Actress Mary Badham
Dr. Sam Foote
January lectures
Veterans, movie buffs, people who have trouble sleeping and those intrigued by Cold War mysteries will want to mark their calendars for the two Monday Morning and two Premier lectures in January.
Tickets to all Monday Morning Lectures are $4 per person at the door. Tickets to Friday Premier Lectures are $15 at the door or in advance online. See www.lifelonglearningatpc.org
Friday, January 8, 7:00 p.m.
“I always called him Atticus,” actress Mary Badham said, “and he still called me Scout right up to the end.” Badham, who played Scout in the film To Kill a Mockingbird, was talking, of course, about Gregory Peck who remained a close friend and guide to Badham until he died in 2003.
Badham also developed a strong friendship with Harper Lee, author of the novel that is the source of the film. Now that a second book by Lee, Go Set a Watchman, has been published, she says the lessons about tolerance, racism, ignorance and family that are central to the book are more important than ever.
Monday, January 11, 10:00 a.m.
Imagine learning when you’re a grown man that your father’s been lying to you since you were a kid about what he did when he wasn’t at home?
John Clauson grew up thinking his father was an IBM salesman. Clauson was in his 30’s and his father was dying when he learned the truth; his father was a mathematician and mechanical savant for the Department of Defense, charged with ensuring that our arsenal of nuclear missiles hit their targets.
As Clauson journeyed to discover the clandestine life and career of his father he learned much about the Cold War and how dangerous it really was.
Friday, January 22, 7:00 p.m.
Sam Foote, MD, blew wide open the scandal that had patients dying while waiting for care while administrators earned bonuses for their performances at the Phoenix Veterans’ Administration Hospital. Dr. Foote was the director of the outpatient clinic and had tried to solve the problem through the VA inspector general. When nothing changed, he finally resorted to blowing the whistle, including speaking to the Arizona Republic reporter who won a George Polk award for his coverage of the story. Those looking to expose and blow the whistle on an issue they believe needs to be brought to the attention of the public due to its illegal nature may wish to reach out to a whistleblower lawyer, like on the DhillionLaw.com website. Navigating the rocky waters of shining a light on the unethical activities of employers or an organization can be difficult but, with proper legal assistance, may be made easier and less stressful.
Unfortunately, the problems at the VA system are far from over. Dr. Foote will provide the background of the events and an update on what has happened since the story broke more than a year ago.
Monday, January 25, 10:00 a.m.
If you have trouble sleeping, you’ll want to be sure to set your alarm to hear what Dr. Carol Baldwin can teach you about sleep disorders and how to overcome them. The director of the Center for World Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and a retired ASU professor, Baldwin will also explain how sleep disorders can negatively affect our personal health, our work performance and our relationships. Several sleep disorders are now associated with heart disease, diabetes, obesity, mood disorders and some cancers.
What’s happening in January
Monday Morning Lectures begin at 10:00 a.m. and are $4 at the door. Premier Lectures are $15 at the door or in advance online.
Please note: Registration is required for all classes and trips. If an event is sold out please join the wait list, as openings often become available and will be filled in order of registration.
For more information about these events, please visit www.lifelonglearningatpc.org.
January 4: Genealogy class, Session 1, 2:00 p.m. Sold out
January 5: Artisan Bread I, 10:00 a.m.
January 8: Premier Lecture with actress Mary Badham; Scout in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird
January 11: Monday Morning Lecture with John Clauson, Fighting the Cold War Undercover
Genealogy class, Session 2, 2:00 p.m.
January 12: Artisan Bread 2, 10:00 a.m.; sold out
January 14: Opera Class, 10:30 a.m.; sold out
January 16: Gardening Class, Session 1
January 18: Martin Luther King celebration with Just Folks
Genealogy class, Session 3, 2:00 p.m.
January 19: Artisan Bread 3, 10:00 a.m.
January 20: Art Appreciation, The Americans
January 21: TED Talks, 2:00 p.m.
January 22: Trip to the Phoenix Symphony; sold out
Premier Lecture: Dr. Sam Foote, VA Whistleblower
January 25: Monday Morning Lecture, Sleep Disorders with Dr. Carol Baldwin
Great Decisions 1, 4:00 p.m.
Great Decisions 2 and 2a, 6:15 p.m.
January 26: Great Decisions 3, 4:00 p.m.
January 27: Trip to the Heard Museum, 9:30 a.m.
January 28: The Cinema Society of PebbleCreek, 10:00 a.m. Membership required
January 29: Great Decisions 4, 9:30 a.m.
January 30: Gardening, Session 2
New program for the new year
LifeLong Learning at PebbleCreek is dedicated to expanding the educational opportunities for residents and so we are very excited about TED Talks, our newest program.
We know from the continued popularity of the Great Decisions classes, which feature lively but respectful discussion about topics that affect the world that residents are eager to share ideas and learn from each other without bombast, accusations, belittlement and demagoguery.
We’re also aware, however, that not everyone wants to commit to an eight-week course that involves preparation at home. Hence the beauty of the format for TED Talks.
What will TED Talks be? A two hour, small group discussion about topics presented in one or two TED videos. The videos are being selected from the thousands that are available online at www.ted.com/talks. As a start, sessions are scheduled for Thursday afternoons from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The first of four monthly sessions is Thursday, January 21.
There is no charge for the session, but advance registration is required. To register for this or any session, please go to www.lifelonglearningatpc.org/special/ted and click on the appropriate date.
Need more information? Please contact Shannon Tyree at [email protected].
Poisoned pen brings mystery authors to PebbleCreek
Shannon Tyree
Looking for new reading inspiration? Meet several mystery writers at this LifeLong Learning special event Thursday, February 4 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Locally owned bookstore owner and publisher Barbara Peters of Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale is coming with several mystery authors to introduce you to their works.
After an introduction and conversation with each author, moderated by Ms. Peters, you will have the opportunity to sit down and talk to the authors and discuss their books, their characters, plot ideas and inspiration for becoming mystery storytellers in the first place. You’ll find out more about the books they have written and what they are working on now.
Confirmed authors for the discussion include:
Donis Casey, author of the Alafair Tucker series
Frederick Ramsay, author of the Ike Schwartz Mysteries and The Jerusalem Mysteries
Leslie Dana Kirby – author of The Perfect Game (centers around an Arizona Diamondback pitcher)
Betty Webb – author of the Lena Jones Mysteries and the Gunn Zoo Mysteries
The two hour session, sponsored by LifeLong Learning, is free; coffee, tea and cookies will be served and copies of the authors’ books will be available for purchase. Seating is at round tables, so book club members are encouraged to come together so they can hear about books they might want to share at future meetings. To reserve a table for up to 10 people, call Hermine Sulzberg at 623 535 5145.
So whether you plan on making a date with fellow readers, or plan on attending yourself, head to the Tuscany Ballroom February 4 and meet the authors who create the books you love to read.