers to two questions: 1) What and whose needs/interests was the Bible designed to meet? and 2) What drives us to interpret the Bible the way we do? These questions will help us create a dialogue between scholarly methods of “objective” historical interpretation and our own “subjective” readers’ impulses. The instructor will be using the following text and recommends obtaining a copy: Who Wrote the Bible? by Richard E. Friedman (ISBN 0060630353.) There will also be handouts.
Chad Loewen-Schmidt is an assistant professor of English at Shepherd University who likes to cook almond roca for his students!

R411 Let’s Talk About Books

Mondays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Moderators: Sue Schram, Sue Wensell
Class limit: 20
For book lovers this is a chance to talk about books you are reading now, favorites from the past or, perhaps, a special book from your childhood. Or you may want to just listen. Emphasis will not be on formal book reports but on sharing in a relaxed setting.
Sue Schram and Sue Wensell, founders and former owners of Reston’s Used Book Shop, have shared their love of books since meeting in 1966. At Reston’s Used Book Shop they spent 21 years sharing their knowledge of books with customers.

R412 Literary Roundtable

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Reston’s Used Book Shop at Lake Anne
Moderators: Janice Dewire, Carol Henderson
Class limit: 23
This short-story discussion class will begin a new anthology: One World: A Global Anthology of Short Stories, assembled by a collective called the One World group of authors, most still living and writing. Published in 2009 by New Internationalist Publications, the stories range across continents, countries, cultures and landscapes. Authors this term come from Malaysia, Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa, among other places.Registrants provide their own copies of the book, available for $13 to $17 from bookshops and online vendors.
Janice Dewire and Carol Henderson are enthusiastic Literary Roundtable participants and former OLLI Board members who took on the moderator role some years ago for this popular course, one of the longest running in Reston.

R413 Three Victorians

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Instructor: Kay Menchel
This class will focus on three of the greatest and most recognizable names of Victorian fiction. Together we will read Anthony Trollope’s The Warden, Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’urbervilles. Through these three wonderful novels we will examine Victorian attitudes toward love, sex, marriage, politics, religion and poverty. We’ll see life in the depths of the Dorsetshire countryside, in a quiet cathedral town and in the heart of Victorian London. We’ll meet some of the most memorable characters in fiction and find both comedy and tragedy in all of the works. Although we will concentrate on the novels, there will be some film clips to show how Hollywood has interpreted these classics.
See F409 for instructor information.

R414 British Fiction: Julian Barnes’ The Sense of an Ending

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 19–Sept. 26
Two sessions
Instructor: Nancy Scheeler
British retiree Tony Webster reexamines his life after receiving an unexpected legacy from the mother of his first girlfriend. He finds that his memories are not reliable, the truth is elusive and he is not who he thought he was. Winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize, The Sense of an Ending is a compelling page-turner with a surprise ending. At once both philosophical and suspenseful, the novel’s 163 pages beg to be read in one sitting. Once the reader finishes, the immediate instinct is to reexamine Tony Webster’s highly wrought, unreliable narration. This course combines lecture and group discussion, with some close reading to highlight Barnes’ skills. Because the novel is short and spoilers abound, the instructor recommends reading the entire book before the first class. Obtaining the Vintage paperback edition (ISBN 978-0307947727) rather than an e-book version will facilitate tracking missed clues.
Nancy Scheeler completed coursework for a PhD in English and American Literature at the University of Maryland. This class is the second in a series on recent British writers well regarded in the U.K. but not widely known in the U.S. The first focused on Rose Tremain’s The Road Home.

L415 The New Yorker: A Roundtable Discussion

Mondays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Coordinator: Michael Coyne
This class will broaden its informal discussions of articles in The New Yorker to include material from the magazine’s web site. While many magazines have gone digital only, The New Yorker is still primarily a print publication, but it now has a large number of unique articles online. Class members may suggest articles from either source. The coordinator will distribute the material by email to participants before each class. The class is interactive. Discussion usually goes beyond the articles themselves to include personal knowledge or experiences of class members relating to the topic.

L416 Eight British Authors in Search of a Reader

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Kay Menchel
This is a repeat of course F409.

L417 Mystery’s Histories: Crime Fiction Set in Historical Periods

Tuesdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Paul Gonzalez
A rapidly expanding subgenre of crime fiction (mysteries) is the historical crime fiction novel. A growing number of authors are writing crime fiction set in historical periods–ranging from ancient Egyptian times to early to mid-20th century. Historians find that well-done historical crime fiction provides a fun way to introduce students and others to historical periods and have used these books as supplements to their courses. Historians are also writing articles discussing the writers and their contributions to both crime fiction and the study of history. Two major collections of these articles can be found in The Detective as Historian: History and Art in Historical Crime Fiction, Volumes 1 (2000) and 2 (2007). This is an expansion of the course offered in spring 2013 and will discuss writers of this subgenre, their fictional characters and their principal series. It will also cover some of the key historical events either referenced by or affecting the stories being told. This is a different way of studying history.
Paul Gonzalez, an OLLI member, is a lifelong aficionado of crime fiction who is also interested in history. Although his background is in the sciences and business (BS in Physics, MBA), he is extremely well-read in crime fiction, especially in those novels set in historical periods.

L418 Writers’ Workshop: Writing the Mind Alive

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Facilitators: Ed Sadtler, Bob Greenspan
Class Limit: 10
This class uses a roundtable format that fosters an environment for writers of all levels to give and receive encouragement, feedback and constructive criticism. All genres of writing are welcome, including poetry, fiction, memoirs and historical pieces. All of these categories share the same underlying commitment: to write a compelling work that fully conveys the author’s intentions.
Ed Sadtler has been writing and occasionally publishing poetry for many years. Bob Greenspan, a retired attorney, has written a number of short stories and completed a screenplay. Both are OLLI members.

L419 Readers’ Theater in Loudoun

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Coordinators: Kathie West, Charles Duggan, Lynn Gramzow
Class Limit: 24
If you love the theater and are intrigued by the idea of trying to step into someone else’s shoes, join our group. Develop your reading and acting skills, learn more about plays and play-reading and enjoy interacting with other “hams.” Each week members of the class either perform as characters in a play or are part of the audience. Participants should plan to set aside time to rehearse with other performers before presenting to the class.

L420 Shakespeare’s Troilus & Cressida

Wednesdays, 2:15–3:40, Oct. 16–Nov. 6
Four sessions
Instructor: Richard Wilan
In an Elizabethan grammar school, such as Shakespeare surely attended, students might argue in Latin such questions as: Should the Trojans have returned Helen to the Greeks to end the war? In this play Shakespeare dramatizes that debate and shows us what the Trojan War was really like. The two title lovers seem, with uncle Pandarus, caught between who they are in real time and who they were to become in the Troy legend. Students will need a copy of the play in any edition.
Richard Wilan received a BA from Amherst College, an MAT from Harvard University and a PhD from the University of Maryland, where his dissertation was on Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida. He recently retired from Northern Virginia Community College, where he taught writing and Shakespearean literature for many years.

500 Languages

F501 Beginning French

Mondays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Instructor: Beverley Persell
This class is for those who have never studied French or who need to review after many years of not using the language. Basic grammar and French culture will be explained. You will be taught how to compose simple sentences using the verbs “to be” (etre), “to have” (avoir) and “to go” (aller) and to build a vocabulary using adjectives, family members and places. A French film will be shown the seventh week and a French lunch will be served the eighth.
Beverley Persell learned French when she lived in France as a child. She has taught French in five states and locally at Flint Hill Prep School and The Congressional School. She majored in French at Mary Washington College and studied at the Sorbonne, the University of Toulouse, School Year Abroad in Rennes and The French Traveler Program for French teachers in Paris, Strasbourg, Aix-en Provence and Sarlat.

F502 Intermediate Spanish

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Melvy Jensen
Class limit: 24
This class is for students who attended winter and spring sessions of Beginning Spanish and for persons with a basic knowledge of Spanish who wish more review and practice. The objectives of this class are to review, practice and learn new material through discussions of contemporary topics of interest involving communication in the language. No textbook is required. This class will focus on advancing language use from previously learned material, followed by expanding vocabulary and grammar with new units of study and learning games. Students are not required to have participated in the winter or spring courses.
Melvy Jensen was born in El Salvador, where Spanish was her native language. She has a Master’s degree in Spanish education from Louisiana State University and a Master’s degree in education from George Mason. She taught Spanish in Fairfax County Public Schools for 20 years.

F503 Spanish Conversational Forum

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Instructor: Bernardo Vargas
Class Limit: 16
This ongoing conversational forum meets regularly during the year. The objectives are to practice the Spanish language and learn about Spanish/Latino culture through articles, photographs, videos and speakers. Although classes are conducted in Spanish, English will be used occasionally to explain grammar and idiomatic expressions. Come join us and improve your Spanish while learning and having fun!
Bernardo Vargas, a graduate of the Pontificia Catholic University Javeriana in Bogotá, Colombia, is an editor of an online Spanish newspaper.

F504 Basic Latin I (continued)

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Instructor: Alana Lukes
This continuing basic course is for anyone who always wanted to learn Latin but never did, as well as those who recall little of previous Latin studies beyond “amo, amas, amat.” We take a modern, non-traditional, sight, sound and Internet approach to this ancient language as we explore the Latin grammar, vocabulary and restored pronunciation of the first century CE. Class meetings  employ a media version of the North American Cambridge Latin Course, Unit 1, 4th edition text. Purchase of the text for home study is optional. A fee of $5 for all students, whether or not previously enrolled, will be due. The fee offsets e-learning program costs.
Alana Lukes, an OLLI member, has taught Latin for over 25 years at the middle school, high school and college levels. She has published articles and given presentations both locally and nationally on her Latin classroom teaching techniques.

600 Religious Studies

F601 Talmudic Ethics II

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Oct. 8–Oct. 29
Four sessions
Instructor: Leibel Fajnland
Have you ever been curious about the Talmud, the crowning achievement of Jewish intellectual tradition, but thought it was too complex and inaccessible to anyone lacking extensive training? Not anymore. For this course you need no prior knowledge of the Talmud and no formal legal training. You will learn how the best Jewish minds struggled with hard choices on medicine, business and politics for thousands of years and you will trace their search for satisfying resolutions. You will discover how the Talmud offers its adherents a moral compass to help find direction through the labyrinth of life.
Rabbi Leibel Fajnland, the director of the Chabad of Reston and Herndon, Virginia, is a frequent speaker on the topics of Torah, Talmud, Jewish identity and Israel.

F602 The Gospel According to Paul the Apostle

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Instructor: Steven Goldman
Of the 27 books of the New Testament, 13 are letters that claim to be written by Paul the Apostle. Further, the Book of Acts devotes significant attention to Paul’s conversion to Christianity (after being one of its major opponents), his missionary activities and his theological teachings. This course will focus on the major doctrines that Paul taught and how they are understood and implemented in often very different ways in the various manifestations of Christianity. The course will also compare and contrast Paul’s message with the teachings attributed to Jesus in the four canonical Gospels and with the doctrines set forth by other writers of the New Testament. Specific issues to be addressed will include: salvation; relations with and the status of Jews who do not accept Paul’s understanding of the Gospel; lawsuits among Christians; marriage, divorce and family relations; homosexuality; the role of women in the church; slavery; the “Lord’s Supper” and how it is to be observed; and the “Second Coming” of Christ and the Resurrection.
Steven C. Goldman serves as chair of the Religious Studies Program Planning Group at OLLI and has taught numerous courses on alternative understandings of Biblical doctrine.

R603 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Mondays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 14–Nov. 4
Four sessions
Instructor: Vicky DelHoyo
We will begin by relating the history of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its founder, Joseph Smith, Jr. In following weeks we will discuss the church’s Plan of Salvation, the purpose of its temples and the 13 Articles of Faith. In the fourth week we will examine the works that form the church’s foundation: The Holy Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants and The Pearl of Great Price.
Vicky DelHoyo has a BS in education from the University of Utah and has been teaching church history and scripture courses for the past 15 years.

