PLATO Weekly Update

October 19, 2021

CURRICULUM

PLEASE NOTE that Don Reeder's course, Where is Everybody?, has been canceled. It met on Thursday mornings at Oakwood. 

INVITATION

PLATO is always looking for more members to share their interests or expertise with other members by offering a course. If you are thinking of becoming a course coordinator, please visit our Propose a Course page to learn more about this process. Or you can contact Therese Stevens at thmstevens@gmail.com for more information. 

REMINDER

The following COVID-19 Protocols are still in place for in-person participants:

· Wear masks inside of Host Location buildings.

· Follow social distancing guidelines.

· Follow any additional guidelines required at Host Locations - visit the Courses Page or check with your course coordinator.

SPECIAL EVENTS

FALL LECTURES
Join us next week Tuesday, October 26th at 1:30pm for “What is Critical Race Theory, and Why is it Controversial?” In this timely 90-minute lecture with Gloria Ladson-Billings, Professor Emerita at UW-Madison, we will learn about how CRT applies to education and why it has become part of the culture wars in this country. Gloria Ladson-Billings is also the former Kellner Family Distinguished Professor of Urban Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Please register online – it is required to attend.

Until then, members are welcome to access Past Recordings of lectures online.

NEW! At-home virtual streaming options:

The Tragedy of Macbeth  – A little later than now, in the ruins of a theatre, three witches make a prophecy. A warrior and his wife enter the darkness. A war begins. Yaël Farber directs James McArdle and Saoirse Ronan, in an elemental production about a world in transformation, the shadows in all of us, and one couple’s spine-chilling quest for power.

Designing Women – A WORLD PREMIERE – The place, Atlanta, the time, before and after the presidential election in November, 2020. The show contains adult language and themes, a confetti cannon, and, much like the television show that preceded it, fiery political debate and humor with many references to recent events. Written by L. Bloodworth Thomason, the same playwright who wrote the popular television series.

AN AUDIO PLAY for listening at home: 

Coal Country
Written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, Coal Country is an audio play that tells the story of the 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion in West Virginia, the most deadly mining disaster in recent U.S. history. It is a riveting, emotionally stunning work based on first-person accounts by survivors and family members. Blank and Jensen are a writing team who The New Yorker calls "among the foremost practitioners of documentary theater in the U.S." The performance is directed by Blank and features original music by three-time Grammy award-winning country/folk legend Steve Earle. 

To access Coal Country free for one month:

· Go to audible.com

· Search for Coal Country

· Follow the prompts

· After your 30-day free trial the cost is $7.95 per mont; cancel anytime.

INVITATION
Have you attended a talk you enjoyed and think more people should be aware of it? Are you curious about something and think others might be too? Send your ideas for new lecture topics and include the name of a speaker if you have it to mdiiorio1234@gmail.com.

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Each week, we offer for your enjoyment, a featured piece from contributors to The Agora, PLATO's journal of arts and ideas. This week we offer Foot of Yosemite Falls, a painting by Jim Albright.

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Social Gatherings - due to the pandemic, we hope to resume next semester.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS

Select from a range of topics and formats 

for your Fall reading, viewing, or listening, 

curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for October 19 – November 1, 2021

Did You Know...The winner of the 1980 Law and Economics Center Prize was a black man, Thomas Sowell, an economist, academic, and social theorist. His book, Knowledge and Decisions, was heralded as a "landmark work," selected for this prize "because of its cogent contribution to our understanding of the differences between the market process and the process of government."

Visit the Social Justice Webpage for more about Thomas Sowell
and past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at ksmichaelis@gmail.com).

PLATO Weekly Update

October 12, 2021

CURRICULUM

We hope that everyone is continuing to enjoy our Fall course offerings. Please note the following COVID-19 Protocols continue to be in place for in-person participants:

· Wear masks inside of Host Location buildings.

· Follow social distancing guidelines.

· Follow any additional guidelines required at Host Locations - see the Courses Page or check with your course coordinator.

SPECIAL EVENTS

NEW! AN AUDIO PLAY

For listening at home: 

Coal Country
Written by Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen, Coal Country is an audio play that tells the story of the 2010 Upper Big Branch mine explosion in West Virginia, the most deadly mining disaster in recent U.S. history. It is a riveting, emotionally stunning work based on first-person accounts by survivors and family members. Blank and Jensen are a writing team who The New Yorker calls "among the foremost practitioners of documentary theater in the U.S." The performance is directed by Blank and features original music by three-time Grammy award-winning country/folk legend Steve Earle. 

To access Coal Country free for one month:

· Go to audible.com

· Search for Coal Country

· Follow the prompts

· After your 30-day free trial the cost is $7.95 per mont; cancel anytime.

