- Campus Information: Addresses and Maps -
Darwin: Natural Selection and Controversy
Sessions: 2
Dates: Fri Sep 18 and Sep 25
Time: 10 am - Noon
Course Fee: $15
Location: Surrey Campus
Facilitator: Sandra Carpenter
Please Register By: Thu Sep 10 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Peter Robbins
Peter Robbins first came to an understanding of evolutionary biology while taking a B.Sc. in geology at UBC. In the paleontology lab, he handled fossils of extinct organisms that showed the profound changes in life over huge spans of geologic time. While doing field work in the Yukon, he started his own fossil collection: trilobites, graptolites, corals and other marine organisms. When he needed a topic for a master's thesis (M.Ed., SFU, 1987) he chose to examine the creationism/evolution controversy, and even attended a creationism seminar held in the Fraser Valley. In 1996, he took a two-week cruise around the Galapagos Islands, to see for himself the plants and animals that inspired Darwin's theory.
This year marks two important anniversaries: the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his most important work. However, even after all this time, natural selection is not accepted by many people, and evolution is anathema to many Christian fundamentalists. No other major theory in the sciences has generated so much controversy, or so much misunderstanding. What is "natural selection"? Why are so many people disturbed by it? What is "evolution"? When does a "theory" become "fact"?
Burns Bog Walking Tour
Sessions: 1
Dates: Fri Sep 22
Time: 10 am - noon
Course Fee: $12.50 (includes Bog fee)
Location: Delta Nature Reserve
Facilitator: Louise Hudson, Tel: 604.948.2131
Please Register By: Tue Sep 15 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Burns Bog Conservation Society (www. burnsbog.org)
Enjoy the trails of the Delta Nature Reserve, the only part of Burns Bog that is open to the public. During our two-hour walk a member of the Burns Bog Conservation Society will show you how they conduct class tours and teach you about bog ecology. We'll visit the sapsucker tree, hunt for the carnivorous Sundews, and breathe in the relaxing aromas of Labrador Tea and Sweet Gale. You will learn about the history of the Bog, issues affecting its future, and what you can do to help ensure that it remains a natural legacy for generations to come.
Meet at 9:45 am at the east end of the Great Pacific Forum parking lot.
From Surrey / North Delta
- Head west on Nordel Way and stay in the far left-hand lane. Take the overpass over Highway #91.
- Turn right at the second set of lights onto Nordel Court.
From Ladner or Richmond
- Take Highway #99 south through the George Massey Tunnel. Take Exit 17 after the tunnel (River Road exit) and stay in the left lane. This takes you over the overpass and continues east onto River Road.
- Follow River Road to Nordel Way (Sunbury Cedar is on the corner) and turn right.
- Drive along Nordel Way and turn left onto Nordel Court.
Go to the end of the street and into the parking lot of the Great Pacific Forum 10388 Nordel Court, Delta, BC V4G 1J7. Park at the far-left side of the building (east end of the parking lot). From the parking lot there is a red brick pathway. Wait here for your guide. (There are no restrooms in the Nature Reserve).
The Paranormal and the Paradoxical
Sessions: 2
Dates: Mon Sep 28 and Oct 5
Time: 2 pm - 4 pm
Course Fee: $15
Location: Richmond Campus
Facilitator: Priscilla Bollo, Tel: 604.274.2100
Please Register By: Mon Sep 21 - To register:Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Dr. Jonathan Katz
Jonathan Katz is an instructor in the departments of Philosophy and Humanities at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. His doctoral dissertation addressed some of the philosophical puzzles raised by the indeterminacy of modern physics. Besides the philosophy of science, his interests include metaphysics and the philosophy of religion, with papers published in all three areas. He has given TALK several entertaining lectures in the past few years.
Mon Sep 28 I was abducted by Aliens: Reason and the Paranormal
The world can sometimes be a very puzzling place: new discoveries vie with unusual claims
to test our credulity. What are we 
to believe? How can we separate the bogus from the believable,
science fiction from science fact? Is our western tradition of scientific inquiry adequate to evaluate claims which go beyond our everyday experience? How do we assess paranormal claims? Is there such a thing as ESP? Are there UFOs? Does homeopathy work?
Mon Oct 5 There are two errors in the the title of this lecture
On the other hand, there are some obvious truths which lead quite logically to some unacceptable claims: that motion is impossible, that all objects are the same size, that certain clear and unambiguous claims are both obviously true, and just as obviously false. Of course these paradoxical conclusions cannot stand; an analysis of what has gone wrong with our reasoning in these cases will lead us to some far-reaching results.