R604 The Gospel According to Paul the Apostle

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Steven C. Goldman
This is a repeat of F602.

L605 Islam: Top Myths & The Reality Behind Them 

Mondays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Instructor: Farhanahz Ellis
Is there more than meets the eye with regard to Islam? What’s myth and what’s reality? Have the opportunity to get honest answers to your questions about these myths:
● God: Who is this “Islamic” God? Where have we heard about Allah before?
● Jesus: Muslims don’t believe in him, right? Wrong!
● The Qur’an: Muhammad wrote it? Copied from existent sources? Why either allegation is just not humanly possible.
● Islam’s intolerance of other faiths: What are Muslims reminded of throughout the Qur’an and why they musn’t judge people?
● Are the majority of Muslims Arabs? The answer may surprise you, even if you think you know it.
● Islam and violence: Is there a link? Albeit many “sources” sustain this as truthful assertion, everyday math proves it is not. Then why do we hold to this inaccurate statement and what’s the risk on this action? “Infidels”, “jihadist”, “holy war”: When did the meaning of these words change, and who changed them.
● Women: Does Islam oppress them? “Everybody” knows it does, right? Come on, admit it, you want to ask. But careful, the answer may astound you.
Chaplain Farhanahz Ellis is the interfaith and outreach director for the All Dulles Area Muslims Society, the Muslim chaplain at George Mason and a Peace Ambassador for Monks Without Borders. She’s also a visiting chaplain at Inova Health System.

L606 The Idea of a Soul in Judaism

Tuesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 17–Oct. 1,  Oct. 15–Oct. 29
Six sessions
Instructor: Michael Leavitt
If bagels are Jewish soul food and klezmer is Jewish soul music, there must be a Jewish soul! In fact, Jews have contemplated the nature of the soul since Biblical times. From the Bible through the Talmud to the Greek philosophical texts, the soul was a tangible, if not observable, phenomenon. Medieval Jewish philosophers used those ideas to set the pattern for subsequent musings about the soul. Kabbalah, especially the Zohar, added significantly to the complexity and depth of how Jews understood the nature of the soul. Hasidism used many of the early Kabbalistic approaches and developed innovative ways of thinking about the soul. But in the last few centuries there has been a loss of interest in this aspect of what it means to be Jewish. Is this a permanent transformation in Jewish thought or just a short-term deviation? And what effects have the Jewish idea of the soul had on western thought?
Michael Leavitt earned his PhD in political science from Northwestern University and an MA in Jewish studies from Baltimore Hebrew University. He has taught Jewish history, philosophy and mysticism at adult education programs in the Baltimore-Washington area.

L607 The First Christians

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Oct. 3-Oct. 31
Five sessions
Instructor: Jack Dalby
New Testament scholar Geza Vermes notes, “The creation of the Christian Church is one of the most important stories in the development of the world’s history, but also one of the most enigmatic and little understood, shrouded in mystery and misunderstanding.” In this academic-based course, we will explore the first 100 years of the Christian era, beginning with the actions of Jesus’s disciples as they recover from the disaster of his crucifixion and come to believe in his resurrection. In addition, we will discuss how this small group of believers and other early missionaries set forth to spread the word of the risen Jesus and their expectation of his imminent return. Other topics will include:
● What are our sources for understanding early Christianity?
● How did the religion of Jesus become a religion about the risen Christ?
● How did St. Paul evolve from a Christian persecutor to its greatest proponent?
● How did the teaching of Paul compare to the teachings of Jesus?
● Was there only one or many early Christianities?
Having a copy of the New Testament is encouraged but not required.
Jack Dalby, president of White Oak Communications, is an OLLI member and a self-taught student of the historical Jesus and early Christianity. He holds a BS in Communication Arts from James Madison University and has taken classes from the graduate History Department at George Mason.

650 Humanities and Social Sciences

F651 Chinese Potpourri

Mondays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 16–Oct. 7
Four sessions
Instructors: Ning Yang, Lihong Wang
This course is a new set of lectures on four intriguing aspects of Chinese culture.
● Chinese Characters and Calligraphy. Ning Yang leads the audience into the world of Chinese characters from their origin as pictographs through their various developmental stages. She will also introduce the materials used to create calligraphy – ink, writing paper and brush varieties. Participants will learn to write 20 Chinese characters and have fun creating characters from their imagination.
● Clothing and Social Status in Traditional Chinese Culture. In ancient China, social status was exhibited through the clothes people wore. This lecture explores the correlation of social status with color composition, pattern design and decorative accents in traditional Chinese clothing, including ethnic varieties, regional features, textile types, imperial robes and court dress. Professor Yang will touch upon contemporary fashion.
● Food, Nutrition and Chinese Traditional Medicine. Chinese traditional medicine is based on the concept that the body’s health reflects the natural balance – or imbalance – of the forces of yin and yang within it. The Chinese categorize foods into four groups – hot, warm, cool and cold – and Lihong Wang will provide insights into these various food types and their medicinal effects to supplement health.
● Color and Chinese Traditional Architecture. Traditional Chinese architecture featured a structured use of color. Professor Yang returns to give a historical overview of the color schemes used in Chinese architecture and the correlation between color and social class. Different architectural styles, layout and materials will be discussed.
Ning Yang is an Associate Professor of Linguistics at Beijing Language and Culture University. She earned her doctoral degree at Radboud University in the Netherlands and worked as a post-doctoral fellow at Hong Kong University. She is a visiting professor at the Confucius Institute at George Mason.
Lihong Wang is an Associate Professor at Beijing Language and Culture University and is presently serving as the Chinese resident director of the Confucius Institute at George Mason. She earned her PhD in intercultural communication and foreign language education from Durham University in the UK.

F652 The Ancient Greek Roots of Modern Science

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Instructor: Irmgard Scherer
Modern science began in the ancient Greek world when early “natural philosophers” asked questions about the universe and in particular were curious about the source of all things. Science then was called “natural philosophy,” a term that existed unchanged until around the 17th century, when scientia was born to indicate a break of the natural sciences from the domain of philosophy and metaphysics. This course investigates the roots of modern science in thinkers such as Thales, Anaximenes, Empedocles, Anaxagoras, Heraklitus, Parmenides, Democritus and others, up to and including Plato and Aristotle. We will learn, for example, that atomism originated as early as 430 BCE; that Lucretius anticipated indeterministic swerves of the atoms which much later were taken seriously in quantum mechanics; and that Plato talked about the earth rotating around its own axis (in Timaeus). We will see that the writings of the ancient Greeks prove to be amazingly relevant in light of modern scientific insights.
Irmgard Scherer is associate professor of philosophy emerita at Loyola University in Maryland, where she taught core courses, honors ethics seminars and elective courses in her areas of specialty—Immanuel Kant and 18th century aesthetic theory.

F653 Cultures and Religions of the Middle East

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Instructor: Johnnie Hicks
Class limit: 40
The term “Middle East” is often used to describe a region extending from Morocco in North Africa to the eastern borders of Iran. This term, however, suggests something of a uniformity of culture and identity which fails to recognize the wide ranges of ethnic, linguistic, religious and historical diversity. Topics include:
● People, Places and Politics in the Middle East.
● Origins and Basic Concepts of Middle Eastern Religions.
● Understanding Arabs and “The Arab World.”
● Carving New Countries out of the Ottoman Empire.
● Understanding Turks and “The Republic of Turkey.”
● Understanding Kurds and Kurdistan: History, Homeland and Hope.
● Understanding Persians: From Ancient Empire to Modern Iran.
● Modern Israel and Palestine: Perceptions, Promises and Perils.
Johnnie Hicks has lived in Iran twice, where she taught at the Teheran American School. She recently retired from Fairfax County Public Schools and has been an adjunct instructor with George Mason since 1990, developing and teaching graduate-level courses in Cross-Cultural Education, Counseling Global Populations and Introduction to Middle Eastern Studies.

F654 Culture and Spirituality of a Wabanaki Indian Tribe of Maine

Thursdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 19–Oct. 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Teresa Sappier
This course will take the audience on a brief historical tour of the ways and traditions of the Penobscot people of Maine. As the class revisits the past of the instructor’s people, it will be given a brief glimpse of the wisdom and legacy of her ancestors. These sessions will bring alive the memories of culture and spirituality which have been shared with many non-Native people in the southwest, Alaska, Virginia and Maine.
● Sept. 19: Brief History of the Wabanaki; Penobscot Culture: Our Traditions and Way of Life.
● Sept. 26: Our Connection to Our Mother the Earth.
● Oct. 3: Brief Encounter with the Journey to the Drum.
● Oct. 10: Penobscot Indian Nation Today.
Teresa Sappier was a physician’s assistant in the southwest and Alaska, where she learned that many health problems were related to social relationships or the lack thereof. This prompted her to re-examine her culture and the spiritual ways of her ancestors. These sessions will help the audience connect with their own ancestral cultures and spirituality.

R655 Ontology and Its Uses in Human Communications

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 15–Nov. 5
Four sessions
Instructors: Bradley Morgan, Stephan Marias
Ontology of the Human Observer is a new discipline, emerging from significant developments in philosophy and biology. It is described as “deceptively simple, yet elegant and dynamic.” It focuses on providing a clear practical understanding of human beings and the nature of human communication.
● Oct. 15: The Four Horsemen. Reasons and ways to avoid the four horsemen behaviors: contempt, blame, defensiveness and stonewalling; how they undermine communication.
● Oct. 22: Multi-Generational Communication and Misunderstanding. Every generation is shaped by national events, global crises, cultural upbringing and family interaction. We will examine ways to identify and bridge language gaps with other generations.
● Oct. 29: How to Build Authentic Relationships. Identify how to establish and maintain mutually nurturing relationships.
● Nov. 5: Live Your Life in Boldness. Distinguish between opinions and provable facts about your goals; identify the difference between boldness and recklessness; learn the tools that keep you in action and avoid derailment.
Bradley Morgan holds a BS from Georgia Tech and an MS from UCLA. Stephan Marias holds a BS in production management and an MBA from UNISA in South Africa. Both are certified by the Newfield Network Program as professional certified coaches in ontology.

R656 Poverty in America

Tuesdays, 2:15–3:40, Oct. 8–Oct. 22, Nov. 5
Four sessions
Instructor: Glenn Kamber
Throughout history, poverty in America has been a contentious issue. Why are people poor in the first place? Must the poor “always be with us?” Is there a role or responsibility among us to help the poor–the general community, faith-based organizations, government? In addressing poverty in this “land of opportunity,” what, if any, balances ought to be struck between two powerful core American values – self-reliance and caring for others? What are the politics of poverty, now and in the past? Come and contribute your views and experiences in what promises to be an enlightening and highly charged series of discussions.
Glenn Kamber, an OLLI member, is a retired federal senior executive who, from 1972-1988, managed public policy-making in the Office of eight Secretaries of Health and Human Services (previously Health, Education and Welfare).

R657 OLLIgopoly Trivia for Fun

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 19–Oct. 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Bruce Mercer
Class Limit: 50
First there was pub trivia in England, and then there were trivia nights in the States. Now it’s OLLI’s turn. Join fellow trivia lovers for fun and games as we form teams of two to six players to compete in answering questions that will challenge your brain cells. Questions could be as simple as: What is the oldest state capital city in the US? Or as hard as: What is Donald Duck’s middle name? All you have to bring to class is a good attitude, a willingness to have fun and a pencil with a good eraser! All levels of knowledge are welcome.
Bruce Mercer, an OLLI member, enjoys learning new things, especially those obscure tidbits that spark a quest for new knowledge. He has used some of these nuggets to create trivia questions that are sure to please and stump you.

