UMich Retirees Podcast https://umichretirees.podbean.com Our podcast offers a fresh way to stay connected with UMRA and the greater University of Michigan community. Whether through our many Seminar and Learn & Grow sessions, delivered by prominent faculty and inspirational community leaders, or intellectual discussions by our vibrant interest groups – UMRA Reads and UMRA Travels – we are certain you will find each episode engaging; fitting conveniently into your daily routines and busy schedules. Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:25:23 -0500 https://podbean.com/?v=5.5 en Copyright 2023 All rights reserved. Education:Self-Improvement 1440 episodic University of Michigan Retirees Association University of Michigan Retirees Association No false https://feed.podbean.com/umichretirees/feed.xml https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/image-logo/17288229/UMRA-3000x3000px_s2jz3w.png UMich Retirees Podcast https://umichretirees.podbean.com 144 144 UMRA Reads: James by Percival Everett UMRA Reads: James by Percival Everett https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/james-by-percival-everett/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/james-by-percival-everett/#comments Thu, 26 Feb 2026 09:25:23 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/80b299a7-a80b-389d-bf6f-ed87b77b77b3 "A brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and satirical—told from the enslaved Jim's point of view." "When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond." "Brimming with nuanced humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim's agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first-century American literature."

-- Goodreads

]]> "A brilliant reimagining of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn—both harrowing and satirical—told from the enslaved Jim's point of view."

"When Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he runs away until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck has faked his own death to escape his violent father. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond."

"Brimming with nuanced humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a literary icon, this brilliant and tender novel radically illuminates Jim's agency, intelligence, and compassion as never before. James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first-century American literature."

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 2884 47 full UMRA Mindfulness: What is Mindfulness? UMRA Mindfulness: What is Mindfulness? https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-mindfulness-what-is-mindfulness/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-mindfulness-what-is-mindfulness/#comments Thu, 19 Feb 2026 16:52:52 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/e178643b-dee0-3f5a-92b5-1ba360173b15 Discussion of the book: "Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life" by Jon Kabat-Zinn

"The author maps out a simple path for cultivating mindfulness in one's own life. It speaks both to those coming to meditation for the first time and to longtime practitioners, anyone who cares deeply about reclaiming the richness of his or her moments."

]]> Discussion of the book: "Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life" by Jon Kabat-Zinn

"The author maps out a simple path for cultivating mindfulness in one's own life. It speaks both to those coming to meditation for the first time and to longtime practitioners, anyone who cares deeply about reclaiming the richness of his or her moments."

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3379 46 full UMRA Reads: In Ascension by Martin Macinnes UMRA Reads: In Ascension by Martin Macinnes https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-in-ascension-by-martin-macinnes/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-in-ascension-by-martin-macinnes/#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:10:28 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/292f558f-429b-3242-9ca3-1f757953b0aa "An astonishing novel about a young microbiologist investigating an unfathomable deep vent in the ocean floor, leading her on a journey that will encompass the full trajectory of the cosmos and the passage of a single human life."

"Exploring the natural world with the wonder and reverence we usually reserve for the stars, In Ascension is a compassionate, deeply inquisitive epic that reaches outward to confront the greatest questions of existence, looks inward to illuminate the smallest details of the human heart, and shows how – no matter how far away we might be and how much we have lost hope – we will always attempt to return to the people and places we call home."

-- Goodreads

]]> "An astonishing novel about a young microbiologist investigating an unfathomable deep vent in the ocean floor, leading her on a journey that will encompass the full trajectory of the cosmos and the passage of a single human life."

"Exploring the natural world with the wonder and reverence we usually reserve for the stars, In Ascension is a compassionate, deeply inquisitive epic that reaches outward to confront the greatest questions of existence, looks inward to illuminate the smallest details of the human heart, and shows how – no matter how far away we might be and how much we have lost hope – we will always attempt to return to the people and places we call home."

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3224 45 full The Power of Singing, the Power of Song with guitarist Matt Watroba The Power of Singing, the Power of Song with guitarist Matt Watroba https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/the-power-of-singing-the-power-of-song-with-guitarist-matt-watroba/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/the-power-of-singing-the-power-of-song-with-guitarist-matt-watroba/#comments Mon, 22 Dec 2025 11:24:05 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/53510594-1ed3-364c-811a-5d247d99199d The Power of Singing, the Power of Song

Matt Watroba Folk Singer

Join us and enjoy a demonstration of the healing and unifying power of community singing. Inspired by the work of Pete Seeger, Watroba will use a variety of song genres and techniques to create an experience that is as entertaining as it is uplifting and healing. Many know Matt Watroba as the voice of folk music in Michigan for his work producing and hosting shows for public radio. He has devoted his life and career to being a custodian of American folk and roots music. This has shaped a repertoire and presentation that is unique on stages across the state and country. He is committed to inspiring the world to sing—one town at a time. In 2019, Matt, along with his life-long musical partner Robert Jones, co-founded the Detroit non-profit, Common Chords. Also in 2019, Matt was inducted into the Folk DJ Hall of Fame at the Folk Alliance International Conference in Montreal.

