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You were named as trustee or power of attorney by a friend or relative. Now what? Those named to take care of the affairs of others after death or incapacity are often in the dark about their responsibilities when the time comes. This can lead to anxiety, confusion, and costly mistakes. Join us with your children at this one-of-a-kind school. This is serious education for those who are serious about this important topic. Graduates will learn when to act, what to do as a fiduciary or agent, and how to do it.
Format: 70% Lecture, 30% Interactive discussion
California and the southwest United States became U.S. territory following the Mexican War, or as some Mexicans refer to it, the “war where you stole our country.” The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo cost Mexico over half of its territory, while transforming the United States into a bicoastal country. Was it a war justified by “manifest destiny” and Mexican transgressions or was it essentially a land grab? Professor Blaine Davies explores the causes, the battles, and the aftermath of the Mexican War, including the Battle of San Pasqual, the biggest battle of the Mexican War fought in California.
Format: 95% Lecture, 5% Interactive discussion
View six TED talks on our complicated relationship with animals — how we love them (sometimes as a family member) but also fear, hunt, and eat them. Through facilitated discussions between each talk, we’ll examine our mixed feelings about the animals around us, why we care more for one species over another, and what animals can teach us about being human. TED Talks offer an amazing journey through fascinating ideas, and new ways to think and create, presented by the world’s most remarkable minds.
Format: 40% Interactive discussion, 60% Watch TED Talks
In this exploration of Alexander the Great’s life, we will examine critical points in his career to try to understand this celebrated yet enigmatic figure. Learn how to analyze contradictory and incomplete information, and how to approach the concept of “greatness” in a person. You will have the opportunity to construct your own view of Alexander and his accomplishments, to answer the title question.
Format: 65% Lecture, 35% Interactive discussion
Politics is a favorite subject of movies, but movies, in turn, affect how we view politics. In some cases, they even drive events. In 1998, while facing impeachment, President Clinton contemplated a strike on Al Qaeda. At the time, the movie Wag the Dog — about a scandal-ridden president who starts a war to detract attention — was in theaters. As a result, his missile strikes in Afghanistan were criticized as “wag the dog.” We’ll analyze movies based on the politics of the time, and what they tell us about civic affairs and ourselves. Bring popcorn and your thinking cap!
Format: 35% Interactive discussion, 65% Film viewings
Research confirms what we already know intuitively — strong relationships are the key to healthy aging. Whether married or single, with or without children, surrounded by a large social network or just a few friends, how we connect with others as we transition into this new phase of our lives will play a major role in the well-being of our bodies and minds. This is an ideal time to ask courageous questions about our current relationships. Learn how to assess them, let go of draining ones, and cultivate positive ones. Leave with a vision and plan for creating nourishing, loving connections.
Format: 50% Lecture, 30% Interactive discussion, 20% Hands-on activity
If we assume ethics and research have always gone hand-in-hand, history suggests otherwise. We’ll look at the Stanford Prison Experiment and the Milgram Authority Experiment, which helped us learn more about the human psyche but had unexpected and disastrous consequences for those involved. We’ll discuss the importance of ethics in research; how research is responsibly designed, conducted, and translated to the public; and how researchers are continually trying to improve their ethical standards while still gaining a better understanding of human behavior.
Format: 65% Lecture, 35% Interactive discussion
Explore the tremendous growth and change that characterized the early 20th century, stimulating an abundance of unorthodox reformers who challenged the conventions of western art. We’ll look at the emotional extremes of Matisse and Picasso, the varied works of the German Expressionists, the order and control of Cubism and its influence on Mondrian, and the powerful female assertiveness in the works of Kathe Kollwitz and Gabriele Münter. We’ll also look at the uproar caused by the 1913 New York Armory Show as the United States emerged into the modern era.
Format: 70% Lecture, 20% Interactive discussion, 10% Hands-on activity
Have you ever noticed the statue of Kate O. Sessions in Balboa Park? She is locally known as “the Mother of Balboa Park,” but this pioneering businesswoman was internationally famous. Learn how this small-town nursery owner and garden designer became the only woman in 60 years to win a Meyer Medal for horticultural achievement. Also meet a cast of leading horticulturalists with whom Sessions networked. This course is based on a lecture that was presented at the Huntington Library in San Marino, and includes new research on Sessions.
Format: 90% Lecture, 10% Interactive discussion
Apply brain-twisting Talmudic reasoning to solve real-life modern dilemmas — situations that actually happened yet seem impossible to solve. Is it ever acceptable to take the law into your own hands? If you unscrewed the winning soda cap while dining at a friend’s house, who has the right to claim the prize? Should Pokémon Go programmers be liable for damages incurred by the actions of private gamers? With these and many more examples, this course is a mental expedition of choosing between two reasonable truths.
Format: 50% Lecture, 50% Interactive discussion