L658 Mastering the Art of Grandparenting

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Coordinator: Robbie Milberg
New to grandparenting? This course will give you updates and hands-on experience to enhance your role as a grandparent for newborns to toddlers, tweens to teens and every age in between.
● Sept. 18: The Psychology of Grandparenting. Our speaker is Diane Wagner, a fourth-year doctoral student in clinical psychology at George Mason with an interest in promoting psychological well-being in older adults.
● Sept. 25: Reading with Your Grandchildren. Jennifer Welti will present the Early Literacy portion (0-5 years) and Marcia Jackson will present the Early Reader and Transitional Reader portions. Both are Loudoun County Public Library Youth Services librarians.
● Oct. 2: Grandparents’ Role in Education of their Grandchildren. Karen Woodworth, OLLI member and a retired Fairfax County teacher, will present an overview on the changing role of grandparents in educational support.
● Oct. 9: Intergenerational Travel The Lansdowne staff of AAA will provide information on traveling with grandchildren ages 7-16.
● Oct. 16: Grandparent Cookology and Geo-caching. Part I. Bring your favorite recipes to share. Robbie Milberg will lead. Part II. Geo-caching. Come ready to learn about this fun activity, utilizing GPS in an updated scavenger hunt. Karen Carter will lead.
● Oct. 23: Making Art Together. An interactive and inspiring presentation of hands-on art activities that will help grandparents enjoy quality time with grandchildren, ages 3-14, while making something new and beautiful together! Suggested activities are all affordable and require no prior art experience. Catherine Obreza Fetterman has led art enrichment programs for children and adults for over 20 years in a wide variety of settings.
● Oct. 30: Memoir Writing with Your Grandchild. Kathie West, a retired English and theater instructor from Fairfax County Public Schools, has taught many classes at OLLI. Age-appropriate suggestions for sharing this writing experience will be presented.
● Nov. 6: BallPark at One Loudoun. Take your grandkids for a fun day’s outing! BallPark at One Loudoun is a planned 5,500-seat baseball park in Ashburn, Virginia, that will host the Loudoun Hounds Baseball and the North American Soccer League. Speaker scheduled is Dave D’Onofrio, Director of Communications, VIP Sports and Entertainment.

700 Current Events

F701 What’s in the Daily News?

Mondays, 9:30–11:00, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Note time
Moderators: Peter Van Ryzin, Dorsey Chescavage
Class Limit: 36
Do you have an opinion on what’s happening in the world today? Would you like to express and share your views with others? If so, join other news junkies each week to discuss, debate and, yes, sometimes disagree as to the significance and meaning of events both great and small. All views are welcomed in a spirit of give-and-take.
Peter Van Ryzin, an addicted news junky and OLLI member, was a career Marine who served two combat tours in Vietnam before retiring as a colonel in 1990.
Dorsey Chescavage, an OLLI member, retired from the Jefferson Consulting Group, where she was a registered lobbyist specializing in military and veterans’ health care. ;

F702 Political Cartooning: The Power of the Pen

Tuesdays, 2:15–3:40, Oct. 15–Oct. 29
Jewish Community Center
Note location
Three sessions
Coordinator: Kathleen Burns
Nowhere is the old cliché, “The Pen is Mightier Than the Sword,” more relevant than when the pen is in the hands of a skillful political cartoonist who blends artistic skill with satire, hyperbole and a mixture of humor and public anger. The course will focus on politicians foibles  and the issues that ensnare them, as well as an historical perspective on political cartoons, a genre stretching back to the 19th century. As early as 1922, cartoonists were honored with Pulitzer Prizes.
Michael Pope is a reporter for the Alexandria Port Packet Gazette and author of The Hidden History of Alexandria and D, published in 2011. Matt Wuerker, winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning, works for POLITICO, based in Arlington, VA. He won the Herblock Prize from the Library of Congress and the Berryman Prize from the National Press Foundation, both in 2010.
Kathleen Burns will talk about the global dimensions of editorial cartooning and feature the work of Tom Scott, New Zealand’s top cartoonist who regularly targets the actions of former Prime Ministers Helen Clark and Sir Robert Muldoon. She is a long-time OLLI instructor and has given earlier talks on political cartooning in Australia.

F703 Law Enforcement Symposium II

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 16–Nov. 6
Four sessions
Coordinator: Dick Cheadle
● Oct. 16: Dick Cheadle narrates interesting anecdotes from his 40 ½-year career in federal law enforcement, including the U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Army, criminal investigator with the Immigration Service, special agent with the Secret Service and inspector for field operations with Veterans Affairs .
● Oct. 23: Marty Martinez is the Assistant Director of the Coast Guard Investigative Service, United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security. He will discuss his quite-colorful uniformed career, including numerous maritime law enforcement interdictions, fisheries enforcements, search and rescue missions and aids to navigation operations, as well as his current duties in the field of criminal investigations.
● Oct. 30: John Dupuy is the Assistant Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Department of Homeland Security, having recently moved over from the Department of the Interior. He will address the role of the office of Inspector General in the government-wide areas of fraud, waste and abuse, as well as agency-specific issues with Interior and Homeland Security.
● Nov. 6: James Tomscheck is the Assistant Commissioner, Office of Internal Affairs and Chief Security Officer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security. He moved to this position in June of 2006 from his previous assignment as Deputy Assistant Director, Office of Investigations, United States Secret Service. He will discuss the evolution of Customs and Border Protection and his office’s role in that evolution.

F704 Great Decisions 2013

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Moderators: Gordon Canyock, Ted Parker
Class limit: 22
For over 50 years, the Foreign Policy Association has sponsored discussion groups throughout the United States to investigate some of the world’s greatest challenges affecting our lives. This course is a repeat of the spring term course F702 and covers the same eight topics:
• Future of the Euro, Erik Jones.
• Egypt, Bruce Rutherford.
• NATO, Mark Webber.
• Myanmar and Southeast Asia, Barbara Crossette.
• Humanitarian Intervention, Thomas Weiss.
• Iran, John Limbert.
• China in Africa, David Shinn.
• Threat Assessment, Gregory Treverton.
A briefing book and video covering each week’s topic will set the stage for class discussion. There is a $22 materials fee payable with registration.
Gordon Canyock is a retired military intelligence officer, former State Department consultant and long-time OLLI member.
Ted Parker, a retiree from the U.S. Department of Education, had a 40-year career in education, which included teaching and managing at local, state and collegiate levels. He has been a member of OLLI for several years.

F705 Deconstructing the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 19–Oct. 10
Four sessions
Instructor: Arthur Green
“If you control the image, you control the historical narrative.” Throughout the course of the century-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict, both communities have deployed public diplomacy stratagems to best position their narrative in the court of global public opinion. Capturing mainstream American media print publications, Arthur Green has designed a PowerPoint® presentation that graphically frames the iconic historical imagery from the early decades of the 20th century to today. You will be challenged to think out-of-the-box and to place yourself at the table when American policy makers grapple with the complexity of the Middle East.
● Sept. 19: The Tipping Point: American Media Coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Adopts Another Narrative.
● Sept. 26: Words Do Matter: Analytical Examination of the Texts.
● Oct. 3: The Controversy: Do Successive American Administrations Consider the Israeli Settlements Illegal?
● Oct. 10: Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Historical Conflict.
Arthur Green was a United States Information Agency Senior Foreign Service Officer whose assignments placed him at the nexus of American Middle East foreign policy and the 24/7 global social media communications environment. He managed the USIA Washington Foreign Press Center during the Clinton Administration and currently serves as a U.S. Department of State/Bureau of North African and Near Eastern Affairs Reserve Officer, Office of Public Diplomacy.

R706 The Supreme Court: Current Cases

Wednesdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 18–Nov. 6
Rose Gallery at Reston Community Center, Lake Anne
Instructor: Ben Gold
This is a discussion class addressing cases the Supreme Court will hear or has heard during its 2013–2014 term. We will use instructor-provided material consisting of case backgrounds, lower-court decisions and edited briefs filed with the Supreme Court, including audio of oral arguments for selected cases. Materials will be available only online, so Internet access is required. Our discussion of each case will look at both sides of every argument, the likely position of each justice and the social and political context of the case. Ben Gold, an OLLI member, has a BA in political science from Stanford University and earned an MS in computer science as a naval officer. After retirement from the Navy, he worked in the computer industry and has served as a docent at the Supreme Court for the past ten years.
This is a discussion class addressing cases the Supreme Court will hear or has heard during its 2013–2014 term. We will use instructor-provided material consisting of case backgrounds, lower-court decisions and edited briefs filed with the Supreme Court, including audio of oral arguments for selected cases. Materials will be available only online, so Internet access is required. Our discussion of each case will look at both sides of every argument, the likely position of each justice and the social and political context of the case.
Ben Gold, an OLLI member, has a BA in political science from Stanford University and earned an MS in computer science as a naval officer. After retirement from the Navy, he worked in the computer industry and has served as a docent at the Supreme Court for the past ten years.

R707 All the News That’s Fit to Print

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Moderator: Dick Kennedy
This is a chance to discuss news and current events with other seniors who are trying to understand our changing world. More than ever, we need to question information that comes to us from TV, radio, the internet, magazines, bumper stickers and newspapers. How should we filter these sources? We will examine and discuss some of the hot topics of the day in world and national news, science, business, sports and entertainment. All viewpoints and opinions are respected, needed and welcomed. As Walter Cronkite once said, “In a democracy agreement is not required, but participation is.”
Dick Kennedy is an OLLI member and a retiree from the Senior Executive Service at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Dick enjoys analyzing the news from multiple sources and engaging in good discussions with colleagues.

L708 Virginia Election Issues

Thursday, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 26
Tuesday, 9:40–11:05, Oct. 29
Note dates
Two sessions
Coordinator: Ray Beery
The Virginia elections will be upon us in November. To help understand the issues, we have invited two local members of the House of Delegates to give us their positions.
● Sept. 26: Ken Plum, Democrat from Reston, was instrumental in founding OLLI at George Mason in 1991.
● Oct. 29: Tag Greason, Republican from Ashburn, is a West Pointer who moved into business and is seeking a third term. This will be his first time at OLLI.

800 Science, Technology & Health

F801 Nuclear Power

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 18–Oct. 9
Four sessions
Coordinators: Palmer McGrew, Paul Murad
Virginia Commonwealth University professors will present a course on nuclear power. The principal instructor will be Sama Bilbao y Leon, assisted by members of her department. The classes will cover:
• Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). SMRs, part of a new generation of nuclear power plants, are expected to provide a flexible, cost-effective energy alternative. 
• Nuclear Propulsion. The history of nuclear propulsion in naval and aviation applications and for space exploration. In general each naval propulsion system is improved from previous systems. The question is how large an improvement is needed to make these changes.
• Industrial Applications of Nuclear Science. This session will explain many everyday applications of nuclear science and technology, including tire manufacture, non-destructive testing, agricultural applications and level and thickness gauges.
• The Linear Non-Threshold (LNT) Model for Radiation Health Effects. The LNT model is used to estimate the long-term, biological damage caused by ionizing radiation. It assumes that this damage is directly proportional for all dose levels. This model opposes the threshold model, which holds that very small exposures are harmless, and the radiation hormesis model, which claims that radiation at very small doses can be beneficial.
Sama Bilbao y Leon has a BS in mechanical engineering and an MS in energy technology from Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Industriales de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, an MS in nuclear engineering and engineering physics, a PhD in nuclear engineering and engineering physics from the University of Wisconsin and an MBA from Averett University. She received the American Nuclear Society’s Mary Jane Oestmann Women’s Achievement Award in 2011.

F802 Advances in Healthcare

Wednesdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 16–Nov. 6
Four sessions
Coordinator: Gloria Loew
Join Inova physicians and medical staff as they present an informative lecture series.
● Oct. 16: The Pelvic Floor: Gravity is an Enemy. Dr. Ray Wertheim, director of Minimally Invasive Gynecology at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital.
● Oct. 23: Colorectal Cancer: Treatment for a Preventable Disease. Dr. Daniel Otchy, colon/rectal surgeon.
● Oct. 30: Caring for a Loved One through Palliative Care. Dr. Thomas Sullivan, board certified in Hospice Care and Palliative Medicine.
● Nov. 6: Latest Advances in Hip Replacement. Dr. James Reeves, orthopedic surgeon.