]]> The Power of Singing, the Power of Song

Matt Watroba
Folk Singer

Join us and enjoy a demonstration of the healing and unifying power of community singing. Inspired by the work of Pete Seeger, Watroba will use a variety of song genres and techniques to create an experience that is as entertaining as it is uplifting and healing. Many know Matt Watroba as the voice of folk music in Michigan for his work producing and hosting shows for public radio. He has devoted his life and career to being a custodian of American folk and roots music. This has shaped a repertoire and presentation that is unique on stages across the state and country. He is committed to inspiring the world to sing—one town at a time. In 2019, Matt, along with his life-long musical partner Robert Jones, co-founded the Detroit non-profit, Common Chords. Also in 2019, Matt was inducted into the Folk DJ Hall of Fame at the Folk Alliance International Conference in Montreal.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3791 44 full UMRA Reads: Books You Were Supposed to Read But Probably Didn't by John Atkinson UMRA Reads: Books You Were Supposed to Read But Probably Didn't by John Atkinson https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/abridged-classics-brief-summaries-of-umra-reads-books-you-were-supposed-to-read-but-probably-didnt-by-john-atkinson/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/abridged-classics-brief-summaries-of-umra-reads-books-you-were-supposed-to-read-but-probably-didnt-by-john-atkinson/#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2025 09:49:51 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/44832756-5319-3e7a-8645-ef3944310aa7 Abridged Classics: Brief Summaries of Books You Were Supposed to Read But Probably Didn't by John Atkinson is a humorous, cartoon-illustrated book that offers ultra-short, witty synopses of famous literary works, making classic novels accessible and funny for those who missed reading them, featuring irreverent summaries like "Old ladies convince a guy to ruin Scotland" for Macbeth. 

]]> Abridged Classics: Brief Summaries of Books You Were Supposed to Read But Probably Didn't by John Atkinson is a humorous, cartoon-illustrated book that offers ultra-short, witty synopses of famous literary works, making classic novels accessible and funny for those who missed reading them, featuring irreverent summaries like "Old ladies convince a guy to ruin Scotland" for Macbeth. 

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 1554 43 full UMRA Reads: The Tennis Partner by Abraham Partner UMRA Reads: The Tennis Partner by Abraham Partner https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-tennis-partner-by-abraham-partner/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-tennis-partner-by-abraham-partner/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2025 09:17:52 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/6644ce35-7c91-3e5d-9a37-944f0c373d61 "When Abraham Verghese, a physician whose marriage is unraveling, relocates to El Paso, Texas, he hopes to make a fresh start as a staff member at the county hospital. There he meets David Smith, a medical student recovering from drug addiction, and the two men begin a tennis ritual that allows them to shed their inhibitions and find security in the sport they love and with each other. This friendship between doctor and intern grows increasingly rich and complex, more intimate than two men usually allow. Just when it seems nothing can go wrong, the dark beast from David’s past emerges once again—and almost everything Verghese has come to trust and believe in is threatened as David spirals out of control."

-- Goodreads

]]> "When Abraham Verghese, a physician whose marriage is unraveling, relocates to El Paso, Texas, he hopes to make a fresh start as a staff member at the county hospital. There he meets David Smith, a medical student recovering from drug addiction, and the two men begin a tennis ritual that allows them to shed their inhibitions and find security in the sport they love and with each other. This friendship between doctor and intern grows increasingly rich and complex, more intimate than two men usually allow. Just when it seems nothing can go wrong, the dark beast from David’s past emerges once again—and almost everything Verghese has come to trust and believe in is threatened as David spirals out of control."

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 2949 42 full UMRA Reads: The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates UMRA Reads: The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-message-by-ta-nehisi-coates/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-message-by-ta-nehisi-coates/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:06:59 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/5dd3fdac-4543-323d-979c-ac93a40e2cde Ta-Nehisi Coates began The Message intending to write about writing, but it evolved into a meditation on how stories and myths shape—and distort—our realities.

In three linked essays, Coates journeys from Dakar to South Carolina to Palestine, each revealing a struggle between myth and truth. In Dakar, he confronts the romantic Afrocentric visions of his youth against the tangible legacy of slavery. In Columbia, South Carolina, he witnesses both the transformative power and the backlash of America’s racial reckoning. And in Palestine, he sees firsthand how entrenched national myths obscure human suffering on both sides of the conflict.

Written at a moment of global upheaval, The Message is a profound call to break free from destructive nationalist stories and face the liberating force of difficult truths.

]]> Ta-Nehisi Coates began The Message intending to write about writing, but it evolved into a meditation on how stories and myths shape—and distort—our realities.

In three linked essays, Coates journeys from Dakar to South Carolina to Palestine, each revealing a struggle between myth and truth. In Dakar, he confronts the romantic Afrocentric visions of his youth against the tangible legacy of slavery. In Columbia, South Carolina, he witnesses both the transformative power and the backlash of America’s racial reckoning. And in Palestine, he sees firsthand how entrenched national myths obscure human suffering on both sides of the conflict.

