19017 - Free OLLI Member Events

Were you this child?  Why do we hang stockings on Christmas Eve?  Why is there a ginormous apple – and an orange – in my stocking taking up space where there should be toys?  Would Santa really put coal in my stocking? Why? IS THERE REALLY A SANTA CLAUS? Are you this adult? Who thought of putting a tree in the house where it can shed on the carpet? Am I irreverent if I write “Xmas”? Should I leave milk with the cookies, or would he prefer a bottle of Coke? Join us for an exploration of the plum pudding that is Christmas and its customs – religious, secular, and even “pagan.” And, yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. Who the heck is Virginia?

You'll learn about AI and see an overview of its practical, day-to-day uses. Trish will explain how it has evolved; different types of AI from machine learning and deep learning to natural language processing; what it can do and what it cannot, and how AI impacts various industries. You'll also hear the concerns and dangers of this groundbreaking, rapidly-growing technology.

End of life options in New Mexico include a wide range of choices now, from continuing with all kinds of treatments to a conscious decision to find a peaceful death, including the use of Medical Aid in Dying. This presentation will discuss all of them with an emphasis on important aspects of the Elizabeth Whitefield End-of-Life Options Act passed which has been in effect for nearly four years.

The Vikings(from Old Norse Vikings) were the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late eighth to the mid-eleventh century. These Norsemen used their famed long ships to travel as far east as Constantinople and the Volga River in Russia, and as far west as Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland, and as far south as Al-Andalus (most of modern day Spain and Portugal). This period of Viking expansion – known as the Viking Age– forms a major part of the medieval history of Scandinavia, Great Britain, France and the rest of Europe. The connection between certain New Mexican families and the Vikings will be explored. A short film that will trace the history of these people will be shown. We will also discuss which families show the markers that are most identified with this ancient civilization.

Talking, or even thinking, about end-of-life decisions can be difficult and emotional. However, the more we know, the better we can plan for what we want. Having a plan and sharing it with loved ones is vital if we can no longer express our wishes. This discussion is an overview of Advance Healthcare Directives, why they are important, who should have them and what are the components, along with resources to help determine a person’s choices.

When history is taught, the 15 million military deaths in World War II center around the same events: Pearl Harbor, D-Day, Battle of the Bulge. But there are so many deaths that history has obscured. What of the USS Indianapolis carrying atomic bomb parts to the western Pacific for the attack on Japan? To divert attention from her mission, she was to return to the Philippines under radio silence without escort. Hit by two Japanese torpedoes the Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes. Nine hundred men escaped only to find themselves surrounded by sharks. Due to the secrecy of her mission, the rest of the Navy did not know the Indianapolis was missing for three days. Hundreds of these sailors were eaten by sharks. What of the Bevin Boys who were coal miners in England? The need for coal was so desperate that young men were forced conscripted into the mines. Although the war ended in 1945, they would not be released from indentureship until 1948. Or what of black sailors loading munitions into a cargo ship in San Francisco when 5,000 tons detonated? In a racist double standard, those who survived were blamed for the explosion and denied honorable discharges. Join us for a class on the World War II events seldom covered in history classes.

The Golden Age of Cartoons is generally said to stretch from about 1935-1955, produced by at least half a dozen major studios including Disney, MGM, Warner Brothers, Terrytoons and Walter Lantz. We’ll look at and discuss the best example from each studio and examine some of the ingenious minds behind this uniquely American art form and how it reflected the culture of the time.