F803 Climate and Society

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Coordinators: Alan Rubin, David Herring
Our world is warming and resulting changes in weather, climate and environment are stressing human and natural systems. This course will present an introductory overview of climate science with discussions on the differences between weather, natural climate variability and human-induced climate change. The course will offer a combination of expert-led presentations and student-led discussions, with students’ active participation in evaluating possible win-win solution scenarios. We will explore the intersections between climate change and energy, the economy and access and availability of fresh water–all of which are vital to a healthy society.

F804 Beginner Chen-Style Tai Chi

Thursdays, 2:15–3:05, Sept. 19–Nov. 7
Note time
Instructor: Jerry Cheng
Class Limit: 20
Tai chi, a form of martial arts that has been practiced for centuries, is meditation in motion that emphasizes balance, posture and concentration. This beginning class will focus on chen-style tai chi, which promotes health and fitness, strengthens the immune system, can relieve neck and back pain, corrects digestive problems, aids emotional and psychological well-being, relieves stress and builds character. Please wear loose clothing and plan to work in stocking feet or soft, flexible shoes.
Jerry Cheng was born in China and started his martial arts training when he was six. He studied under several famous Chinese martial arts masters, including grandmaster Sha GuoZheng, and won four gold medals at the 1997 Atlanta International Martial Arts Championship. He taught tai chi at the University of Georgia for six years and the University of Texas for three years.

F805 Public Health: A Community Responsibility and Response

Thursdays, 2:15–3:40, Oct. 17–Nov. 7
Four sessions
Instructor and Coordinator: Charles Konigsberg
Throughout history, humans have been challenged by epidemics that presented threats to their existence. From plague in the Middle Ages to the great influenza epidemic in 1918 to HIV/AIDS in the 1980s and beyond, infectious diseases have shaped and influenced civilization. Have infectious diseases gone away? Chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers are modern major disease issues resulting in death and disability. This course will provide a context to modern challenges to public health and consider some responses to those challenges. It will introduce public health with a historical spectrum from the past to the present and present some responses to today’s public health challenges, including, chronic diseases, emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, pandemic influenza, the threat of bioterrorism and continuing challenges for some Northern Virginia residents to access health care.
● Oct. 17: Introduction to the History and Current Challenges in Public Health. Charles Konigsberg, MD, MPH is a retired state and local public health director, most recently based in Alexandria, Virginia, and OLLI member.
● Oct. 24: Improving the Health of Communities - far more than medical care. Charles Konigsberg will share and discuss portions of the video “Unnatural Causes” on the social determinants of health. A panel will review local and regional responses to health improvement.
● Oct. 31: Access to Health Care –Didn’t we solve that with health care reform? Patricia Mathews, Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Health Foundation, will frame this issue from a regional perspective, followed by a panel of health care safety net leaders who will outline their continuing and ever growing challenges.
● Nov. 7: Public Health Preparedness in Today’s World. From anthrax to pandemic flu planning, to SARS, to the threat of bioterrorism and more, preparedness for public health is a major challenge. This session will delve into this challenge in a way that engages us but does not exaggerate the threat.

R806 The History of Life on Earth – Part I

Mondays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Facilitator: Steve Greenhouse
We will discuss evolution and its explanatory mechanism, natural selection, as the driving force behind the history of all living organisms and all that have ever lived: from the origin of life 4 billion years ago to the rise of mammals after the mass extinction that occurred 65 million years ago. A follow-on course (Part II) is tentatively scheduled for the winter term. Factors affecting evolution will be discussed, together with an example illustrating how natural selection works. All major evolutionary transitions will be presented.
Steve Greenhouse is a retired electrical engineer who worked in the space communications field for 35 years. He has long been fascinated by anthropology and especially paleoanthropology–the evolution of humans. With no formal training in this field, Steve has read extensively, traveled to the Galapagos Islands and participated in a dinosaur fossil dig.

R807 The Space Race: Going to the Moon, Apollo and Beyond…

Mondays, 11:50–1:15, Sept. 16–Oct. 7
Four sessions
Instructor: Paul Murad
Sputnik started the Space Race. The on-going race  between the U.S. Apollo and the Soviet N-1 Moon programs produced new and innovative technologies. The course will cover:
● Liquid Fuel Rocketry, as developed by the American Robert Goddard in the 1930s, motivated German and Russian research. Subsequent German efforts led to advanced weaponry during World War II. Russian scientists who survived the Stalin purges developed strategic missiles and later designed the Soviet N-1 Moon rocket.
● The Apollo Space Program. The Saturn rocket, the Apollo command module and its reentry is compared with the Soviet N-1 Moon rocket program that had fatal flaws that prevented it from going to the moon.
● The Space Race continued by using the space shuttle to try to lower payload costs. Differences and comparisons with the American and Russian space shuttle capabilities are evaluated.
● Current Developments. The space race presently involves using scramjet and exotic technologies. These include the Russian AJAX and several American efforts, including the NASP aerospace plane and vortex engines. Paul Murad has a BSME from Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and an MSAE and astrophysics degree from New York University. He worked on the Apollo and space shuttle at NASA in the 1960s and was employed for 18 years as a contractor. He returned to the government for 25 years to work on foreign technology topics

R808 The Practical Uses of Space

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15 Sept. 17–Nov. 5
Coordinator: Jeff Rosendhal
The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 specifically mandated that one of the objectives of the space program was to define and develop a program of space applications. This course will concentrate on lesser-known aspects of the space program that have provided more immediate direct benefits. Case studies in six diverse areas will be presented to show how such direct benefits have actually been realized, and how space is now playing an important role in many of our everyday activities. Topics and speakers are:
● The History, Politics, and Technology of the LANDSAT Program: William Stoney (NASA, retired) spent a significant portion of his lengthy NASA career as the program manager of the LANDSAT program.
● What Have We Learned from LANDSAT?: Raymond Byrnes, liaison for satellite missions, U.S. Geological Survey.
● Gathering Intelligence from Space: Garrett Cochran, a longtime OLLI member, spent most of his professional career at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he was deeply involved in the development and operation of spy satellites. (This will be sessions 3 and 4.)
● Satellite Meteorology: Kenneth Pryor, meteorologist, National Environmental, Satellite, Data, and Information Service/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
● Communications Satellites: The First Successful Space Industry: Daniel Swearingen, Comsat Corporation, retired vice president for Engineering/Mobile Communications.
● Development and Utilization of the Global Positioning System: James Doherty, retired captain, U.S. Coast Guard; fellow, Institute for Navigation; member research staff, Institute for Defense Analysis.
● Space Weather: An Emerging Application: Dr. Arthur Poland, retired solar physicist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, is now Research Professor of Physics and Astronomy at George Mason. He and other faculty have developed a graduate degree program in space weather.

R809 A History of Mathematics from 2000 BCE to 300 CE

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 3–Nov. 7
Six sessions
Instructor: Michael Flicker
Mathematics as we know it crept out of the primeval soup somewhere around 3000 BCE. The written record of its evolution started during the period 2000 – 1500 BCE with the Egyptian papyri and Babylonian cuneiform tablets. Practical mathematics, including calculating the area and volume of simple figures and the solution of the quadratic equation, was developed to aid in solving engineering problems. In the first lecture the number systems used during this period will be described, along with the formulas used to solve algebraic and geometric problems. In the second to fifth lectures, we will jump forward 1000 years to the period from 600 BCE – 300 CE and the unbelievable flowering of mathematics under the Greeks. These lectures will address the mathematics of the Greek period chronologically through the work of key contributors. Since the Greeks did real mathematics, it is necessary to include some mathematics in the lectures. Calculations will be kept simple, but some memory of algebra and geometry will be helpful. In the last lecture we will discuss the early Chinese number system, the text written on the 200 bamboo strips (~180 BCE) and the Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Arts codified by Liu Hui in 263 CE. The Nine Chapters was the primary mathematical text in China for 1000 years.
Michael Flicker, an OLLI member, holds a PhD in physics and has been interested in the history of mathematics since his high school days.

L810 From NanoTechnology to Permanent Human Habitats in the Solar System

Tuesdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 22–Nov. 5
Three sessions
Instructor: George Pick
● Oct. 22: In the past 25 years radical new technologies emerged in many fields of engineering and science. Here we shall concentrate on those with space applications, such as nanotechnology, robotics, artificial intelligence, advanced materials, high temperature superconductivity, three-dimensional printing and laser technology.
● Oct. 29: A brief survey is provided on spacecraft propulsion beyond the chemical rocket. These include ion, nuclear, solar propulsion and gravity assists. The highlights of accomplishments in interplanetary travel will also be discussed.
● Nov. 5: Asteroids and Near Earth Objects (NEOs) will be presented in the first part. In the second part, human space travel from the International Space Station (ISS) to longer duration interplanetary exploration will be discussed, along with concepts of permanent human space habitats.
George Pick has a diploma in mechanical engineering from The Technical University of Budapest, an MME from The Catholic University of America and an Honorary DESC from the Technical University of Budapest. He was professor of mechanical and aero-space engineering at Catholic University of America, worked on space research at NASA Goddard, oceanography at NESCO and spent 30 years with the Navy Department as research engineer and senior project manager.

L811 Human Origins: Recent Discoveries

Thursdays, 9:40–11:05, Sept. 19–Sept. 26
Two sessions
Instructor: Jack Miller
When and where did the human species arise? When did it spread to other parts of the world? This course will describe recent findings in archeology and genetics that provide new insights into human origins and migrations. Archeologists have found chimp and gorilla fossils, a more widespread African distribution of human skeletons and the existence of a tiny finger-bone fragment in a cave near Denisova in western Siberia. DNA from this tiny bone was used to determine virtually the entire genome of this Denisovan person. Comparisons of human genomes from several populations with those of the single Denisovan genome and single Neanderthal genome have shown that all three species (or sub-species?) are closely related, with some interbreeding. In contrast, comparisons of various human genomes with the chimp or gorilla genome reveal far more differences as expected, since these three species diverged from their common ancestor much earlier. Evidence of continuing genetic changes in modern humans in response to selective pressures continues to mount.
Jack Miller is emeritus professor of molecular medicine and genetics at Wayne State University. He was a professor of human genetics and development at Columbia University for many years and associate editor of Cytogenetics and Cell Genetics and of Genomics.

L812 Healthcare Topics

Thursdays, 11:50–1:15, Oct. 17–Nov. 7
Four sessions
Coordinator: Kathleen McNamara
● Oct. 17: Understanding Alzheimer’s disease. Julie O’Brien, RN, MSN, CRRN, CNL; Inova Neuroscience Institute program lead. Alzheimer's disease is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease that occurs when nerve cells in the brain die. It is the most commonly diagnosed form of dementia but, with Alzheimer's disease, motor function is often preserved.
Instructor:  TBD
● Oct. 24: Signs and Emergency Treatment of Strokes. Edward Puccio, MD, Director of Emergency Services, Inova Loudoun Hospital. Any interference with blood flow to our brain is a life-threatening cerebrovascular condition. Stroke is one of the most commonly known types of cerebrovascular disease and claims thousands of Americans every year. Learn more about how to recognize the signs of stroke, what steps to take after these signs are recognized, and the testing and interventions available once a patient reaches the hospital. The lecture will stress the importance of timeliness in recognizing, diagnosing and treating stroke.
● Oct. 31: The Spine: From A to Z. Ali Moshirfar, MD, Chairman, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Inova Loudoun Hospital. The common disorders of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine with an in-depth review of surgical treatment options.  Specific topic include lumbar disc herniations, degenerative disc disease, lumbar and cervical spinal stenosis, scoliosis, osteoporotic compression fractures, interventional pain management and injections, cervical and lumbar disc replacements, spinal fusion techniques, and minimally invasive spinal surgery.
● Nov. 7: Parkinson’s Disease and Other Movement Disorders. Priyantha Herath, MD, board certified neurologist specializing in movement disorders. There are many types of movement disorders, dyskinesia, tremors, and nerve diseases such as Parkinson’s disease.  Medications, infections, diseases and injuries can also cause movement disorders.  Dr. Priyantha will speak concerning movement disorders.  The goal of the lecture is to increase the participant’s understanding of basics on movement disorders and treatments and the latest advances in the field.