Written at a moment of global upheaval, The Message is a profound call to break free from destructive nationalist stories and face the liberating force of difficult truths.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4676 41 full UMRA Reads - The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson UMRA Reads - The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race by Walter Isaacson https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-code-breaker-jennifer-doudna-gene-editing-and-the-future-of-the-human-race-by-walter-isaacson/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-code-breaker-jennifer-doudna-gene-editing-and-the-future-of-the-human-race-by-walter-isaacson/#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2025 10:30:02 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/019f56d5-89d1-34bb-ad48-a0eb58d3cb62 "When Jennifer Doudna was in sixth grade, she came home one day to find that her dad had left a paperback titled The Double Helix on her bed. As she sped through the pages, she became enthralled by the intense drama behind the competition to discover the code of life. Even though her high school counselor told her girls didn’t become scientists, she decided she would." "Driven by a passion to understand how nature works and to turn discoveries into inventions, she would help to make what the book’s author, James Watson, told her was the most important biological advance since his co-discovery of the structure of DNA. She and her collaborators turned ​a curiosity ​of nature into an invention that will transform the human race: an easy-to-use tool that can edit DNA. Known as CRISPR, it opened a brave new world of medical miracles and moral questions." "The development of CRISPR and the race to create vaccines for coronavirus will hasten our transition to the next great innovation revolution. The past half-century has been a digital age, based on the microchip, computer, and internet. Now we are entering a life-science revolution. Children who study digital coding will be joined by those who study genetic code." "Should we use our new evolution-hacking powers to make us less susceptible to viruses? What a wonderful boon that would be! And what about preventing depression? Hmmm…Should we allow parents, if they can afford it, to enhance the height or muscles or IQ of their kids? "After helping to discover CRISPR, Doudna became a leader in wrestling with these moral issues and, with her collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier, won the Nobel Prize in 2020."

 

-- Goodreads

]]> "When Jennifer Doudna was in sixth grade, she came home one day to find that her dad had left a paperback titled The Double Helix on her bed. As she sped through the pages, she became enthralled by the intense drama behind the competition to discover the code of life. Even though her high school counselor told her girls didn’t become scientists, she decided she would."

"Driven by a passion to understand how nature works and to turn discoveries into inventions, she would help to make what the book’s author, James Watson, told her was the most important biological advance since his co-discovery of the structure of DNA. She and her collaborators turned ​a curiosity ​of nature into an invention that will transform the human race: an easy-to-use tool that can edit DNA. Known as CRISPR, it opened a brave new world of medical miracles and moral questions."

"The development of CRISPR and the race to create vaccines for coronavirus will hasten our transition to the next great innovation revolution. The past half-century has been a digital age, based on the microchip, computer, and internet. Now we are entering a life-science revolution. Children who study digital coding will be joined by those who study genetic code."

"Should we use our new evolution-hacking powers to make us less susceptible to viruses? What a wonderful boon that would be! And what about preventing depression? Hmmm…Should we allow parents, if they can afford it, to enhance the height or muscles or IQ of their kids?

"After helping to discover CRISPR, Doudna became a leader in wrestling with these moral issues and, with her collaborator Emmanuelle Charpentier, won the Nobel Prize in 2020."

 

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4844 40 full UMRA Reads: An Elephant in the Kitchen by Francoise Malby-Anthony UMRA Reads: An Elephant in the Kitchen by Francoise Malby-Anthony https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-an-elephant-in-the-kitchen-by-francoise-malby-anthony/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-an-elephant-in-the-kitchen-by-francoise-malby-anthony/#comments Thu, 28 Aug 2025 09:55:10 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/cfe0b20d-760b-36b9-a76b-e00f726101f4 ----more----

]]> The Elephant Whisperer, by Lawrence Anthony's wife Françoise Malby-Anthony."

"A blonde, chic Parisienne, Françoise never expected to find herself living on a South African game reserve. But when she fell in love with renowned conservationist Lawrence Anthony her life took an unexpected turn. Lawrence died in 2012 and Françoise was left to face the tough reality of running Thula Thula without him, even though she knew very little about conservation. She was short on money, poachers were threatening their rhinos, and one of their elephants was charging Land Rovers on game drives and terrifying guests. There was no time to mourn when Thula Thula’s human and animal family were depending on her."

"How Françoise survived and Thula Thula thrived is beautifully described in this charming, funny and poignant book. Their elephant herd, rescued by Lawrence, shared Françoise's grief at his passing but over time forged a new relationship with her. One day a baby, Tom, became separated from the herd and found his way into Françoise's kitchen. Another day there was a desperate race against time to save a baby who had a snare wrapped round his face and couldn't open his mouth to suckle."

