LLL Contact Information
Patricia Ingalls
Website: www.lifelonglearningatpc.org
Email: [email protected]
LLL Center hours: Closed until further notice
Programming biological cells
Bill Nee
The cells in our bodies are like computer software; they’re “programmed” to carry out specific functions at specific times. If we could better understand that process, we could unlock the ability to reprogram cells ourselves, says computational biologist Sara-Jane Dunn.
Her team is studying embryonic stem cells to gain new understanding of the biological programs that power life. With that knowledge, the team hopes to develop “living software” that could transform medicine, agriculture, and energy. She points out that encoding genetic interactions and creating computational biology come with important bioethical responsibility. This TED presentation shares the cutting edge of biology’s future.
To view this 14.5-minute talk, go to TED.com, click “watch” in the header, then “TED Talks,” then in “Search talks” input “The next software revolution: programming biological cells,” scroll a little lower, and click on the talk you selected.
Hear updates on Goodyear’s new, 30-acre Recreation Campus when Deanna Ortiz, the city’s recreation superintendent, kicks off LLL’s new Summer Lunch and Learn program Wednesday, Aug. 4.
Registration Open for Summer Lunch and Learn
Patricia Ingalls
PebbleCreek residents are taking advantage of LifeLong Learning’s newest, free opportunity to learn and engage, called Summer Lunch and Learn. The four-part program invites registered participants to bring their own lunches to the LLL Center, where they eat together for 15 minutes, followed by a 45-minute, in-person presentation, enhanced by slides, videos, and samples. For those who prefer remote interaction, using Zoom enables a larger audience, at home or far away, to participate.
Register for Summer Lunch and Learn by emailing [email protected] or by texting 303-917-2273. Include which program(s) you want to attend and, for each, whether you plan on participating in person or remotely using Zoom. The LLL Center’s classroom space limits in-person attendance to 20. (Note that the text number is not monitored for calls or voicemail.)
The four topics, all presented on Wednesdays, are:
Aug. 4: “The Latest and Greatest in Goodyear” by Deanna Ortiz, recreation superintendent for the city of Goodyear. Hear updates on the city’s new, 30-acre Recreation Campus (which opened in July) and the city’s new Civic Square at GSQ (opening next summer). Learn how all Goodyear citizens can expect to use the new facilities and what that means for PebbleCreek citizens in particular.
Aug. 11: “Getting Started With Genealogy” by Denise Beeson, an educator who teaches seminars nationwide. Hear an overview of the benefits of knowing more about your ancestry. Discover different resources available—free to the general public, as well as private, paid-for services. Learn where to start, or where to look further, to expand your search for your family origins.
Sept. 1: “Creative Arts in PebbleCreek” by Cheryl Neel, a PebbleCreek resident who has experience with all PebbleCreek’s arts clubs housed in the Creative Arts Center. While seated, take this “guided tour” of the depth and type of art involvement offered in each discipline, see samples of members’ creations, plus each club’s website, detailing how to access various upcoming classes and events. Absorb a little history of the Creative Arts Center, as well as how Expressions Gallery and Gift Shop operates.
Sept. 15: “Performing Arts in PebbleCreek” by Laurie Farquhar, a former TV pro, who has directed productions for PC Players (which produces stage plays) and for Showtime (musical theatre.) Learn how these clubs put on about four shows annually in PebbleCreek’s Renaissance Theater—from sourcing and show selection, to assigning directors and support staff, preparing scripting/staging/music, casting, rehearsals, coordinating with sound and lighting technicians, and rehearsals from day one through hell week.
Mark Randol, a Federal Aviation Administration manager during the 9/11 attacks, will lecture Sept. 10 on ramifications that have occurred during the subsequent two decades.
Premier Lectures Resume with Legacy of 9/11
Patricia Ingalls
Lifelong Learning kicks off its 2021-22 Premier Lecture Series with an insider’s insights on the world’s deadliest terrorist attack, known as 9/11, and the ramifications of its aftermath. The in-person lecture will take place on Friday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in PebbleCreek’s Renaissance Theater.
Twenty years ago, on Sept. 11, nearly 3,000 people perished in the multi-pronged 9/11 attack. In the space of 102 minutes, two hijacked commercial airliners struck the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, another the Defense Department’s headquarters at the Pentagon in northern Virginia, and a fourth crashed into the ground at full speed outside Shanksville, Pa.
After 9/11, the United States went to war against the Taliban in Afghanistan—the longest war in U.S. history. An invasion of Iraq soon followed, resulting in the overthrow of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship. A brutal, jihadist, terrorist campaign ensued, engulfing the Middle East and striking as far away as Europe and the U.S.
In response, the U.S. government completed the largest restructuring of its national security apparatus since World War II. A new cabinet department responsible for homeland security was created, incorporating 22 separate federal agencies and one new one—the Transportation Security Administration, which is now in charge of securing American transportation, including civil aviation. Billions of dollars have been spent on the homeland security enterprise. Congress has expanded the government’s investigative and intelligence collection authorities, sparking controversy for some, in an effort to prevent or disrupt terrorist plotting. The overall effort to counter jihadist terrorism has been strong, but imperfect.
Premier lecturer Mark Randol, who worked as a civil aviation security field office manager for the Federal Aviation Administration on Sept. 11, 2001, had a unique vantage point of the dramatic events on that day. Randol will provide a brief overview of the attacks, including some little-known facts and statistics. In addition, he will summarize the U.S. government’s response, covering three past presidential administrations, and conclude with observations about how the attacks have profoundly changed America.
Tickets to all Premier Lectures cost $15 per person and can be purchased online at www.lifelonglearningatpc.org beginning Aug. 2. Tickets also may be purchased in the lobby of the theater one hour prior to each lecture, subject to availability.