L813 Earthwatch Institute: Preserving the Planet for the Future

Thursdays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 19–Oct. 24
Six sessions
Instructor: Dolores Rothwell
The mission of Earthwatch is to engage people worldwide in scientific field research and in education to promote an understanding of the problems affecting our environment. Through a series of slide shows and lectures we will examine six expeditions. A cheetah project in Namibia works to save the habitat and ensure long-term survival of these magnificent cats. Research data gathered in the Pantanal in Brazil shows the adverse effect of agriculture and tourism on the bird and animal life of this great swamp. Project Phiri teams in South Africa surveyed the density of brown hyenas in Pilanesberg Park and worked on a local game farm to locate and destroy poachers’ traps. A project studied inconsistent weather patterns and habitat loss of the mammals in Nova Scotia and the impact on their future. In Australia a study was made of the status of koalas, their resilience to climate change and their destruction of the forest habitat. Earthwatch expeditions sent to Costa Rica tagged and counted leatherback turtles and worked with park rangers to safeguard the eggs and hatchlings of this endangered species.
Dolores Rothwell became an Earthwatch Institute volunteer after retirement. Participating in Earthwatch projects led to meeting like-minded people and working on exciting environmental research projects. Sharing this knowledge has now become her avocation.

900 Other Topics

F901 Trip Tales

Mondays, 2:15–3:40, Sept. 16–Nov. 4
Coordinator: Tom Hady
● Sept. 16: Join Pat Cosslet in China on a 17-day trip from Tiananmen Square to the Forbidden Palace and from the Great Wall to the Yangtze cruise. Pat will also have some “do’s” and “don’ts” for those who yearn to see the Middle Kingdom.
● Sept. 23: From Henry the Navigator to port wine, Portugal has been important in world commerce. Stan and Judy Schretter take us on a tour from Henry’s haunts in Lisbon to the vineyards of the Douro River.
● Sept. 30: Alana Lukes takes us on a whirlwind long weekend in Berlin, Germany. Highlights include Museum Island, the Reichstag and East Berlin.
● Oct. 7: Elsa Little will take us on a tour of New Zealand whose beautiful scenery is reminiscent of the English countryside to the spectacular Southern Alps.
● Oct. 14: Sue Roose takes us on a tour to the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Arches and several other national parks of the Southwest.
● Oct. 21: Join Tom and Marilyn Hady on a journey to some less-visited places in the North Pacific. Visit Kyoto, Tokyo, Hakodate and Kushiro in Japan. Then go to Petropavlovsk in Russia and to remote Alaska: Dutch Harbor, Kodiak and Seldovia.
● Oct. 28: Jean and Dan Feighery will share Venice in winter. Explore Saint Mark’s Square, the Doge’s Palace and the Rialto Market, but also lesser-seen sights: Orsoni Mosaici, a Remeri’s workshop, where a glass maestro creates a one-of-a-kind sculpture, Teatro La Fenice and the grandeur of evening walks along quiet canals and neighborhoods.
● Nov. 4: Katie Mitchell will start in Turkey (Istanbul, Ephesus) followed by some island-hopping (Patmos, Mykonos, Santorini, Crete, Rhodes) and finish with Greece (Athens, Meteora, Delphi, Olympia and more).

Special Events

OLLI will join George Mason in celebrating this annual festival of literature. A complete list of events may be found at www.fallforthebook.org. For events requiring bus transportation, service will be provided from Tallwood 45 minutes prior to the event, and there will also be return service after the event.

951 Fall for the Book: Dave Barry

Sunday, Sept. 22, 6:30
Sherwood Center, 3740 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax
Due to limited parking at the Sherwood Center, a bus will depart from Tallwood at 5:45, returning after the event.
Acclaimed humorist Dave Barry accepts the Fairfax Prize for his achievements in literature. Barry is the author of more than 30 books, including Big Trouble, Lunatics, Tricky Business, I’ll Mature When I’m Dead and, most recently, Insane City. His newspaper column has appeared in more than 500 newspapers and he is a recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for commentary. Sponsored by the Fairfax Library Foundation.

952 Fall for the Book: Peter Janney

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2:15–3:40
Tallwood
Peter Janney discusses his first book, Mary’s Mosaic: The CIA Conspiracy to Murder John F. Kennedy, Mary Pinchot Meyer, and Their Vision for World Peace. The book, which received the Hollywood Book Festival Award for Nonfiction, explores the mystery behind the death of JFK’s mistress shortly after the release of the Warren Commission Report and whether it was connected to the assassination of JFK.

953 Fall for the Book: Ronald Spector

Friday, Sept. 27, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Dr. Ronald Spector, professor of history at George Washington University and author of the award-winning book Eagle Against the Sun, discusses its follow-up, In the Ruins of Empire: The Japanese Surrender and the Battle for Postwar Asia. The book explores the battles that continued in Asia after the Japanese surrender in 1945: the U.S. soldiers who found themselves in China and Korea instead of going home, the Vietnamese farmers who struggled through another war with the French and the many Japanese citizens who were stranded on mainland Asia.

954 Fall for the Book: David Baldacci

Friday, Sept. 27, 7:30
Concert Hall, Center for the Arts, George Mason
Buses will be provided from Tallwood to the Center for the Arts at 6:45, returning after the event.
David Baldacci, author of over 25 bestselling books, including the recent novel The Hit, accepts the Mason Award. The award is given annually to an author who has brought literature to a wide-reading public. Baldacci’s work has been translated into more than 45 languages and sold in more than 80 countries. Over 100 million copies of his books have been sold. He is also the co-founder, along with his wife, of the Wish You Well Foundation®, which supports adult and family literacy in the United States. Sponsored by Mystery Writers of America.

955 History of OLLI

Monday, Sept. 16, 11:50–1:15
Loudoun
Instructor: Ray Beery
Many new members have joined OLLI since its 20th anniversary celebration in 2011. Several original members, with good and long memories, hope you’ll enjoy the tales we have to tell of “the early days.” There have been many ups, and a few downs, as OLLI grew from its first 100 members in LRI, the Learning in Retirement Institute. If you are interested, you can get a preview of The OLLI Story at our website, www.olli.gmu.edu. The continuing themes are constant growth, ever-expanding and improving program of courses, and continuing superb relations with our host, George Mason.
Ray Beery, currently serving on the Board of Directors for the third time, was LRI President in 1999-2000.

956 The Iraq Estimate: Why and How It Went Wrong

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2:15–3:40
Reston
Instructor: Garrett Cochran
The 2002 estimate of Iraq’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) program is one of the greatest failures in the long history of U.S. intelligence collection and analysis. Why and how did so much go wrong? The objective of this talk is to show that the estimate was not an aberration but the consequence of mistakes and destructive politicking stretching over more than a decade. Garrett Cochran is a longtime OLLI member. He forecast that WMD would not be found in Iraq.

957 “On Again, Off Again, On Again”: Jefferson & Washington

Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2:15–3:40
Tallwood
Coordinator: Velma Berkey
George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who are arguably the most important of our Founding Fathers, had a long, fruitful and finally contentious relationship. Using great investigative powers, Dr. Peter Henriques delves into why these two men became reluctant enemies and were eventually completely estranged by the time of Washington’s death. Yet, following Washington’s death, Jefferson in a sense reconciled himself to Washington with important implications for the way the future would view both men.
Peter Henriques received his PhD in history from the University of Virginia and is Professor of History Emeritus at George Mason. He is the author of Realistic Visionary: A Portrait of George Washington. As a recipient of the George Washington Memorial Award from the George Washington Masonic Memorial Association in 2012, Dr. Henriques presented the Distinguished Lecture Series at Colonial Williamsburg (2011-12).

958 Unbelieving Atheists: Organized Religion in China

Friday, Sept. 20, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Rosemary Reardon
Over the decades, the Communist Party in China has promoted an atheistic credo including the eradication of all feudal beliefs as a way to promote a strong, modern country. Since the opening to the outside world in the 1980s, the state has attempted to accommodate China’s growing religious believers in order to promote social harmony and utilize the church’s social welfare functions. However there are limits. We will look at the experience of the organized Christian religions with special emphasis on the Chinese Catholic Church, which has confronted opposition both within China and the Vatican in promoting the faith with the mainland.
Lawrence C. Reardon received his PhD in political science from Columbia University and is currently chair and associate professor of political science and coordinator for Asian studies at the University of New Hampshire. He wrote The Reluctant Dragon: The Impact of Crisis Cycles on Chinese Foreign Economic Policy (University of Washington Press, 2002.)

959 Preview: Trip to Las Vegas, Zion Park and Bryce Canyon Park, June 2014

Friday, Sept. 20, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Coordinators: Jim Anderson, Dick Cheadle
Jim Anderson, Dick Cheadle, Mike Kelly and Emmett Fenlon are organizing an OLLI bus trip to Las Vegas, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park during the first week in June 2014. Registration for this trip will be in the registration period for the winter catalogue. This overview will include detailed information about itinerary, cost, lodging, weather and logistics.
See 984 for Jim Anderson’s information.
See F703 for Dick Cheadle’s information.

960 Obamacare Geekonomics: AKA What’s It (ACAPPA) All About  ALFIE??

Monday, Sept. 23, 11:50–1:15
Loudoun
Instructor: Bruce D. Phillips
This class will briefly examine why Obamacare as policy was created—rising state/local health care costs and declining coverage in the 2000-2010 period. Costs were rising because companies were shifting costs from employers to employees, insurance companies were raising rates, especially for high-cost claims, and jobs were gradually shifting to women and small business folks who could not afford rising health care costs. We will cover what demographics is doing to the system: pressures on Medicare/Medicaid/Welfare to Work/TANF(Food Stamps). We will also cover the kinds of insurance policies now available: high deductible health plans, standard fee-for-service plans and the concepts of concierge medicine. Some state programs will also be highlighted.
Bruce D. Phillips did his PhD work in economics at the University of Maryland. He was the Chief Economist/Research Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration from 1979-2000. Following early retirement from government, he served as the VP of Regulations at the National Federation of Independent Business (www.nfib.com)in Washington, D.C. from 2000 to 2010. He has taught at the Georgetown University School of Business and the Department of Economics at the University of Maryland in College Park.

961 NASA’s Findings on Mars

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2:15–3:40
Reston
Instructor: Lawrence McKinley
Since our first close-up pictures of Mars in 1965, spacecraft voyages to Mars have revealed a world strangely familiar, yet different enough to challenge our perceptions of what makes a planet work. Think Mars is easy to understand? Like Earth, Mars has polar ice caps and clouds in the atmosphere, seasonal weather patterns, volcanoes, canyons. We will summarize the “follow the water” strategy and discoveries uncovered on Mars since 1965 up to and including our newest planetary rover “Curiosity” (landed August 2012). “Following the water” begins with understanding observed features like dry riverbeds, ice in the polar caps and rock types that only form when water is present. Understanding how Mars transitioned from water to a dry and dusty environment uncovers answers that explain why Mars underwent dramatic changes to become the forbidding, yet promising planet we observe today.
Lawrence McKinley is a docent at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, trained by the Smithsonian’s Center for Planetary Studies curators and a retired Army helicopter pilot. He has spent the last seven years providing updates on Mars to all types of visitors.

962 John Champe: Revolutionary War Hero & Native of Loudoun

Monday, Sept. 30, 11:50–1:15
Loudoun
Instructor: Bill Sprecher
John Champe’s exploits during the Revolutionary War regarding Benedict Arnold have been noted for many years. In 1780, Major General Benedict Arnold, who was regarded by many contemporaries to be a highly capable Continental Army officer, deserted to British forces for a very substantial sum of money. General George Washington wanted him captured and subsequently tried for desertion. Sergeant Champe found Arnold near New York City and attempted to capture him. However, Arnold was able to board a British warship anchored in the Hudson River. He sailed for England and lived there the rest of his life. Yet, Champe’s efforts to capture Arnold were not forgotten.
William Sprecher retired from the federal government 17 years ago after 34 years of service. He held a variety of positions in the field of international affairs. He has a keen interest in the history of Northern Virginia.