"Meanwhile Françoise fulfilled her dream of building a rescue centre for orphaned rhinos and other wildlife. Abandoned hippo baby Charlie, who hated water, joined the centre's rhinos and quickly became best friends with a little girl rhino called Makhosi. The traumatised babies had round the clock care, including an unlikely nursemaid in the form of a German Shepherd called Duma. If you loved Lawrence's The Elephant Whisperer, or just want to spend time with some very special animals, then you won’t want to miss this sparkling book."   -- Goodreads


----more----

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3049 39 full UMRA Reads: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith UMRA Reads: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn-by-betty-smith/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-a-tree-grows-in-brooklyn-by-betty-smith/#comments Thu, 24 Jul 2025 13:26:38 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/f1fba8bb-2e78-320b-8b19-4d71080ded61 "The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience."

-- Goodreads

]]> "The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience."

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4375 38 full UMRA Reads: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman UMRA Reads: We Solve Murders by Richard Osman https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-we-solve-murders-by-richard-osman/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-we-solve-murders-by-richard-osman/#comments Wed, 25 Jun 2025 18:39:19 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/3ff5bda8-a7f0-3340-83af-800a4a5c7a0f "Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now." "Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job..." "Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?"

 

-- Goodreads

]]> "Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favorite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over: adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now."

"Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive. Which was meant to be an easy job..."

"Then a dead body, a bag of money, and a killer with their sights on Amy have her sending an SOS to the only person she trusts. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a lethal enemy?"

 

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 2550 37 full UMRA Reads: Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the Word by Anne Applebaum UMRA Reads: Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the Word by Anne Applebaum https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-autocracy-inc-the-dictators-who-want-to-run-the-word-by-anne-applebaum/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-autocracy-inc-the-dictators-who-want-to-run-the-word-by-anne-applebaum/#comments Fri, 30 May 2025 09:37:58 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/382c90a0-0d1b-36e7-a1c7-b85c8a3088a7 "All of us have in our minds a cartoon image of what an autocratic state looks like, with a bad man at the top. But in the 21st century, that cartoon bears little resemblance to reality. Nowadays, autocracies are run not by one bad guy, but by sophisticated networks composed of kleptocratic financial structures, security services and professional propagandists. The members of these networks are connected not only within a given country, but among many countries. The corrupt, state-controlled companies in one dictatorship do business with corrupt, state-controlled companies in another."

"Unlike military or political alliances from other times and places, this group doesn’t operate like a bloc, but rather like an agglomeration of Autocracy, Inc. Their relations are not based on values, but are rather transactional, which is why they operate so easily across ideological, geographical, and cultural lines. In truth, they are in full agreement about only one Their dislike of us, the inhabitants of the democratic world, and their desire to see both our political systems and our values undermined. That shared understanding of the world—where it comes from, why it lasts, how it works, how the democratic world has unwittingly helped to consolidate it, and how we can help bring it down—is the subject of this book".

"Anne Elizabeth Applebaum is a Polish-American journalist and writer. She has written extensively about Marxism–Leninism and the development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe. She has worked at The Economist and The Spectator, and was a member of the editorial board of The Washington Post".

-- Goodreads

]]> "All of us have in our minds a cartoon image of what an autocratic state looks like, with a bad man at the top. But in the 21st century, that cartoon bears little resemblance to reality. Nowadays, autocracies are run not by one bad guy, but by sophisticated networks composed of kleptocratic financial structures, security services and professional propagandists. The members of these networks are connected not only within a given country, but among many countries. The corrupt, state-controlled companies in one dictatorship do business with corrupt, state-controlled companies in another."

"Unlike military or political alliances from other times and places, this group doesn’t operate like a bloc, but rather like an agglomeration of Autocracy, Inc. Their relations are not based on values, but are rather transactional, which is why they operate so easily across ideological, geographical, and cultural lines. In truth, they are in full agreement about only one Their dislike of us, the inhabitants of the democratic world, and their desire to see both our political systems and our values undermined. That shared understanding of the world—where it comes from, why it lasts, how it works, how the democratic world has unwittingly helped to consolidate it, and how we can help bring it down—is the subject of this book".

"Anne Elizabeth Applebaum is a Polish-American journalist and writer. She has written extensively about Marxism–Leninism and the development of civil society in Central and Eastern Europe. She has worked at The Economist and The Spectator, and was a member of the editorial board of The Washington Post".

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4239 36 full ChatGPT Unveiled: Exploring the Power of AI Conversations ChatGPT Unveiled: Exploring the Power of AI Conversations https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/chatgpt-unveiled-exploring-the-power-of-ai-conversations/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/chatgpt-unveiled-exploring-the-power-of-ai-conversations/#comments Wed, 28 May 2025 12:44:41 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/59f9a393-08ce-3417-8ff3-19b0f5116def Edward Adams Former Chief Technology Officer Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Ever wonder what it would be like to have an intelligent conversation with a computer? A conversation exploring history, science and the arts; taking deep dives into philosophy, physics, medicine, and economics; discussing current books, movies and theater; engaging in casual chats about daily life; and more. Well, that's the exciting world of AI chatbots, and one of the most advanced is called ChatGPT. This talk will unveil the secrets behind ChatGPT, demonstrating how conversational AI is revolutionizing communication, education, and daily life and why it's changing the way we interact with technology. We'll explore the possibilities of AI conversations, from helping us with daily tasks to even having friendly chats. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or a curious novice, this talk will provide valuable insights into how AI is shaping our future and how you can leverage its capabilities in your own life.