Women's History Month
An Overview and Profile of Some of Canada's Leading Women
Sessions: 1
Dates: Thu Oct 1
Time: 10 am - Noon
Course Fee: $7.50
Location: Surrey Campus
Facilitator: Linda Coyle
Please Register By: Thu Sep 24 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Shereen Hassan
Shereen Hassan is an instructor in Criminology at Kwantlen Polytechnic University and she is currently working on her doctorate in Criminology at Simon Fraser University. Her interest in women's equality issues led her to volunteer for WestCoast LEAF as a member of the Public Legal Education Committee. Since 2008, she has focused her passion for women's equality as the Status of Women representative of the Kwantlen Faculty Association and as such, is involved in proposing initiatives to improve Kwantlen life for female faculty. She is currently exploring options for offering daycare on campus to be utilized not only by faculty, but also by students, staff, and the surrounding community.
What is Women's History Month? Why do we have it and when did it begin? Why is it important? This seminar will provide an overview of the work of Status of Women Canada and the various commemorative dates, including Women's History Month. Previous Women's History Month themes will be explored, with particular emphasis on the 2009 theme (which has yet to be announced).
Opera for Beginners
Sessions: 3
Dates: Fri Oct 2, 16 and Nov 27
Time: 10 am - Noon
Course Fee: $22.50
Location: Langley Campus
Facilitator: Angela Smith, Tel: 604.594-5271, Cell: 778-868-4186
Please Register By: Thu Sep 24 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Fri Oct 2 Overview of the history of opera
Guest Speaker: Dr. Elizabeth Lamberton
Fri Oct 16 Exploring Verdi's Aida
Local Cineplex will be showing a High Definition simulcast of this opera from the Metropolitan Opera
in New York on Saturday, October 24
Guest Speaker: Dr. Wayne Jeffrey
Fri Nov 27 Exploring Bellini's Norma
Vancouver Opera performances: Nov 28, Dec 1,3, 5
Guest Speaker: TBA
McLuhan Then and Now
Sessions: 3
Dates: Wed Oct 7, 14 and 21
Time: 10 am - Noon
Course Fee: $22.50
Location: Surrey Campus
Facilitator: Eileen Fuller, Tel: 604.541.1870
Please Register By: Wed Sep 30 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Dr. Ron Baker
Dr. Baker has given two courses for TALK in the past: Why is a Canary a Hound? and Who Wants a Dictionary Anyway? He is a very knowledgeable and entertaining speaker, and TALK is pleased to offer another lecture series by him.
In the 1970s, Marshall McLuhan was the most well-known Canadian in the world. He was on the
cover of Newsweek, and he appeared in a Woody Allen movie as himself. The word mcluhanism
was translated for entries in many foreign dictionaries. His theories about the effect of print and the media were acclaimed and denigrated. Even some of the people who later attacked him acknowledged how excited they were when they first read him. Some of his phrases -- the medium is the message and the global village -- are still used frequently. But hardly any of the books by him or about him are now taken out of university libraries. What were his ideas? Are they important now?
Wed Oct 7 The first mcluhanism: The Mechanical Bride: Folklore of Industrial Man, 1951
Wed Oct 14 The Major “breakthrough”: The Gutenburg Galaxy: the Making of Typographic Man, 1962
Wed Oct 21 Mcluhanism now. Some of his phrases occur in print almost every week, but is
anyone reading his books?
A Case for Sanctuary: Potential Gifts from Conscientious Objectors
Sessions: 3
Dates: Fri Oct 9, 16 and 23
Time: Noon - 2 pm
Course Fee: $22.50
Location: Richmond Campus
Facilitator: Sandra Carpenter
Please Register By: Thu Oct 1 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Dr. Juergen Dankwort
Juergen Dankwort, Ph.D., MSW, is an author, trainer, educator, and researcher. He taught in the Kwantlen Sociology department until his retirement last year. Prior to that he taught at the graduate school of Social Work, University of Houston, Texas. His research includes program evaluation, notably with projects to stem domestic violence and sexual assault. He is also Co-Chair with the Social Justice Committee, Unitarian Church of Vancouver, and the War Resisters Support Campaign.
Might Canada be a sanctuary for those willing to differ from their government's stands?
Juergen Dankwort has focused his most recent studies on the case for providing sanctuary in Canada based on social science research that looks at how persons in 'toxic' situations manage to adhere to humanitarian and ethical conduct even while their peers and those above them descend into wrongdoing. Based largely on the work of psychologists Milgram and Zimbardo, he will talk about how sanctuary is essential to provide a place for persons (war resisters or others)
- who whistle blow,
- disclose wrong doing,
- disobey orders,
- refuse to participate in behaviour that is considered inhumane and/or illegal.
These same persons are threatened and/or punished in their own countries for taking a moral stand.