963 Legalizing Marijuana

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2:15–3:40
Reston
Instructor: Bob Bohall
Cannabis (marijuana) is an historically illegal drug widely used for recreational and medical purposes. Is marijuana a gateway that increases the probability that users will eventually escalate to “harder” drugs? How does the danger of marijuana usage compare with alcohol and tobacco? What are the pros and cons of legalizing cannabis? What are the results of over three decades of the War on Drugs? What might be the economic, public health, public safety and human rights implications of legalizing marijuana in the United States? Why have the citizens of 18 states and the District of Columbia allowed the medical use of marijuana? Are they crazy or are they smart? Course members may wish to review website information available from the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) and other sources. Note: No free joints or marijuana cookies.
Bob Bohall, an OLLI member and grandfather, is an economist with interests in history, human behavior and public health.

964 Gravity

Friday, Oct. 4, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Instructor: Paul Murad
Gravity has an enduring effect on all of us. It is one of the laws of Mother Nature that we want to break so that we can go upward toward the cosmos and satisfy mankind’s curiosity to touch the stars. Basically gravity is well understood; however, there are some strange events that warrant discussion. This presentation will address several anomalies where different foreign and American scientists have performed experiments to limit gravitational influence. This will include the Nazi Bell, the Philadelphia experiment, the Russian super-conducting spinning disk and many other events. The problem is that with experimental evidence, there are insufficient theories to explain these unusual events. When this information was initially presented a decade ago, the audience at National Reconnaissance Office that builds our satellite systems, was captivated about what they did not know about gravitational experiments.
For instructor information see R807.

965 Novelist & Former D.C. Prosecutor Allison Leotta

Monday, Oct. 7, 11:50–1:15
Loudoun
Instructor: Allison Leotta
Allison Leotta will talk about her work in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C., and her transition to writing novels that draw on her experience. For 12 years, Leotta was a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C., where she specialized in prosecuting sex crimes, domestic violence and crimes against children. She was dubbed “the female John Grisham” for her first book, Law of Attraction, which The Washington Post called “a racy legal thriller … taking on a still-taboo subject.” The sequel, Discretion, was hailed as a “first-rate thriller” by David Baldacci and named one of the Top 10 Books of 2012 by Strand Magazine. Her third book, Speak of the Devil, was published this August. Allison also reality-checks TV crime shows for what they get right and wrong. Her blog, The Prime-Time Crime Review, has been named one of the best legal blogs in America by the American Bar Association for three years in a row. Her weekly recaps are also carried by the Huffington Post.
Allison Leotta attended Michigan State University and Harvard Law School. She lives in Washington, D.C . with her two sons and her husband, Michael Leotta, who also served as a federal prosecutor and is now a defense attorney.

966 Gay Marriage: What Next? 

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2:15–3:40
Jewish Community Center
Instructor: Bob Zener
The Supreme Court’s recent decisions on gay marriage leave many questions unanswered. The session will review and explain the Court’s decisions and outline the issues that remain to be decided. This session will supplement the course, The Supreme Court and the Sexual Revolution, that Bob Zener presented at Tallwood in the 2013 spring session. However, he plans to present the material in a manner that does not depend on attendance at the previous course.
Bob Zener, an OLLI member, spent 18 years with the Department of Justice, where he briefed and argued more than 100 cases in the federal courts of appeals. He wrote several briefs for the Supreme Court that involved constitutional issues.

967 From Whence Cometh PCs?

Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2:15–3:40
Reston
Instructor: Lorrin Garson
Where did the PCs we use today come from? Who were their ancestors? What does computer programming have to do with textiles? Who said, “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers”? What were the names of two pretty secretaries who had computers named after them? Which high-ranking naval officer coined the expression “computer bug”? Which well-known computer company first made its computer cases out of wood? How much did the first PC weigh? What connection does Bill Gates have with IBM? Who invented the mouse? Which computers produced by Apple were failures? This is an updated version of a presentation given during summer term.
OLLI member Lorrin Garson is a chemist by profession. He and his wife Ann have shared photos taken all over the world in presentations at OLLI and Lorrin has given many lectures to computer user groups over the years. He’s a regular columnist for the Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society POSTS newsletter.

968 Making the Visual Verbal in Live Theater

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2:15–3:40
Tallwood
Instructor: Marianne Metz
Traditionally, blind or low-vision theatergoers have called upon their sighted companions to verbally describe the visual aspects of plays, musicals and operas. These descriptions were often haphazard and unsatisfying, and they ran the risk of annoying nearby members of the audience. More recently, blind or low-vision theatergoers have been able to call upon trained professionals who prepare and provide verbal descriptions through individual headsets. These audio describers generally “set the stage” before a show begins, describing stage layouts and sets, actors’ appearances and costumes. Then, once the show gets underway, they provide play-by-play descriptions of the significant visual action, helping their listeners enjoy the performance as fully as their fellow audience members who can see it. In this informal session, you’ll get a taste of what audio-described theater is like, and will learn where to take advantage of audio description during the 2013-2014 season.
Marianne Metz has been audio describing theatrical performances for a decade, offering this service to the Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, Ford’s Theatre, and other Washington area venues. She is also an OLLI member and instructor and a co-chair of the Art and Music Program Planning Group.

969 Federal Funding for Alternative Medicine

Friday, Oct. 11, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Instructors: Eugenie V. Mielczarek, Brian D. Engler
This is a study of 20 years of federal funding for alternative medicine. What have we learned? How does this emphasis affect the education of health professionals? How much do U.S. taxpayers pay for the education of practitioners of medical misconceptions?
Eugenie V. Mielczarek is emerita professor of physics at George Mason. Her background is in materials research and biological physics.
Brian D. Engler is affiliate faculty at George Mason. A retired U.S. Navy commander, his fields of study are operations research and business administration.

970 American Operettas: The Music of Victor Herbert

Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2:15–3:40
Reston
Instructor: James Keefe
The American operetta is a musical form based on the European prototype that flourished at the beginning of the 20th century. It was preceded by vaudeville and followed by the Broadway musical comedy. Victor Herbert was its foremost practitioner. Herbert (1859–1924) was an Irish-born, German-raised American composer, cellist and conductor. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is best known for composing many successful operettas that premiered on Broadway from the 1890s to World War I. He was also prominent among the Tin Pan Alley composers and was later a founder of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers.

971 Through an Artist’s Eyes: Learning to Live Creatively

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2:15–3:40
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Want to bring the beauty of art into your everyday world, enrich your life and powers of creativity? Would you like to take an art walk with Monet, or experience the art of contemplation with Vermeer, or enhance your daily routines with Matisse and Georgia O’Keeffe? Discover how with Through An Artist’s Eyes: Learning to Live Creatively, written by Joan Hart of Museum One.
Joan Hart has a MA degree in art history and has been teaching art appreciation for several years in the Washington, D.C. area, including Arlington County senior centers and Oasis in Montgomery County.

972 Lyrics From the Heart

Friday, Oct. 18, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Kathie West
A wonderful opportunity to see what the OLLI Players do. Come listen to Lyrics From the Heart told with story and feeling but without the music. A new way to listen to and enjoy lyrics from some of your favorite musicals.

973 By Container Ship from New Jersey to Pernambuco

Monday, Oct. 21, 11:50–1:15
Loudoun
Instructor: Lee De Cola
To satisfy his curiosity about life aboard a huge cargo ship, Lee booked passage for 17 days from Bayonne, New Jersey, to the principal cargo port of Pernambuco, Brazil, aboard Hamburg-Süd’s Cap Jervis, an 850-foot container vessel. It makes a 49-day circuit between the United States and Argentina, stopping at six ports along the Eastern seaboard.
Lee De Cola runs Data to Insight, a consulting and training enterprise that uses and teaches fundamental principles of datagraphic design. In 2010 he retired after 21 years as a research scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia, where he did spatial analysis of environment and health. Lee currently teaches at various universities in the Washington D.C. area. His favorite activities are playing the clarinet and kayaking.

974 Papercrafting for the Holidays

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 11:50–3:40
Reston
Instructor: Jean Keefe
Class limit: 12
This is a three-hour class focused on getting ready for the holidays. It will include making cards, gift tags and favors to use at Christmas. Some samples are posted on Pinterest. More samples will be posted closer to the actual date. There is a $10.00 fee for materials payable to OLLI at the time of registration. The instructor will provide everything needed for the class projects. Class minimum is four participants.
Jean Keefe has been an instructor in creative papercrafting for more than ten years. She has presented at national craft conventions, as well as in local retail stores. Beware: her hobby is highly entertaining and addictive.

975 The Science of Flight: How Things Fly

Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2:15–3:40
Reston
Coordinator: Mary Kornreich
How does an airplane or a spacecraft stay aloft? How can something as insubstantial as air support all that weight? Why do you become “weightless” in space? How can you propel yourself there with no air to push against? These and many other questions are answered in The Science of Flight or How Things Fly. This lecture and demonstration is devoted to explaining the basic principles that allow aircraft and spacecraft to fly. It is recommended attendees visit the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s How Things Fly web page and its gallery of hands-on activities and learn much of the material before coming to class. Ask questions and get them answered all before class. The site on the internet is http://howthingsfly.si.edu/forces-flight.
Sample Activities:
● Four Forces of Flight: For example, when an airplane flies, the wing is designed to provide enough lift to overcome the airplane’s weight, while the engine provides enough thrust to overcome drag and move the airplane forward. Spacecraft are governed by two forces: the thrust of a rocket engine overcomes the weight of the object to move the rocket forward.
● Aircraft Control Surfaces. How does a pilot control an airplane; the meaning of pitch, roll and yaw.
● Instruments. How does a pilot stay oriented?
● Aerodynamics. Propulsion and the impact of gravity.
● Spacecraft in Orbit. How doe it move from place to place in three-dimensional space?
The instructor is any one of a group of “explainers” under the direction of Michael Huslander, Smithsonian Air & Space Education Gallery Manager. All the “explainers are highly motivated science, technology, engineering and mathematics educators who are high school or college students. They have an affinity and love to communicate and teach the science of flight. They answer the questions from students and the general public on line at: http://howthingsfly.si.edu/forces-flight.

976 An Evening at Downton Abbey

Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham,
and Lady Cora Crawley
request the pleasure of your company
at an evening entertainment
Wednesday, the twenty-third of October
two thousand thirteen
at 2:15 in the afternoon
Tallwood Manor
The favor of a reply is requested

As Lord and Lady Grantham find themselves much occupied with the filming of Season 4, scheduled to air in America beginning 5 January 2014, they have asked Lady Cora’s American cousin to host an evening’s entertainment a la Downton Abbey. Please join Kathleen Pablo, Carson the butler, Mrs. Hughes the head housekeeper and a number of guests in period dress as they interpret for you the refreshments you have seen or heard mentioned over the past three seasons. The “evening” will be typical of a soiree at Downton with all the dining and entertaining customs, and some inside stories about life above and below stairs. Enjoy music of the era and learn the foxtrot, the waltz and the Black Bottom. (Guests are encouraged to “dress Edwardian” ..gloves, or perhaps a dressy hat, or a long dress or skirt or black tie. This is optional as the hosts recognize that Americans are a casual people.)
Event limit: 40
Participation fee: $10.00 payable to OLLI at time of registration.

977 Transportation and Redevelopment Priorities in Fairfax County

Friday, Oct. 25, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Melvin Goldfarb
Chairman Sharon Bulova of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will discuss the transportation and redevelopment priorities and challenges facing Fairfax County. Topics will include the Silver Line Metro Project, redevelopment and revitalization in Tysons and other plans throughout the county. Chairman Bulova will also share some of the lighter issues on her plate and a few stories from her years on the Board of Supervisors.
Prior to serving as Chairman, Sharon Bulova was Supervisor of the Braddock District from 1988 until 2009. She has served as Chairman of the Board’s Budget Committee for 20 of her 24 years in office. As a member and past chairman of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, Mrs. Bulova champions regionalism to address our metropolitan area concerns. She is a member, and past chairman, of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and a founder of the VRE commuter rail system.