THEATER 

For virtual streaming at home:

Can I Live?
Fehinti Balogun offers an invitation to a vital new digital performance about the climate catastrophe, sharing his personal journey into the biggest challenge of our times. Weaving his story with spoken word, rap, theatre, animation and the scientific facts, Balogun charts a course through the fundamental issues, identifying the intimate relationship between the environmental crisis and the global struggle for social justice, and sharing how, as a young Black British man, he has found his place in the climate movement. Available now through October 17th.

And, browse a variety of options on PLATO’s Virtual Theater Trips page where new items are frequently added.

INVITATION

Have you attended a talk you enjoyed and think more people should be aware of it? Are you curious about something and think others might be too? Send your ideas for new lecture topics and include the name of a speaker if you have it to mdiiorio1234@gmail.com.

FALL LECTURES

Join us for “What is Critical Race Theory, and Why is it Controversial?” on Tuesday, October 26th at 1:30pm. Register here for this 90-minute Zoom lecture with Gloria Ladson-Billings, Professor Emerita at UW-Madison and former Kellner Family Distinguished Professor of Urban Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. She will talk with us about how CRT applies to education and why it has become part of the culture wars in this country. Registration is required to attend.

In the meantime, members are welcome to access Past Recordings.

PLEASE NOTE
We have new contact information! 

PLATO’s new phone number and mailing address:

Telephone: 608-572-6869

Mailing Address: 6209 Mineral Point Rd. #203, Madison, WI, 53705-4549

Our email address remains: info@platomadison.org

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Each week, we offer for your enjoyment, a featured piece from contributors to The Agora, PLATO's journal of arts and ideas. This week we are pleased to present Margaret Mary, a poem by George Faunce, that is sure to delight grandparents and grandchildren alike.

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Social Gatherings - due to the pandemic, we hope to resume next semester.

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS

Select from a range of topics and formats 

for your early Fall reading, viewing, or listening, 

curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for October 4-19, 2021

Did You Know… Maria Tallchief was the first Native American woman to break into ballet. Elizabeth Marie Tallchief was born in 1925 in Oklahoma; her father was a member of the Osage Nation. At age 17, she moved to New York City to pursue her dreams of becoming a dancer.

Visit the Social Justice Webpage for more about Maria Tallchief 
and past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about.  Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com).

PLATO Weekly Update

September 21, 2021

CURRICULUM

Most Fall courses begin this week! Check the Fall Course Schedule for the specific opening date and time of the course you are taking.

Remember, all participants for in-person courses must follow these COVID-19 Protocols:

· Wear masks inside of Host Location buildings.

· Follow social distancing guidelines.

· Follow any additional guidelines required at Host Locations - see the Courses Page or check with your course coordinator.

SPECIAL EVENTS

FALL LECTURES

Join us for our first Fall lecture -"Ask the Weather Guy" this week Thursday, September 23^rd at 1:30 pm. Register here for this this 90-minute Zoom webinar featuring Jonathan Martin, Chair and Professor in the UW-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Registration is required to attend.

In the meantime, members are invited to access Past Recordings.

THEATER

For your at-home virtual streaming pleasure:

Come from Away - A filmed Broadway musical commemorating the days when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly due to the 9/11 attacks in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

As always, browse a variety of options on PLATO’s Virtual Theater Trips page where new items are frequently added. 

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Each week, we offer for your enjoyment, a featured piece from contributors to The Agora, PLATO's journal of arts and ideas. This week, we present Still Life, a painting by Jim Albright, along with reflections regarding his nuanced approach to creating this piece.

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Social Gatherings - we are working on plans to resume in late Fall! Updates will be posted here, so stay tuned...

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS

Select from a range of topics and formats 

for your late Summer reading, viewing, or listening, 

curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for September 21 – October 4, 2021

Did You Know… Special Olympics athlete Chris Nikic crossed the finish line to become the first person with Down Syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon. Guinness World Records recognized Nikic's achievement after he finished a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-marathon run at the Ironman Florida competition in Panama City Beach in November 2020.

Visit the Social Justice Webpage for more about Chris Nikic
& past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com).

PLATO Weekly Update

September 14, 2021

CURRICULUM

Registration Still Open for Fall Courses - Our Fall Course Schedule includes 40 courses: 23 online, 16 in-person, and one via email. Many are familiar course titles with several new additions – including a course on Saturday!

Before registering for and attending in-person courses, please review our current COVID-19 protocols listed below. Also, all courses require that participants register with the coordinator so they can be reached via email should there be any updates due to the pandemic. 

COVID-19 Protocols for Courses:

· All coordinators and participants are required to wear masks when inside host locations at all times and to observe social distancing guidelines.

