Umbrella Academy continues to deliver stimulating and varied classes to eager and enthusiastic learners of all ages. Some are engaging discussions, others are hands-on and still others offer information that causes the mind to churn with reflection.
Classes are offered on alternating Tuesday evenings, from 6:45 to 8:15 at Owego’s Coburn Free Library located at 275 Main St. All sessions are free and refreshments are served.
On Tuesday, Feb. 20, George Lohmann, a retired Newark Valley English teacher, will facilitate “Writing with Style.” He will introduce several highly effective strategies to enhance the style of each participant’s writing. After each strategy is discussed, participants will have a chance to try it themselves.
This follows an earlier session that was received so enthusiastically that Lohmann was asked to return. Previous strategies will be reviewed for those who missed the first class and then new strategies will be explored. Bring a pen and a clipboard if you have one.
On Tuesday, March 6, Dr. Eileen Way, professor emeritus at Binghamton University, will present “Too Smart for Our Own Good?” Recent developments in Artificial Intelligence have highlighted growing concerns about the creation of a dangerous super-intelligence. Well-known computer scientists and philosophers such as Ray Kurzweil, Elon Musk, Nick Bostrom, and Bill Gates have all felt that there is good reason to beware of the risk. Even astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has stated, “I think the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.”
In this session they will examine arguments for and against this danger and question whether creating intelligent machines is something we should fear.
Dr. Way, author of two books, taught for 12 years in the Philosophy department and then 10 years in Industrial and Systems Engineering. Her research spanned philosophy of mind, logic and computability, artificial intelligence, cognitive science, metaphor, and natural language processing. In the Watson School of Engineering she continued her work in cognitive science as well as working in engineering education, requirements engineering, fuzzy logic and systems design.
On Tuesday, March 20, Dr. Gary George, author and race historian and the man behind “Signs by AJ” lettering on race cars in the 1970s, assisted by Tom Schmeh, auto racing research associate, will present “The History of the Shangri-La Speedway in Owego, New York.” The Shangri-La Speedway was founded by Bill Owen in 1946. It operated as an asphalt half-mile oval track just west of historic downtown Owego until 2005. It hosted big cars, super-modifieds, stock cars and modifieds on a weekly basis. Many regional and national special events were also held there.
On Tuesday, April 3, Dewitt Henricks, former journalist, distinguished Toastmaster, and retired Binghamton University’s Graduate School of Management professor, will present “The Sayonara Kit: A Celebration of Life.” When someone dies, especially if it’s unforeseen, family members often have to scramble to arrange the funeral service and other details in a short time. It can be a Herculean task during a time of extreme grief. Wouldn’t it be a huge relief to the family to know that the deceased had already prepared a plan for saying good-bye!
But how do you plan for a funeral in advance? Could it be similar to the Advance Directive for end-of–life medical care? DeWitt Henricks recommends that we plan our funeral now so that our families will know what we want. He calls it “The Sayonara Kit (the Japanese word for ‘good bye’): A Celebration of Life.”
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