Dr. Dankwort recalls how these persons have been described as 'heroes' in the literature; we are in great need to learn more about them today. Knowledge of others' actions can better equip us to do the right thing when we find ourselves in similar compromising situations. A provision of sanctuary opens a door not only to the asylum seeker, but potentially to all Canadians who stand to benefit from learning more about these extraordinary people.
Ancient Kingdoms, Modern Conundrums
Sessions: 2
Dates: Mon Oct 19 and 26
Time: 2 pm - 4 pm
Course Fee: $15.00
Location: Richmond Campus
Facilitator: Margaret Edmonds, Tel. 604.272.8100
Please Register By: Tue Oct 13 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Marion Mussallem
Marion Mussallem is an enthusiastic traveler and experienced presenter who enjoys researching the history, culture, religion, art and architecture before her visits to various countries. Marion finds it a privilege to share her experiences and slides with interested people as she relives her journeys.
Mon Oct 19 Myanmar (formerly Burma)
How did Myanmar, a land of colourful markets and awe inspiring, jewel encrusted, gold plated temples, become a military regime noted for their harsh treatment of political dissidents, in particular dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi? We will take a look at their geography and history and see if we can understand how they arrived at this crossroads.
Mon Oct 26 Cambodia and Laos
In Cambodia, first there was a kingdom that seems to have been created in a dream, full of wondrous temples, magnificent cities rising from steaming jungles and glorious gods. Then came their darkest hour: the horrors of Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge and the killing fields. Can we understand how they rose to such heights and fell to such depths?
Tucked into the mountains of the Indochina peninsula, landlocked and serene, tiny Laos is emerging as the front runner in economic and political reform, having survived the doubtful distinction, during the Viet Nam War, as the most heavily bombed nation per capita in the history of warfare. Should we perhaps not mention they are part of the “Golden Triangle,” one of Asia's two main illicit opium-producing areas?!
All the World's a Stage
Sessions: 3
Dates: Fri Oct 30, Nov 6 and 13
Time: Noon - 2 pm
Course Fee: $22.50
Location: Surrey Campus
Facilitator: Linda Coyle
Please Register By: Thu Oct 22 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Sandra Carpenter
Sandra Carpenter retired after many years of teaching all aspects of English, and as a recent retiree, is now able to focus on the parts of teaching English which were her favourites. She was a founding member of an informal group that does dramatic reading for fun.
Have you ever thought you'd like to read a part in a play differently than an actor you heard? Do you think it would be fun to act out a dialogue between two characters without the constraints of a stage and set? We will pick scenes of plays you have wanted to try and read them in class; then we can try how we think it could be delivered. We’ll laugh a lot.
Fri Oct 30
Short monologues and soliloquies will be distributed to discuss. Participants will suggest how each character might speak or what emotions might be evident from their delivery. Sample recordings of actors of a bygone age will be provided for comparison.
In the second half of the class, a librarian in the library lab will demonstrate internet resources available. For the next class, you can investigate sample websites suggested by the librarian and instructor to see what plays tickle your fancy.
Fri Nov 6
After searching the internet or libraries, participants may each bring a scene they would like to try,
no longer than about 10 minutes. The scenes can be for one person or more. Participants will explain
why they have chosen their readings and may choose to direct the scene as far as standing, sitting, or movement if they desire. Participants will suggest what preparation they would like to do for the third class.
Fri Nov 13
Participants will re-enact their scenes from the second class incorporating suggestions from others or present new scenes they have brought.
The instructor will prepare a handout of community resources for those who would like to continue their play reading activities.
Travel Your Way: How to Find the Trip You Want
Sessions: 1
Dates: Mon Nov 2
Time: 10 am - Noon
Course Fee: $7.50
Location: Surrey Campus
Facilitator: Angela Smith, Tel 604.594.5271, Cell: 778.868.4186
Please Register By: Mon Oct 26 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speakers: Judy Fawcett
Judy Fawcett’s first day as a travel professional was 09/11/2001. It was a daunting start to a new career. However, always one to take up a challenge, Judy carved out her own niche in the travel industry as a designer and sometime escort for groups and independent travelers with special interests.
There are many options for travellers and today we discuss how to find those that work for you. We dispel some myths, consider the advantages and disadvantages of group and independent travel and discover that a special interest can lead to travel adventures.
Digital Photography and Photo Editing - Part 1
Sessions: 3
Dates: Tue Nov 3, 10 and 17
Time: 10 am – Noon
Course Fee: $22.50
Location: Richmond Campus
Facilitator: Susan Rathborne, Tel: 604.271.1657
Please Register By: Tue Oct 27 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Don Rathborne
Don Rathborne has lectured on digital camera technology and taught Adobe Photoshop Elements classes for several years. Using a combination of Power Point and live demonstration of Photoshop Elements, participants will be exposed to basic 
camera techniques, learn how to download images from the camera to the computer, and learn how to enhance digital images using their computer. Handout material will be available at each session. Whether you have just purchased a digital camera or have been using it for a while, this course will help you use it more effectively. Since it was last presented, some minor changes have been made to update content to the latest Photoshop Elements version 7.0. Previous participants may wish to repeat this course as a refresher.