]]> Edward Adams
Former Chief Technology Officer
Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Ever wonder what it would be like to have an intelligent conversation with a computer? A conversation exploring history, science and the arts; taking deep dives into philosophy, physics, medicine, and economics; discussing current books, movies and theater; engaging in casual chats about daily life; and more. Well, that's the exciting world of AI chatbots, and one of the most advanced is called ChatGPT. This talk will unveil the secrets behind ChatGPT, demonstrating how conversational AI is revolutionizing communication, education, and daily life and why it's changing the way we interact with technology. We'll explore the possibilities of AI conversations, from helping us with daily tasks to even having friendly chats. Whether you're a tech enthusiast or a curious novice, this talk will provide valuable insights into how AI is shaping our future and how you can leverage its capabilities in your own life.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3085 35 full UMRA Reads: Tom Lake by Ann Patchette UMRA Reads: Tom Lake by Ann Patchette https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-tom-lake-by-ann-patchette/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-tom-lake-by-ann-patchette/#comments Thu, 24 Apr 2025 09:03:09 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/4eb7ac29-0212-3fc2-8457-99ca3041e4ee "In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew." "Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart."

-- Goodreads

]]> "In the spring of 2020, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. While picking cherries, they beg their mother to tell them the story of Peter Duke, a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance years before at a theater company called Tom Lake. As Lara recalls the past, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother, and are forced to reconsider the world and everything they thought they knew."

"Tom Lake is a meditation on youthful love, married love, and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Both hopeful and elegiac, it explores what it means to be happy even when the world is falling apart."

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3523 34 full UMRA Reads: The Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison UMRA Reads: The Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-song-of-solomon-by-toni-morrison/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-song-of-solomon-by-toni-morrison/#comments Thu, 27 Mar 2025 11:19:05 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/00a41c4a-6df8-3c13-8727-93337b972aee "Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, a novel of large beauty and power, creates a magical world out of four generations of black life in America, a world we enter on the day of the birth of Macon Dead, Jr. (known as Milkman), son of the richest black family in a mid-western town; the day on which the lonely insurance man, Robert Smith, poised in blue silk wings, attempts to fly from a steeple of the hospital, a black Icarus looking homeward..." "We see Milkman growing up in his father's money-haunted, death-haunted house with his silent sisters and strangely passive mother, beginning to move outward--through his profound love and combat with his friend Guitar...through Guitar's mad and loving commitment to the secret avengers called the Seven Days...through Milkman's exotic, imprisoning affair with his love-blind cousin, Hagar...and through his unconscious apprenticeship to his mystical Aunt Pilate, who saved his life before he was born."

 

-- Amazon Books

]]> "Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon, a novel of large beauty and power, creates a magical world out of four generations of black life in America, a world we enter on the day of the birth of Macon Dead, Jr. (known as Milkman), son of the richest black family in a mid-western town; the day on which the lonely insurance man, Robert Smith, poised in blue silk wings, attempts to fly from a steeple of the hospital, a black Icarus looking homeward..."

"We see Milkman growing up in his father's money-haunted, death-haunted house with his silent sisters and strangely passive mother, beginning to move outward--through his profound love and combat with his friend Guitar...through Guitar's mad and loving commitment to the secret avengers called the Seven Days...through Milkman's exotic, imprisoning affair with his love-blind cousin, Hagar...and through his unconscious apprenticeship to his mystical Aunt Pilate, who saved his life before he was born."

 

-- Amazon Books

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 5378 33 full Why Incompetence Fails to Recognize Itself with Professor David Dunning Why Incompetence Fails to Recognize Itself with Professor David Dunning https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/why-incompetence-fails-to-recognize-itself-with-professor-david-dunning/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/why-incompetence-fails-to-recognize-itself-with-professor-david-dunning/#comments Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:43:36 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/cead2cfb-e8cd-3301-89e1-beeb3cac4d99 David Dunning

Professor of Psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts Faculty Associate in the Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research

 

Professor Dunning discusses the psychology underlying the notorious "Dunning-Kruger Effect," where people remain unaware of their incompetence and ignorance, thus left with illusions of expertise they do not have (a condition that visits all of us sooner or later). He touches on its implications for health, education, the workplace, politics—as well as the digital age. Dunning (with Justin Kruger) received the 2023 Grawemeyer Award in Psychology for the work, which has been featured internationally on National Public Radio Public Broadcasting Service, The British Broadcasting Service, The New York Times, and other venues. Even Doonesbury.

