Events
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will start a new book: Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence (2015) by Karen Armstrong. A new paperback of the book is around $17 and an ebook is $14. For the 2nd we will read Part I. Armstrong has won numerous awards for her books and is regarded as one of today's best…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will begin a discussion of the book, Philosophy in the Flesh: the Embodied Mind & Its Challenge to Western Thought (1999), by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. For the 9th we have a little different reading assignment: Read as much as you can of Part I, but at least the first four chapters. This is a…
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Rent Control in Minneapolis and St. Paul: Program features and potential impacts
via ZoomRent control comes in many varieties in the U.S. In this talk, Prof. Edward Goetz of the University of Minnesota describes the range of different approaches that have been used by cities across the country and summarizes what the research says about their impacts. Goetz will then take a look at the Minneapolis and St.…
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will continue discussing our book, Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence by Karen Armstrong, by reading Part II. This is a book of warfare and conflict followed by reactions by some of empathy and harmony. It's an Olympics of ruthlessness, brutality, compassion, and sacrifice by the best of the best kings, emperors,…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will continue with the book, Philosophy in the Flesh: the Embodied Mind & Its Challenge to Western Thought, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. This is a long book and the group has decided that they do not want to spend more than one or two additional sessions on it. So, for our March meeting…
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Futures Study Group
via ZoomA volume that provides a broad overview of the coming webinars. A very good set of studies that deal with anticipation and futures is the series RethinkX (https://www.rethinkx.com/). Many of the series are available as a free download. The one that serves as a general intro for the March 16th meetup and beyond is Tubb, Catherine, and Tony…
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Reducing Social, Economic and Ecological Stress with the Genuine Progress Indicator
via ZoomThe dominate economic signal on Earth, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is inaccurate and dangerous in relation to our overall well-being and sustainability on Earth, while the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) would signal a long-term healthy path. Ken Pentel will show the differences between these two measurements in relation to: Our primary economic signal Ecocide…
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe will be concluding the book, Fields of Blood: Religion and the History of Violence by Karen Armstrong. In Part III, Armstrong covers the modern era, from the Reformation and the voyages of discovery to the religious conflicts of today. If you haven't had the time to read the whole book, I have some encouraging news.…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomNote that April 11 is not the second Wednesday of the month, the time we have been meeting recently. We will finish discussing the book, Philosophy in the Flesh: the Embodied Mind & Its Challenge to Western Thought, by George Lakoff and Mark Johnson. This is a long book and we hope that you have…
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This Was 2020
via ZoomWhat role can the public library play in publishing community voices and creating communitas? The year 2020 was especially difficult for Minnesotans as we weathered the COVID-19 pandemic and George Floyd's murder amidst a highly volatile political climate. Librarians at Ramsey County Library wanted to help connect our community members with each other and us…
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History Study Group
via ZoomOur next book is: The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine by Serhii Plokhy. We are taking on the 2021 revised edition that is evidently quite popular as it is a little challenging to track down (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Harvard Bookstore are the only options with stock today). Ukraine has long been the…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will begin reading A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century (2001) by Christian Delacampagne. The paperback version retails for around $28 ($23 on Amazon), but there are used books available for less. There is no ebook edition for this title. For the 11th we will read through Part I. What is unique about this book…
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Ginny Hanson Poetry Day: The Poetry of Donna Issac
via ZoomDonna Isaac will read from each of her publications as well as new poems she is working on. Teacher and Poet, Donna Isaac holds English degrees from James Madison University and the University of MN, and her MFA from Hamline University. Her published works include three chapbooks: Tommy (Red Dragonfly Press); Holy Comforter (Red Bird Chapbooks), Persistence of Vision (Finishing Line…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe will continue reading A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century by Christian Delacampagne. For the 8th we will discuss chapters 2 and 3, in which the author covers the development of Western philosophy during the rise of Hitler and the Second World War. Interestingly, this seems to have influenced some philosophers.
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Minnesota in World War II
Robert H. Rohlf Room at Ridgedale Library, Ridgedale MNWhat was the reality of war for a state so far from Nazi Germany or Imperial Japan? Learn the stories of ordinary people who went to far flung battlefields or struggled with rationing to provide the tools of war to those in the combat zone. Was Minnesota's story unique? What was the Greatest Generation of…
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe are still gaining daylight these days - which means you can enjoy our next book almost anywhere: The Light Ages: The Surprising Story of Medieval Science by Seb Falk. Soaring Gothic cathedrals, violent crusades, the Black Death: these are the dramatic forces that shaped the medieval era. But the so-called Dark Ages also gave…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomWe plan to conclude our discussion of A History of Philosophy in the Twentieth Century by Christian Delacampagne. Early in my study of philosophy I was told that if you really want to understand a philosopher, you need to understand who or what he or she is responding to. Delacampagne provides this in spades, sometimes to the…
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Futures Study Group
via ZoomAs mentioned previously, there was interest in hydroponics of raising commercial plants in houses. A related area that has not been touched on is the raising of fish commercially. The area has seen some convergence in a combined system. This area of "boots on the ground" has been minimally mentioned with the rise of alt…
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Philosophy Study Group
via ZoomFor this meeting we are going to begin a discussion about distributive justice. First, we'll do an overview. Both the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy and the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy have articles on distributive justice. You can read either one or both of them for our next meeting. After that, we'll decide together what direction we want to go.…
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Annual Picnic
Cherokee Park Picnic Shelter Chippewa and Winona Streets, St. Paul, MNCome join us at the small picnic shelter in Cherokee Park in St. Paul's West Side neighborhood for our annual picnic. We will start gathering at 11:30 with serving beginning at 12:00. MISF will provide the plasticware, plates, drinks, grills, and electricity. You provide a dish to share and, optionally, any games you might like.…
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History Study Group
via ZoomHeading Southeast from our last book we travel to Burma. A place greatly influenced by natural disaster, colonial rule, fast-rising inequality, disintegrating state institutions, social media, China next door, climate change, and so much more. Join us as we learn how the 55 million residents look towards the future, by reading and discussing .The Hidden…
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Global Climate Summit in Egypt November 2022: The Role of Fresh Energy in the Push for Meeting the U.S. Commitment of 50% Reduction in Carbon Emissions
Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55419J. Drake Hamilton, Senior Director, Science Policy, Fresh Energy, will explain that President Biden, on November 1, 2021, was at the Global Climate Summit held in Glasgow, Scotland. To 40,000 people assembled there from 198 countries, Biden committed to reducing U.S. global warming emissions by 50% by the year 2030. She will discuss the factors…
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History Study Group
via ZoomWe are finishing the book, Chapters 6-9, The Hidden History of Burma: Race, Capitalism, and the Crisis of Democracy in the 21st Century, by ThantMyint-U. Burma, a place greatly influenced by natural disaster, colonial rule, fast-rising inequality, disintegrating state institutions, social media, China next door, climate change, and so much more. Join us as we learn how…