Tue Nov 3
Digital cameras: how they differ from film cameras; common photography terms.
- Digital camera technology
- Digital versus optical zoom
- Camera features and settings
- Focus
- Exposure and light
- Aperture and depth of field
- Shutter speeds
- Exposure value (EV)
- Using flash effectively
- White balance
- Image composition tips
How to download images from the camera to the computer and organize images.
Downloading procedures (for XP and Vista only):
- Naming and renaming images
- Rotating images
- Deleting unwanted images
- Viewing images
- Printing strategies
- File hierarchy – cataloguing and backing up images
Tue Nov 10
Basic techniques of computer enhancement using the industry leading photo editing software, Adobe Photoshop Elements. Note that the latest release, version 7.0, will be used by the instructor but it’s not necessary that participants own any version of Elements for these classes. The presentation will include live manipulation of actual images using some of the basic enhancement tools.
- Discussion of image file formats: JPEG, TIFF, RAW, and GIF
- Introduction to Adobe Photoshop Elements
- Resizing images
- Image enhancement – adjusting lighting using Shadows/Highlights; Brightness/Contrast; Levels
- Image sharpening
- Introduction to five tools: Zoom, Hand, Straighten, Crop, and Red Eye Brush
- A demonstration of Palettes and their uses
Tues Nov 17
More advanced methods of enhancing and manipulating images
- Concept of layers in image editing
- Creating layers using three more tools: Lasso, Selection Brush, and Eraser
- Importing layers for special effects
- Healing Brush/Spot Healing Brush tools
- Clone stamp tool for removing unwanted objects from an image
- Use of filters for special effects
The Chinese Phoenix: The Rise and Fall and Rise of China Since 1750
Sessions: 3
Dates: Wed Nov 4, 18 and 25
Time: 2 pm - 4 pm
Course Fee: $22.50
Location: Richmond Campus
Facilitator: Trevor Phillips, Tel: 604.536.1627
Please Register By: Wed Oct 28 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Professor Frank Abbott, Department of History, Kwantlen Polytechnic University
Professor Abbott has taught, among others courses in Canadian History, Europe between the French Revolution and World War I, and China in the 20th century. In the fall of 2008 he offered TALK a course on Quebec Identity which was extremely well received. In this connection, he has been working on a reader for his department’s third-year Quebec course which entails the collection, translating and editing of a large number of primary documents which have not previously been translated from the French.
China’s long history has been characterized as cyclical. There have been many periods of incredible prosperity and splendour, interspersed with decline and devastation. The period 1760 to 2005 is no exception. After looking briefly at China’s traditional past, this three-week course will concentrate on the experience of China and its people since the early 18th century from historical, cultural, political, economic, and social perspectives. By focusing on events during the late imperial period down to recent developments, it will ask participants to consider if China is once again returning to its familiar cyclical path, or embarking on an entirely new direction.
Wed Nov 4 Splendour and Decline to 1860
Wed Nov 18 A Century of Turmoil: From the Opium Wars to the People’s Republic
Wed Nov 25 China Since 1949: Transitions from Mao to Now
Digital Photography and Photo Editing - Part 2
Sessions: 1
Dates: Tue Nov 24
Time: 10 am - Noon
Course Fee: $7.50
Location: Richmond Campus
Facilitator: Susan Rathborne, Tel. 604.271.1657
Please Register By: Tue Nov 17 - To register: Membership Application and Course Registration
Guest Speaker: Don Rathborne
Please note that a course prerequisite is completion of Part 1 (either in November 2009, or April, 2008) or a working knowledge of Adobe Photoshop Elements.
Tues Nov 24
First half of session
Introduction of a 10 step Workflow model which promotes an organized approach to image enhancement. The instructor will follow the Workflow model in applied situations using actual digital photographs. The Workflow model offers a review of several Photoshop Elements tools while exploring some tools in more detail.
Specific topics include:
- Non-destructive editing
- Colour cast correction
- Hue/saturation adjustments
- Burn/Dodge tool
- Archiving images
- Considerations for selecting image format
Second half of session
a. Participants will be introduced to three specialized tools from Versions 6 and 7 through a live demonstration of actual images. The specific tools/techniques covered are:
- Smart Brush
- Scene Cleaner
- Group shots/faces
b. An Introduction to shooting in RAW image format with a live demonstration of adjustments available in Photoshop Elements.