 

]]> Recognize Itself

David Dunning

Professor of Psychology in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts
Faculty Associate in the Research Center for Group Dynamics, Institute for Social Research

 

Professor Dunning discusses the psychology underlying the notorious "Dunning-Kruger Effect," where people remain unaware of their incompetence and ignorance, thus left with illusions of expertise they do not have (a condition that visits all of us sooner or later). He touches on its implications for health, education, the workplace, politics—as well as the digital age. Dunning (with Justin Kruger) received the 2023 Grawemeyer Award in Psychology for the work, which has been featured internationally on National Public Radio Public Broadcasting Service, The British Broadcasting Service, The New York Times, and other venues. Even Doonesbury.

 

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3754 32 full UMRA Reads: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn UMRA Reads: The Rose Code by Kate Quinn https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-rose-code-by-kate-quinn/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-rose-code-by-kate-quinn/#comments Thu, 27 Feb 2025 08:49:48 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/4e65b70b-9874-320f-a47f-2fa7e4d863f1 The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is a book about three female code breakers -- Osla, Mab and Beth -- at Bletchley Park during WWII. The women form a friendship (and a book club) over the years, but a betrayal and traitor among their colleagues lands one of them in locked up in an asylum in the years after the war. But through a letter carefully smuggled out, she's able to issue a cry for help from her confinement.

In this exciting and enthralling tale, The Rose Code tells the story of their friendship, their work and their disappointments and triumphs.

]]> The Rose Code by Kate Quinn is a book about three female code breakers -- Osla, Mab and Beth -- at Bletchley Park during WWII. The women form a friendship (and a book club) over the years, but a betrayal and traitor among their colleagues lands one of them in locked up in an asylum in the years after the war. But through a letter carefully smuggled out, she's able to issue a cry for help from her confinement.

In this exciting and enthralling tale, The Rose Code tells the story of their friendship, their work and their disappointments and triumphs.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4343 31 full UMRA Reads: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family UMRA Reads: The Boys: A Memoir of Hollywood and Family https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-boys-a-memoir-of-hollywood-and-family/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-boys-a-memoir-of-hollywood-and-family/#comments Fri, 24 Jan 2025 09:03:45 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/ecefe275-4fac-3b3d-9dfd-086d3abe8cc3 "Happy Days, The Andy Griffith Show, Gentle Ben—these shows captivated millions of TV viewers in the ’60s and ’70s. Join award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and audience-favorite actor Clint Howard as they frankly and fondly share their unusual family story of navigating and surviving life as sibling child actors."

"With the perspective of time and success—Ron as a filmmaker, producer, and Hollywood A-lister, Clint as a busy character actor—the Howard brothers delve deep into an upbringing that seemed normal to them yet was anything but."

"By turns confessional, nostalgic, heartwarming, and harrowing, The Boys is a dual narrative that lifts the lid on the Howard brothers’ closely held lives. It’s the journey of a tight four-person family unit that held fast in an unforgiving business and of two brothers who survived “child-actor syndrome” to become fulfilled adults."

 

-- Goodreads

]]> "Happy Days, The Andy Griffith Show, Gentle Ben—these shows captivated millions of TV viewers in the ’60s and ’70s. Join award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and audience-favorite actor Clint Howard as they frankly and fondly share their unusual family story of navigating and surviving life as sibling child actors."

"With the perspective of time and success—Ron as a filmmaker, producer, and Hollywood A-lister, Clint as a busy character actor—the Howard brothers delve deep into an upbringing that seemed normal to them yet was anything but."

"By turns confessional, nostalgic, heartwarming, and harrowing, The Boys is a dual narrative that lifts the lid on the Howard brothers’ closely held lives. It’s the journey of a tight four-person family unit that held fast in an unforgiving business and of two brothers who survived “child-actor syndrome” to become fulfilled adults."

 

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 2443 30 full Tax Follies & Wisdom: Odd to Horrific Episodes from Ancient to Present Tax Follies & Wisdom: Odd to Horrific Episodes from Ancient to Present https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/tax-follies-wisdom-odd-to-horrific-episodes-from-ancient-to-present/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/tax-follies-wisdom-odd-to-horrific-episodes-from-ancient-to-present/#comments Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:19:49 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/ed0406b6-9e25-3cde-bf4e-53d824eab812 Paul W. McCracken Professor of Business Economics and Public policy and Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy in the Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Professor of Economics in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

 

 

Professor Slemrod, an authority on tax policy design, is known for his pioneering research on how tax policies influence households and companies. He will use stories to illustrate basic principles of taxation, including how taxes are used to change behavior, both for sinister and laudable purposes, and share notable tax policy successes and failures. Slemrod has testified before Congress, advised the Congressional Budget Office and Internal Revenue Service, and assisted treasury departments on every continent. He has published 17 books, including Rebellion, Rascals and Revenue: Tax Follies and Wisdom through the Ages, and was named U-M's David Bradford Distinguished University Professor of Economics in 2021. Learn more about him here: https://lsa.umich.edu/econ/people/faculty/jslemrod.html.

