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Bruce Springsteen stands as one of America’s true rock-and-roll superstars, one who has achieved both commercial and artistic success. Springsteen’s influence extends beyond music, however, as in recent years he has become a prominent and outspoken voice in American politics. This course will explore Springsteen’s development as an artist working within the same tradition as Walt Whitman, Hank Williams, Woody Guthrie, and Bob Dylan. We will also explore key themes in his work, especially the American Dream, the power of love, and humanity’s deep need for redemption. We will look at how Springsteen has continuously updated his conception of American promise and possibilities, and how this vision has increasingly led him to engage in contemporary political debate, challenging President Trump over perceived erosion of American constitutional limits and liberties. In short, we will listen to some great music and at the same time explore how Bruce Springsteen has engaged in and continued to influence the American cultural and political landscape.

TOPICS

● Week 1: New Jersey Rocker to Folk Poet

● Week 2: Bruce Springsteen and the American Dream

● Week 3: Stay True: Mega-Stardom and the Working Class Hero

● Week 4: Voice of Americans: This Land is Our Land

This course takes place both in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus and online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

The Artemis II mission will return astronauts on a mission to the Moon for the first time since 1972. Join NASA Solar System Ambassador, Christopher Mick as he provides an in-depth look at the mission objectives, crew members, and how Artemis II will setup future Lunar surface missions near the South Pole of the Moon.

A brief history of the Apollo program will be provided to help illustrate the goals of the Artemis campaign. The hardware, such as the Space Launch System rocket, Orion Crew Capsule, and launch and recovery assets will also be presented.

This lecture takes place online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

The framers of the American Constitution put in place checks and balances to ensure that no branch of government, especially the executive, could amass too much power. We had recently fought a war over the assertion that our nation would run better without a King than with one. The current administration has systematically and effectively consolidated power, enacted policy and silenced its critics. Our system has seen a shocking realignment of power in a very short period of time.

After reviewing the way our government is supposed to work, we will look at a question that is essential for the future of America’s experiment with democracy: What guardrails are left to ensure our democratic system of government remains intact?

This lecture takes place online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

American Regionalism is a realist modern art movement that focused on local, representative scenes of distinctly American locales. It was the dominant style in American art during the 1930s and into the 1940s, in reaction to European Modernism and Abstraction and as a response to the Great Depression. In this course, we explore the varied works of Regionalist Triumvirate—Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood and John Steuart Curry, as well as the New York-based Edward Hopper and Pennsylvania's Andrew Wyeth.

This course takes place both in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus and online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

This course will introduce students to the history of wine making and the difference between “old world” and “new world” wines. We will then tour the globe to explore the different wine regions. Each region is known for its style, terroir, and local wine varietals. Students will gain an appreciation of the art and science of wine making.

This course takes place online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

This course focuses on the most popular, influential, and enduring artists of the British Invasion, which spanned roughly the years 1964 to 1968. We will examine the roots of those artists in their native Great Britain, and then show how they crashed the U.S. charts on the heels of the Beatles, who paved the way for their compatriots to take advantage of the lucrative American market. The Beatles were not just the first to do so – in spectacular fashion – but they also set a standard for British groups that came after them; groups that were self-contained, meaning they wrote their own songs, developed their own style, and had unique visual and musical trademarks.

In the first 4 weeks, we’ll be focusing on the following acts:

Part 1: The Bee Gees, Gerry & the Pacemakers

Part 2: The Dave Clark 5, The Hollies

Part 3: The Zombies, The Yardbirds

Part 4: Donovan, Herman’s Hermits

This course takes place both in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus and online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

On the fog-swept coastal bluffs overlooking California’s Golden Gate Bridge near the Marin Headlands, rises an imposing concrete bunker with the rusted remains of a 15-inch naval gun. Battery Spencer, a vestige of a bygone era, and many others in the area have kept watch over the coastal approach to San Francisco Bay since 1895. The West Coast of the United States from the Mexican to the Canadian borders is dotted by similar sites. Constructed during the Spanish American War, these coastal defensive positions gradually fell into disrepair, but still remained in various levels of service during WWII and the Cold War. This course will take a closer look at the history of these sites and in so doing provide an overview of how California and the West Coast experienced WWII and the Cold War. From the shelling of the Ellwood oil piers by a Japanese submarine near Gaviota to coastal radar and missile defenses, we will examine the role played by sites such as the Marin Headlands throughout this era. We will also explore what people living on the West Coast and California in particular feared as a result of WWII and how these responses shaped their daily lives. Today, you can still explore these unique sites, many of which are open to the public and this course will offer tips and suggestions for planning a visit.

This course takes place both in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus and online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Lincoln’s assassination is perhaps one of the most infamous events of American history. Nevertheless, while many have a broad understanding of what took place, they’re also missing numerous details. Who was John Wilkes Booth before he tarnished his own name? With whom did he work in this assassination and who else was targeted? How did he get away, and how was he finally caught? Even more, what did he expect would happen after he killed the President? This course will dive into these questions and tell the story of Lincoln’s assassination.

This course takes place both in-person at the Thousand Oaks campus and online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Two-time Grammy Award Winner Mads Tolling has had a career in music, learning and playing the violin the traditional way, only to bring it into contemporary music styles. This lecture will teach you all you need to know about the violin: From the history of the instrument, and how to get a basic sound to cutting edge looping technology that makes it possible to play just about any kind of genre as a one-man-band. This lecture will include some demonstration and playing of the violin to accompany the presentation.

This lecture takes place online via Zoom.

The Fifty and Better (FAB) program was designed for people ages 50 and older, seeking intellectual stimulation through university-level courses — without the pressure of grades — for the sake of learning and social engagement.

Come on, come all to the grand opening of the brand new soccer park at Simi Valley Town Center–a family-friendly affair with free admission! Spend the evening enjoying food and drink and having fun with a juggling contest, cross challenge, target soccer shooting challenge, and more! The event will take place on Friday, August 29 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. and will feature activities, yummy eats, and refreshment options from local vendors. Next Soccer Park is proud to be the first rentable sports space in East Ventura County. With two 4,000-square-foot fields, it serves as the hub for classes of all levels, clinics, games, tournaments, and more. Visit nextsoccerpark.com for a full schedule and to book your time on one of two top-notch turf fields. Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/nextsoccerpark/. Location: Simi Valley Town Center parking lot at 1555 Simi Valley Town Center Way.