978 In Search of Jack the Ripper

Monday, Oct. 28, 11:50–1:15
Loudoun
Instructor: Ronald A. Goodbread
A lecture presentation and PowerPoint® presentation by a former criminal defense lawyer and trial judge, Ronald A. Goodbread, with period photographs, maps, documents and details of Jack the Ripper’s five (or more) murders in 1888. Preliminary conclusions about London’s Whitechapel Mystery will be offered. Clues and suspects will be discussed. Can we, at long last, identify modern history’s first well-known serial killer?
Judge Ronald A. Goodbread (Ret.) of the D.C. Superior Court previously spent over 20 years as a well-known criminal defense lawyer in D.C., Virginia and Maryland. He is also a veteran OLLI presenter.

979 Learning to Connect with the “Connected” Generation

Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2:15–3:40
Reston
Instructor: Kate Kamber
Generation Z (Gen Z) is one name used for the generation of cohorts born within the past two decades, in the midst of sweeping technological advancements and constantly shifting cultural norms. Almost all members of Gen Z are highly “connected,” a having had lifelong exposure to communication and media technology, earning them the nickname “digital natives.” While conversations about the digital divide typically tend to concentrate on the differences in technical skills across generations, this seminar will highlight the often overlooked perceptual differences between Gen Z and Boomers (digital immigrants) in the following areas of interest:
● Mastering Mobile Etiquette.
● Perceptions about Online Privacy.
● Personal Sharing Pressures.
● Methods of Effective Communication.
● The Downfall of “Planning Ahead” thanks to mobile.
● Employer-Employee Expectations.
The goal of this seminar is to point out these variations in Gen Z perspectives so that Boomers can learn how to best connect with the “connected” generation. 
Kate Kamber is a digital account manager at Intermarkets, Inc. a digital media firm in Reston, VA. At the University of Virginia, she gained a broad understanding of how social media has changed the lives of Americans in different ways, with personal experiences shaped by age, race, gender and socio-economic status. Her insights were featured last spring in the NPR piece, “What We Have Here: A Failure to Communicate.

980 Emotions in History

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2:15–3:40
Tallwood
Instructor: Peter N. Stearns
Emotions have a rich history, but we’ve only recently begun to trace this history explicitly. This talk will focus on the history of emotions–how emotions change over time and vary from society to society; on what some of the major findings are to date; on “big theories” like the civilizing process or modernization and finally on how and why the history of emotions has become so popular. The concluding section of the talk will discuss the logical next steps in the field and why it’s desirable for non-specialists to have some idea of what the history of emotions is all about.
Peter N. Stearns is Provost, Executive Vice President and University Professor at George Mason. Author or editor of 120 books, he has published widely in modern social history, including the history of emotions, and in world history. Representative recent or forthcoming works include: Satisfaction Not Guaranteed: Dilemmas of Progress in Modern Society; Doing Emotions History and Demilitarization in Contemporary World History.

981 Emotions in History

Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2:15–3:40
Loudoun
Videoconference from Tallwood
Instructor: Peter N. Stearns
This is a videoconference of Special Event 980.

982 Family History Basics: Get Started!

Friday, Nov. 1, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Manuel Pablo
Brian Goldsmith has been actively diving into his family history for about eight years, since his grandfather came to live close to his family in Fairfax. The “stuff” from his move uncovered unknown and interesting stories! Although his uncle is the real “family genealogist,” Brian appreciates the role of “family historian” and has learned how to uncover and share stories, making the process of family history rewarding and valuable. Brian has documented some of his findings in a book he published, American Goldsmith, which he then circulated to his 23 closest related families. He also created a tool called Family Passport, a simple booklet that helps to organize the structure of forebears, which helps when relations get complicated to understand or remember. Brian will talk about his personal journey and then give some pointers about how you can get started in researching and displaying your family history.

983 Books! Books! Books!

Monday, Nov. 4, 11:50–1:15
Loudoun
Coordinators: Sigrid Blalock                         703-723-6825
                         Kathleen McNamara              703-999-0348
Class limit: 15
Attention: avid readers. What are you reading? Participants should be prepared to give a brief synopsis of the books they are reading, including title, author, date of publication and critique of content. Join this new discussion group to share your current reading choices and learn what’s new in fiction and nonfiction.

984 The Life and Times of William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody

Friday, May 17, 10:00–1:00

Church of the Good Shepherd

Coordinators: Kathie West, Wendy Campbell

Come and enjoy another OLLI Players spine-tingling Brunch Murder Mystery. Dine with us and help solve another mystery involving nefarious characters. A portion of the $25 charge, payable to OLLI at registration, will be used for enhancements to OLLI facilities under the direction of the Member Services Committee.

985 Martha Jefferson Randolph: A Woman Making History

Friday, Nov. 8, 1:00–2:30
Tallwood
Coordinator: Florence Adler
Daughter of a president, wife of a governor, and mother of 12, Martha Jefferson Randolph had a famously “perfect temper” and read and spoke four languages. She also helped shape her father’s public image in Washington and beyond, and struggled as a debt-ridden plantation mistress in post-revolutionary Virginia.
Cynthia A. Kierner is a professor of history at George Mason, where she teaches early American and women’s history. She will be discussing her latest book Martha Jefferson Randolph, Daughter of Monticello: Her Life and Times (University of North Carolina Press) which examines the early years of America through the life of Thomas Jefferson’s eldest daughter. Dr. Kierner was one of four finalists for this year’s $50,000 George Washington Book Prize, given annually to a work of literature honoring America’s founding era.

986 Taste and Terroir in Loudoun County

Thursday, Sept. 12, 9:30–5:00
Carpool
Coordinator: Eric Henderson
Tour limit: 25
Terroir is defined as the “environmental conditions in which grapes are grown that give a wine its unique flavor and aroma.” The group’s first stop will be at scenic Doukenie Winery, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge not far from Purcellville. Doukenie staff naturalist Leanne Wiberg will lead a geology tour of the winery and talk about how the rocks and soil of the Blue Ridge region affect wine produced there. We’ll have lunch at Grandale Farm Restaurant, located on a historic operating farm and featuring local ingredients. In a charming dining room, we’ll enjoy soup or salad, a choice of entrée, dessert, coffee and hot or iced tea. Please arrive at OLLI’s Loudoun site no later than 9:30. We will form carpools there. The fee of $55, payable to OLLI at time of registration, includes winery fees, lunch and taxes. Further details and driving directions will be emailed after confirmation of registration.

987 Tour of the Marian DuPont Scott Equine Medical Center

Friday, Sept. 20, 10:30–12:00
Carpool
Coordinator: Mary Coyne
Tour limit: 50
The group will meet at the Virginia Tech Equine Medical Center at Morven Park (17690 Old Waterford Road, Leesburg VA 20176) to begin the tour at 10:30. We will split up into two groups to tour the facility, which specializes in veterinary services for all breeds of horses. We will see various areas, including emergency and critical care, diagnostic imaging, surgery and internal medicine and reproductive medicine. Members may wish to lunch on their own in one of Leesburg’s fine restaurants. Directions and a roster will be emailed to registrants so that those who wish to carpool can contact one another.

988 Let’s Go to the Zoo!

Friday, Oct. 4, 9:00–3:00
Bus Trip
Coordinators: Florence Adler                            703-455-6658
                        Joan Axilbund                             703-938-6382
Event limit: 20
What do you know about breeding corals? Have you ever seen an octopus being fed? Have you visited with bear cubs? Hopefully these questions will be answered in an outing to the National Zoo. Our first visit will be to the Invertebrate House, a “hidden treasure” at the zoo where we will explore the complex and fascinating world of corals, invertebrate organisms and underwater animals which include sea stars, an octopus, nautilus and cuttlefish. Joan Axilbund, an OLLI member and volunteer at the Zoo, will be our guide. Be aware that this trip entails extensive walking, much of which will be on hilly terrain, so wear comfortable shoes and bring water with you. It is recommended that you bring your own lunch, although snack shops, food carts and vending machines are found throughout the park. A map of the zoo is available at http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Visit/zoomap.cfm . Be at the bus at 8:45; the bus will leave promptly at 9:00 from Fair Oaks Mall, Parking Lot No. 44, which is outside the circular road across from the Macy’s closest to Sears. The fee of $39 payable to OLLI at the time of registration includes bus fare and the driver gratuity.

989 Waterford Homes Tour and Crafts Exhibit

Friday, Oct. 4, 9:30–3:00
Bus tour from Loudoun
Coordinator: Mary Coyne
Tour limit: 30
The Waterford Fair is the oldest juried crafts fair in Virginia and offers music and dance, reenactments, demonstrations of traditional American crafts by 155 renowned artisans, plus the popular tour of private historic homes. Food vendors and wine tastings are available on the grounds. The bus will leave promptly from the Loudoun OLLI site at 9:30 and will return by 3:00. Please be at the Loudoun OLLI site no later than 9:15. The fee of $40, payable to OLLI at the time of registration, includes tickets to the fair, bus fare and the driver gratuity.

990 Six Characters in Search of an  Author

Saturday, Oct. 5, 2:00
George Mason University’s TheaterSpace
Coordinator: Florence Adler                              703-455-6658
Luigi Pirandello was an Italian dramatist, novelist, poet and short story writer. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for his “bold and brilliant renovation of the drama and the stage.” Six Characters in Search of an Author, directed by Alex Henneberger and performed by the Mason Players as part of the School of Theater’s Studio Series, is Pirandello’s absurdist, meta-theatrical play about the relationship between authors, their characters and theater practitioners. An acting company prepares to rehearse a play by Pirandello. As the rehearsal is about to begin, the play is unexpectedly interrupted by the arrival of six strange people. The director of the play, furious at the interruption, demands an explanation. They explain that they are unfinished characters in search of an author to finish their story and as they begin to reveal details of their story he begins to listen. Tickets are $10 payable to OLLI at the time of registration. .

991 A Trip to Harpers Ferry:  “As Helpless as Rats in a Cage”

Friday, Oct. 11, 8:30–5:30
Bus Trip
Coordinators: Florence Adler                          703-455-6658
                        Michael T. Kelly
Event limit: 53
A Union soldier feeling as if he were a caged rat perfectly captured the mindset shared by more than 12,000 Federals besieged at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, during General Robert E. Lee’s 1862 Maryland Campaign. The site of both John Brown’s infamous 1859 raid, and the Civil War’s largest mass surrender of U.S. troops, Harpers Ferry also remains connected to numerous historic events and personalities. Revered by Thomas Jefferson for the beauty of its natural setting, the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers also received recognition by George Washington and others as being ideally suited for industrial and military purposes. Harpers Ferry stood at the center of vital communication and supply routes. Its proximity to all the important Shenandoah Valley agricultural resources guaranteed its importance during the Civil War. Created a National Monument in 1944 and later designated a National Historical Park, Harpers Ferry is a unit of the National Park Service which preserves and interprets the region’s many layers of history. We will spend the day exploring sites in the town, along the rivers and on the nearby battlefield. Please wear appropriate footwear for walking and bring foul-weather gear for the anticipated Kelly/Adler weather jinx. There are few convenient eating options, so pack a lunch for a picnic in the field and consider packing a light snack such as trail mix for use throughout the day. We will provide maps before arrival at the park. The bus will leave promptly at 8:30 from Fair Oaks Mall Parking Lot No. 44, which is outside the circular road across from Macy’s closest to Sears. Please be at the bus no later than 8:15. The fee of $27, payable to OLLI at the time of registration, includes bus fare and driver gratuity.