]]> Episodes from Ancient to Present Joel Slemrod

Paul W. McCracken Professor of Business Economics and Public policy and
Professor of Business Economics and Public Policy in the
Stephen M. Ross School of Business

Professor of Economics in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

 

 

Professor Slemrod, an authority on tax policy design, is known for his pioneering research on how tax policies influence households and companies. He will use stories to illustrate basic principles of taxation, including how taxes are used to change behavior, both for sinister and laudable purposes, and share notable tax policy successes and failures. Slemrod has testified before Congress, advised the Congressional Budget Office and Internal Revenue Service, and assisted treasury departments on every continent. He has published 17 books, including Rebellion, Rascals and Revenue: Tax Follies and Wisdom through the Ages, and was named U-M's David Bradford Distinguished University Professor of Economics in 2021. Learn more about him here: https://lsa.umich.edu/econ/people/faculty/jslemrod.html.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3726 29 full UMRA Reads: The Toledo War: The First Michigan Ohio Rivalry by Don Faber UMRA Reads: The Toledo War: The First Michigan Ohio Rivalry by Don Faber https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-toledo-war-the-first-michigan-ohio-rivalry-by-don-faber/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-toledo-war-the-first-michigan-ohio-rivalry-by-don-faber/#comments Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:00:43 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/4978047d-8956-3596-b346-b27a60db35e8 Most are familiar with the Michigan-Ohio football rivalry, an intense but usually good-natured contest that stretches back over one hundred years. Yet far fewer may know that in the early nineteenth century Michigan and Ohio were locked in a different kind of battle---one that began before Michigan became a state. The conflict started with a long-simmering dispute over a narrow wedge of land called the Toledo Strip. The Toledo War: The First Michigan-Ohio Rivalry gives a well-researched and fascinating account of the famous war. Don Faber is best known as the former editor of the Ann Arbor News .

]]> Most are familiar with the Michigan-Ohio football rivalry, an intense but usually good-natured contest that stretches back over one hundred years. Yet far fewer may know that in the early nineteenth century Michigan and Ohio were locked in a different kind of battle---one that began before Michigan became a state. The conflict started with a long-simmering dispute over a narrow wedge of land called the Toledo Strip. The Toledo War: The First Michigan-Ohio Rivalry gives a well-researched and fascinating account of the famous war. Don Faber is best known as the former editor of the Ann Arbor News .

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3648 28 full Attack from Within with Barbara McQuade Attack from Within with Barbara McQuade https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/seminar-attack-from-within-with-barbara-mcquad/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/seminar-attack-from-within-with-barbara-mcquad/#comments Mon, 02 Dec 2024 13:07:59 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/0e4c0a03-933b-3e84-8456-ab72dbdd1ec2 Barbara McQuade

Professor from practice at Michigan Law

 

Professor McQuade will discuss observations and recommendations from her recent book, Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America (Seven Stories Press, 2024). The book defines disinformation as "the deliberate use of lies to manipulate people, whether to extract profit or to advance a political agenda." She will discuss why disinformation is especially dangerous at this point in U.S. history, especially the threats it poses to democracy, public safety, and national security. National, social media, and individual strategies to recognize disinformation and counter its effects will be discussed. Attack from Within will be available for purchase on site from a local book seller. Barbara was appointed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan by President Barack Obama in 2010. The first woman in that role, serving until 2017. Her interests include criminal law, criminal procedure, national security, data privacy and civil rights.

]]> Barbara McQuade

Professor from practice at Michigan Law

 

Professor McQuade will discuss observations and recommendations from her recent book, Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America (Seven Stories Press, 2024). The book defines disinformation as "the deliberate use of lies to manipulate people, whether to extract profit or to advance a political agenda." She will discuss why disinformation is especially dangerous at this point in U.S. history, especially the threats it poses to democracy, public safety, and national security. National, social media, and individual strategies to recognize disinformation and counter its effects will be discussed. Attack from Within will be available for purchase on site from a local book seller.

Barbara was appointed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan by President Barack Obama in 2010. The first woman in that role, serving until 2017. Her interests include criminal law, criminal procedure, national security, data privacy and civil rights.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3847 27 full Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/learngrow-estate-planning-elder-law-probate/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/learngrow-estate-planning-elder-law-probate/#comments Mon, 02 Dec 2024 13:06:48 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/653d8f56-646a-340f-9729-58cb56fcf00e Terrance (Terry) Bertram President of the Legacy Law Center

Terry Bertram is a U-M alum, who has been providing estate and elder law planning services in the greater Washtenaw County area for over 30 years.  His talk will focus on the importance of keeping estate plans updated and the steps to assure solid planning for elder life, as well as protecting one's legacy for family members and/or designated recipients.

]]> Elder Law, Probate

Terrance (Terry) Bertram
President of the Legacy Law Center

Terry Bertram is a U-M alum, who has been providing estate and elder law planning services in the greater Washtenaw County area for over 30 years.  His talk will focus on the importance of keeping estate plans updated and the steps to assure solid planning for elder life, as well as protecting one's legacy for family members and/or designated recipients.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 2944 26 full UMRA Reads: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury UMRA Reads: Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-fahrenheit-451-by-ray-bradbury/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-fahrenheit-451-by-ray-bradbury/#comments Thu, 21 Nov 2024 11:24:14 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/688e3ccf-04f4-3735-815e-7e6a7b422c53 "Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known."