· All coordinators and participants must follow any and all of the host location’s additional COVID-19 Protocols which will be communicated by coordinators.

Capitol Lakes and Oakwood also have these protocols:

SPECIAL EVENTS

FINAL FALL WALK

NEW! October 19^th, 9am - Explore The Mysteries of Aztalan as we walk with Dr. Robert Birmingham, author, educator, archaeologist, and authority on the Mississipian people and culture of Aztalan during their golden age (1000 AD - 1300 AD). We will learn about (and climb on) the mounds and view the fortress walls in Wisconsin’s most important archaeological site. Registration is free and open now. Please note that this parking for this Walk requires a State Vehicle Admissions Sticker which may be purchased when you arrive on site. And be sure to review our current COVID-19 Walk Protocols before registering for and attending this Walk. This will be the last PLATO Walk of 2021.

FALL LECTURES

Our fall lecture series will begin on Thursday, September 23^rd at 1:30 pm with "Ask the Weather Guy.” Register here for this this 90-minute Zoom webinar featuring Jonathan Martin, Chair and Professor in the UW-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Registration is required to attend.

In the meantime, members are invited to access Past Recordings.

THEATER

NEW! For your at-home virtual streaming pleasure:

Angela's Ashes: The Musical - Based on the captivating memoir by Frank McCourt, the show's website states that "if ever a musical could be said to embody the ‘rollercoaster of emotion’, then Angela’s Ashes is that musical."

Come from Away - A filmed Broadway musical commemorating the days when 38 planes were ordered to land unexpectedly due to the 9/11 attacks in the small town of Gander in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

As always, browse a variety of options on PLATO’s Virtual Theater Trips page where new items are frequently added. 

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Each week, we offer for your enjoyment, a featured piece from contributors to The Agora, PLATO's journal of arts and ideas. The week we offer Geese, a poem by Mary DeWolf, reconnecting us to nature and the transitioning of the season.

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Social Gatherings - we are working on plans to resume in late fall so stay tuned - updates will be posted here!

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Select from a range of topics and formats 
for your late summer reading, viewing, or listening, 
curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for September 7 – 20, 2021

Did You Know…Yang See, who worked as the main liaison between the CIA and the Lao Royal Army during the secret Hmong Guerrilla war against North Vietnam, was the person most responsible for the US Government finally accepting the Hmong resettlement in the US.

Visit the Social Justice Webpage for more about Yang See
and past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com)

PLATO Weekly Update

September 7, 2021

CURRICULUM

Registration Continues for Fall Courses – Check out our Fall Course Schedule which includes 40 courses: 16 in-person, 23 online and one via email. Many are familiar course titles with a few new additions – we even have a course on Saturday!

For those members interested in attending in-person, please review updated COVID-19 protocols listed below. All courses require that participants register with the coordinator so they can be reached via email should there be any updates due to the pandemic. 

COVID-19 Protocols for Courses:

· All coordinators and participants are required to wear masks when inside host locations at all times and to observe social distancing guidelines.

· All coordinators and participants must follow any and all of the host location’s additional COVID-19 Protocols which will be communicated by coordinators.

Currently, Capitol Lakes and Oakwood have additional protocols:

· Capitol Lakes requires all visitors to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to bring a copy of their vaccination card.

· Oakwood requires all people entering their building to register at the Accushield kiosk. The only entrance open at Oakwood is the main entrance at the Heritage Oaks. You may download an Oakwood campus map on the course description page.

SPECIAL EVENTS

FALL LECTURES
Our fall lecture series will begin on Thursday, September 23^rd at 1:30 pm with "Ask the Weather Guy.” Register here for this this 90-minute Zoom webinar featuring Jonathan Martin, Chair and Professor in the UW-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Registration is required to attend.

In the meantime, members can access Past Recordings.

THEATER
Browse a variety of options on PLATO’s Virtual Theater Trips page – and check back as new items are frequently added.

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Each week, we offer for your enjoyment, a featured piece from contributors to The Agora, PLATO's journal of arts and ideas. This week we present Blue Moon Over Yellow Fields, a collage by Grethe Brix-J. Leer, which shares her deep connection to the nuances of the world, including dusk. 

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Social Gatherings will resume this fall with in-person breakfasts. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Select from a range of topics and formats 
for your late summer reading, viewing, or listening, 
curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for September 7 – 20, 2021

Did You Know…Yang See, who worked as the main liaison between the CIA and the Lao Royal Army during the secret Hmong Guerrilla war against North Vietnam, was the person most responsible for the US Government finally accepting the Hmong resettlement in the US.

Visit the Social Justice Webpage for more about Yang See
and past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com)

PLATO Weekly Update

August 31, 2021

CURRICULUM

Registration for Fall Courses – continues! For those members interested in attending in-person, please review updated COVID-19 protocols listed below. All courses require that participants register with the coordinator so they can be reached via email should there be any updates due to the pandemic. 