992 Fun Game Day to Benefit Friends of OLLI (FOLLI)

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1:00–4:30
Note time and location
Gainesville (easy access off Routes 66 to 29)
Carpool
Coordinators/Hosts: Suzanne and Evan Brooks
Event limit: 30
Join us for lots of fun and to benefit Friends of OLLI (FOLLI) during an enjoyable afternoon Game Day with all sorts of new games to learn and old games to challenge you. Delicious appetizers and beverages will be provided. Play our games or bring your own. Games available for players: mah jongg, bridge, backgammon, cards, Risk, Scrabble, Diplomacy, Waterworks, Taboo, Yahtzee, puzzles, Wings of War, Last Night on Earth (humans attempt to survive being killed by Zombies), Age of Steam (rail construction and cut throat economics), Conflict of Heroes: Storms of Steel, Kursk 1943 (War game of tactical combat on Eastern Front) and more. There will be a fee of $20, payable to OLLI at time of registration, with all monies going to FOLLI as a donation. Directions and a registration roster will be emailed so that those who wish to carpool can contact one another.

993 A Lesson at Glenfiddich Farm Cookery School

Friday, Oct. 18, 10:30–2:00
Carpool
Coordinator: Mary Coyne
Event limit: 16
We will return to the beautiful 1840s farm home of Olwen Woodier, the well-known cookbook author and food writer, for a hands-on and demonstration class featuring a four or five course lunch of seasonal specialties. And then we will enjoy the delicious results! Glenfiddich Farm Cookery School is located at 17642 Canby Road, Leesburg (703-771-3056). There will be a fee of $55 payable to OLLI at the time of registration.

994 Geology Hike in Great Falls Park

Friday, Oct. 18, 10:00–3:00
Carpool
Coordinator: Florence Adler                              703-455-6658
Event limit: 20
Dr. Barbara Frank, aka “Doc Rock,” invites us to join her on a hike, starting at the Visitors Center at Riverbend Park at 10:00. We will follow the trail along the Potomac River into Great Falls Park. There, the Potomac River, separating Maryland and Virginia, drops 78 feet in a magnificent waterfall. The park has many features indicative of present-day erosion, especially well-developed potholes and balanced rocks. The exposed metamorphic and igneous bedrock reveals a history of mountain-building from 500-225 million years ago, produced by the collision of the African and North American plates. Please bring a picnic lunch which we will eat in Great Falls Park before we hike the trail described in her children’s book The Pothole Mystery and the Secret of Balanced Rocks at Great Falls Park. We will carpool to Riverbend Park. Plan to arrive no later than 9:45, as the hike will begin promptly at 10:00. Directions and a registration roster will be emailed so that those who wish to carpool can contact one another. 
Dr. Barbara Frank is a former geology professor at the University of Maryland in Munich, Germany. She taught geology and environmental science for 15 years and led geology study tours throughout Europe.

995 The Merchant

Saturday, Oct. 26, 2:00
George Mason’s Harris Theatre
Coordinator: Florence Adler                           703-455-6658
In The Merchant, Titus Maccius Plautus spins a simple father and son rivalry over the same woman into a glorious web of confusion into a raucous romp. Plautus, born about 254 BCE in Umbria, went to Rome, engaged in work connected with the stage, lost his money in commerce, turned to writing plays and now is considered to be among the best known writers of ancient Roman comedy. The play, part of the Mainstage Series, is performed by the Mason Players and directed by Edward Gero, associate professor of theater at George Mason since 1991, and 14-time nominee and four-time recipient of the prestigious Helen Hayes Award for his work in Shakespeare and contemporary and musical theater. Tickets are $15, payable to OLLI at the time of registration.

Ongoing Activities

Book Club

Wednesdays, Sept. 11, Nov. 13, Dec. 11, 10:00–11:30

Oct. 9, 1:30-3:00

Tallwood

Coordinator: Ceda McGrew                            703-323-9671

On September 11we plan to discuss The Presidents Club by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy. The October 9 selection will be Wild by Cheryl Strayed, followed on November 13 by Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. On December 11 we will discuss The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe. All OLLI members are welcome.

Bridge Club

Wednesdays

Sept.4-20−Sept. 11, Nov. 13–Nov. 20, Dec. 4–Dec. 18, 10:00–12:00

Sept. 18-Nov. 6, 1:45-3:45

Tallwood

Coordinators: Susanne Zumbro                     703-569-2750

Gordon Canyock                703-425-4607

Drop in and enjoy the friendly atmosphere of “party bridge.” Bridge meets on Wednesdays in the afternoons when classes are in session and in the mornings when classes are not in session. Skill levels vary from advanced beginner to aspiring expert. Partnerships are rotated every four hands.

Classic Fiction Book Club

Fourth Fridays

Sept. 27. Oct. 25, Nov. 22

Loudoun, Room 205

Coordinator:  Sigrid Blalock                            703-723-6825

The book selection for September 27 is Doctor Faustus by Thomas Mann, and the selection for October 25 is A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh. On November 22 the book selection is The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan. The Classic Fiction Book Club welcomes new members.

Cooking Club

Monthly dates to be determined

Tallwood

Coordinators: Debbie Halverson

This is a club for OLLI members who enjoy preparing food and sharing hands-on, homemade dishes in a small-group setting during the day, sometimes in members’ homes and other times at Tallwood or alternative sites. We often have a theme for our meetings, but our format is flexible. We also participate in other food-related events, such as ethnic cooking demonstrations, restaurant outings and grocery store presentations. If these activities appeal to you, please contact Debbie at debbyhalv@aol.com for more information. All OLLI members are welcome.

Craft and Conversation Group

Weekly

Day/time to be determined

Tallwood

Coordinators: Doris Bloch                        703-591-3344

  Pam Cooper-Smuzynski 703-455-2716

The meeting schedule is flexible but we plan to meet weekly to work on our craft projects and to share product sources, expertise and inspiration. The date, time and place of our meetings can be found in the OLLI Ongoing Events Calendar for the week. We cordially invite any interested OLLI members to drop in and see what we are creating. For further information, contact Doris Bloch at dbloch50@hotmail.com or Pam Cooper-Smuzynski at pamcs2@verizon.net.

History Club

First Wednesdays 

Oct.2, Nov. 6, 2:15–3:40

Dec. 4, 10:00–11:30

Tallwood

Coordinator: Beth Lambert                                703-620-9367

The club welcomes OLLI members who are interested in discussing historical events and sharing reviews of articles, books or interesting topics. The club maintains a list of books that members have found worthwhile, which can be viewed at www.olli.gmu.edu/historyclubbooklist.pdf. If you would like to receive email notification of upcoming History Club meetings, contact elizabethlambert7@gmail.com.

Homer, etc.

Fridays

Aug. 2, Aug. 23–Oct. 25, Nov. 8–Nov. 22, Dec. 6–Dec. 13  11:00–12:30

Tallwood

Coordinator: Jan Bohall                                 703–273–1146

We get together to read and talk about traditional and contemporary classics. We’ve recently read the first volume of Sigrid Undset’s trilogy, Kristin Lavransdatter: The Wreath, and are now reading the second, The Wife, in a new translation. Drop in at the Tallwood Annex any Friday morning—new members are always welcome. For more information email the coordinator at jbohall@verizon.net.

Knitting and Needlework Club

Tuesdays

Aug. 6–Dec. 17, 10:00

Reston

Coordinator: Sheila Gold                                 703-860-8798

Do you love to knit, crochet or needlepoint? Do you want to learn? We welcome both beginners and more advanced needle workers. There is always someone who is happy to teach the new student. Come and join us on Tuesday mornings at the Lake Anne Coffee Shop in Reston. For more information please contact Sheila at sheila.gold@verizon.net.

Mah Jongg Club

First and Third Wednesdays

Sept. 4, Nov. 20, Dec. 4, Dec. 18, 10:00

Sept. 18, Oct. 2, Oct. 16, Nov. 6, 1:30

Tallwood

Coordinator: Liz Bateman

We welcome all members who want to learn the game of Mah Jongg, or already know how to play. Stretch your mind and have fun with a game that is (maybe) easier than bridge, but definitely challenging! For more contact information, contact Liz at concordiaeb@verizon.net.

Memoir Writing Group

Weekly

Tallwood

Coordinator: Betty Smith

We meet, usually Wednesday, except during the fall and spring terms when the Memoir Writing class is in session. We bring copies of our writing and gently discuss each other’s work. Our main purpose is memoir but we include fiction, poetry and personal essay. We're a small group, mostly students from Dianne Hennessy King’s Memoir Writing class. If you're interested please contact Betty for information. 

Personal Computer User Group

Third Saturdays

Aug. 17, Sept. 21, Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec. 14, 1:00–3:30

Tallwood

Coordinator: Paul Howard phoward@gmu.edu

We focus on Windows® computers, tablets, handheld devices, digital photography, related technology, Linux and Android operating systems and Open Source software, in partnership with PATACS (Potomac Area Technology and Computer Society). Our aim is to bring broad subject matter expertise to both groups. Our target audience encompasses beginners to intermediate amateurs and our methodology is “users helping users.” Club dues of $5 are payable at the first meeting attended in each calendar year. More details are available on the group’s website, www.olligmu.org/~opcug.

Photography Club

Second Fridays

Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8, Dec. 13, 9:30-11:30

Tallwood

Coordinator: Ed Parker                                   

Meet with others interested in photography. Develop skills by participating in the monthly theme photo submissions. Be informed, and perhaps inspired, by expert speakers. The Photography Club welcomes all members, whether they use a basic camera or specialized equipment and whether or not they are new to photography or have had years of experience. We discuss technical aspects of photography as well as the artistic aspects of visual design. Contact Ed at parkcom1874@verizon.net for further information.

Recorder Consort

Fridays

Aug. 2, Aug. 23-Oct. 25, Nov. 8-Nov. 22, Dec. 6-Dec. 13, 9:00-11:30

Tallwood

Coordinator: Kathy Wilson                             703-635-8738

If you have been a part of the Consort or have previously played the recorder and would like to expand your abilities, join us on Fridays. There will be some on- and off-campus performances and music may need to be purchased. If you are interested in learning to play the recorder, contact Kathy.

The Tom Crooker Investment Forum

Wednesdays     

Aug. 21-Sept.11, Nov. 13-Nov. 20, Dec. 4-Dec. 18, 10-30-12:00

Tallwood

Moderator: Al Smuzynski

See course F203 for activity description.

Travel Club

Fourth Fridays

Sept. 27, 9:00

Oct. 25, 9:30

Tallwood

Coordinator: Shelly Gersten                           703-385-2638

The club welcomes any and all who are interested in domestic or international travel. OLLI members have a vast wealth of experience in both traveling and living in other parts of the United States and the world. Come share your experiences and learn from others. We also try to identify common interests so that members can plan to travel together. In addition, we plan trips where we carpool to a variety of sites in the area (within a   60–90 minute drive). These include historic homes, museums, etc.

Walking Group

Weekly

Tallwood/Pool Parking Lot

Coordinators: Doris Bloch                      703-591-3344

                            Sherry Hart                               703-978-0848

When OLLI is in session, the Walking Group at Tallwood meets one morning a week, generally an hour before the first morning class. We gather in the pool parking lot and walk for about 45 minutes, arriving back at Tallwood in time for the start of classes. All levels of walking ability and speed are accommodated—our goal is camaraderie as well as exercise. We set the day of the week for our walks during the first week of the term, based on which day is most convenient for the majority of participants. Between terms we continue to walk on a weekly basis, but for longer distances and at more varied locations. Contact Sherry Hart at harts66@hotmail.com or Doris Bloch at dbloch50@hotmail.com for more information.

What’s in the Daily News? Continued

Mondays

Aug. 19–Sept. 9, Nov. 11–Nov. 18, Dec. 2–Dec. 16, 10:00–11:30

Tallwood

Facilitator: Don Allen                                       703-830-3060

This is a continuation of What’s in the Daily News? for news junkies who can’t wait for the next term to express their opinions and discuss current events. It’s a small group and the facilitator expects it to be self-moderating.

(Updated July, 2013)

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