Our Fall Course Schedule includes 40 courses total with in-person and virtual offerings to meet the various needs and wishes of PLATO members. 

COVID-19 Protocols for Courses:

• All coordinators and participants are required to wear masks when inside host locations at all times and to observe social distancing guidelines.
  
  
• All coordinators and participants must follow any and all of the host location’s additional COVID-19 Protocols which will be communicated by coordinators.
  

Currently, Capitol Lakes and Oakwood have additional protocols:

• Capitol Lakes requires all visitors to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and to bring a copy of their vaccination card.
  
  
• Oakwood requires all people entering their building to register at the Accushield kiosk. The only entrance open at Oakwood is the main entrance at the Heritage Oaks.
  

SPECIAL EVENTS 

NEW! Our fall lecture series will begin on Thursday, September 23^rd at 1:30 pm with "Ask the Weather Guy.” Register here for this this 90-minute Zoom webinar featuring Jonathan Martin, Chair and Professor in the UW-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. Registration is required to attend.

In the meantime, members can access Past Recordings.

THEATER

Browse a variety of options on PLATO’s Virtual Theater Trips page – and check back as new items are frequently added.

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Each week, we offer for your enjoyment, a featured piece from contributors to The Agora, PLATO's journal of arts and ideas. This week's selection is titled Cosmic Art and Poetry, a unique digital fusion of a poem by George Faunce and artwork by Jim Albright.

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Social Gatherings will resume this fall with in-person breakfasts. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Select from a range of topics and formats 
for your late summer reading, viewing, or listening, 
curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee.

DID YOU KNOW? for August 24 – September 6, 2021

Hamdi Ulukaya, born in Ilic, Turkey, is a businessman, activist and philanthropist who founded and owns the company Chobani, the #1 selling strained yogurt in the US. He was born to a dairy farming Kurdish family in 1972 and immigrated to the US in 1994 to study English and take business courses.

Visit the Social Justice Webpage for more about Hamdi Ulukaya
and past DID YOU KNOW? features.

DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributions made by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com)

PLATO Weekly Update

August 10, 2021

CURRICULUM

Registration for fall courses will begin August 24 - more details coming soon!

For all in-person courses this fall, PLATO will follow the CDC and Dane County Health Department Covid-19 guidelines. Please note that these have recently been updated and that Madison Public Health is encouraging everyone ages 2 and older — regardless of vaccination status — to wear masks inside public spaces, schools, and when gathering indoors at private residences with members of other households.

Stay tuned - we will continue to update our guidelines as we hear from our Host Locations.

SPECIAL EVENTS 

Walks of Dane County

· For your planning purposes, we have compiled a list of the remaining "Walks in Dane County" on PLATO's Local Tours page. These walks are scheduled through October, occurring twice monthly on various mornings. Simply scroll through the list to find dates and times and click on "Show Details" to find out when registration will open.

· Due to the dynamic nature of the pandemic, PLATO's Covid-19 walk requirements might be updated. Possible changes to requirements will be shared to all members via the Weekly Updates and to walk registrants via weekend walk email reminders.

THEATER
Attending a virtual theater performance from your home can be a refreshing way to spend a hot summer day! Browse a variety of options on PLATO’s Virtual Theater Trips page – and check back as new items are frequently added.

PLATO's Lecture series will return this fall. In the meantime, members can access Past Recordings.

FEATURED AGORA WORKS

Each week, we offer for your enjoyment, a featured piece from contributors to The Agora, PLATO's journal of arts and ideas. This week’s offering, a poem called Aging Acrobat by Norman Leer, is a reflection upon memories and gifts shared between loved ones.

SOCIAL GATHERINGS

Social Gatherings will resume this fall with in-person breakfasts. 

SOCIAL JUSTICE EVENTS & READINGS
Suggested readings, films, activities, and podcasts.

Select from a range of topics and formats for your summer reading, viewing, or listening, curated by PLATO's Diversity Awareness Committee. 

Enjoy our new feature – DID YOU KNOW? – spotlighting notable contributionsmade by non-mainstream individuals you might not have learned or read about. Suggestions for inclusions are welcome (send to Kathy at: ksmichaelis@gmail.com).

DID YOU KNOW? for August 10-23, 2021

Annette Franqui, the new Board Chair of the influential AARP Board of Directors, is the first Hispanic to fill that role.

Annette Franqui joined the AARP Board in 2014. As Board Chair she also Chairs the AARP Board Governance Committee and Compensation Committee.

Visit the Social Justice Webpage for more about Annette Franqui & past DID YOU KNOW? features.