-- Goodreads

]]> "Guy Montag is a fireman. His job is to destroy the most illegal of commodities, the printed book, along with the houses in which they are hidden. Montag never questions the destruction and ruin his actions produce, returning each day to his bland life and wife, Mildred, who spends all day with her television “family.” But when he meets an eccentric young neighbor, Clarisse, who introduces him to a past where people didn’t live in fear and to a present where one sees the world through the ideas in books instead of the mindless chatter of television, Montag begins to question everything he has ever known."

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3777 25 full UMRA Reads: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie UMRA Reads: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-murder-of-roger-ackroyd-by-agatha-christie/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-murder-of-roger-ackroyd-by-agatha-christie/#comments Thu, 24 Oct 2024 09:23:34 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/f0f40aa7-6551-3174-9691-708dd6e3e31b Considered to be one of Agatha Christie's greatest, and also most controversial mysteries, 'The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd' breaks the rules of traditional mystery. The peaceful English village of King’s Abbot is stunned. The widow Ferrars dies from an overdose of Veronal. Not twenty-four hours later, Roger Ackroyd—the man she had planned to marry—is murdered. It is a baffling case involving blackmail and death that taxes Hercule Poirot’s “little grey cells” before he reaches one of the most startling conclusions of his career.

 

-- Goodreads

]]> Considered to be one of Agatha Christie's greatest, and also most controversial mysteries, 'The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd' breaks the rules of traditional mystery.

The peaceful English village of King’s Abbot is stunned. The widow Ferrars dies from an overdose of Veronal. Not twenty-four hours later, Roger Ackroyd—the man she had planned to marry—is murdered. It is a baffling case involving blackmail and death that taxes Hercule Poirot’s “little grey cells” before he reaches one of the most startling conclusions of his career.

 

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3604 24 full UMRA Reads: Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom by Carl Bernstein UMRA Reads: Chasing History: A Kid in the Newsroom by Carl Bernstein https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-chasing-history-a-kid-in-the-newsroom-by-carl-bernstein/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-chasing-history-a-kid-in-the-newsroom-by-carl-bernstein/#comments Fri, 27 Sep 2024 15:07:53 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/0241c956-13de-3a8b-be1c-71683e6c8ab9 "Carl Bernstein, the Pulitzer Prize-winning coauthor of All the President’s Men and pioneer of investigative journalism, recalls his beginnings as an audacious teenage newspaper reporter in the nation’s capital―a winning tale of scrapes, gumshoeing, and American bedlam."

"In Chasing History, Bernstein recalls the origins of his storied journalistic career as he chronicles the Kennedy era, the swelling civil rights movement, and a slew of grisly crimes. He spins a buoyant, frenetic account of educating himself in what Bob Woodward describes as “the genius of perpetual engagement.” "Funny and exhilarating, poignant and frank, Chasing History is an extraordinary memoir of life on the cusp of adulthood for a determined young man with a dogged commitment to the truth."

-- Goodreads

]]> "Carl Bernstein, the Pulitzer Prize-winning coauthor of All the President’s Men and pioneer of investigative journalism, recalls his beginnings as an audacious teenage newspaper reporter in the nation’s capital―a winning tale of scrapes, gumshoeing, and American bedlam."

"In Chasing History, Bernstein recalls the origins of his storied journalistic career as he chronicles the Kennedy era, the swelling civil rights movement, and a slew of grisly crimes. He spins a buoyant, frenetic account of educating himself in what Bob Woodward describes as “the genius of perpetual engagement.”

"Funny and exhilarating, poignant and frank, Chasing History is an extraordinary memoir of life on the cusp of adulthood for a determined young man with a dogged commitment to the truth."

-- Goodreads

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3339 23 full UMRA Reads: Profiles in Ignorance: How America's Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber UMRA Reads: Profiles in Ignorance: How America's Politicians Got Dumb and Dumber https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/profiles-in-ignorance-how-americas-politicians-got-dumb-and-dumber/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/profiles-in-ignorance-how-americas-politicians-got-dumb-and-dumber/#comments Fri, 06 Sep 2024 09:15:21 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/0b6e1ee0-f221-3a45-974a-8462eefd1c25 "Andy Borowitz argues that over the past fifty years, American politicians have grown increasingly allergic to knowledge, and mass media have encouraged the election of ignoramuses by elevating candidates who are better at performing than thinking. Starting with Ronald Reagan’s first campaign for governor of California in 1966 and culminating with the election of Donald J. Trump to the White House, Borowitz shows how, during the age of twenty-four-hour news and social media, the US has elected politicians to positions of great power whose lack of the most basic information is terrifying. In addition to Reagan, Quayle, Bush, Palin, and Trump, Borowitz covers a host of congresspersons, senators, and governors who have helped lower the bar over the past five decades." "Profiles in Ignorance aims to make us both laugh and cry: laugh at the idiotic antics of these public figures, and cry at the cataclysms these icons of ignorance have caused. But most importantly, the book delivers a call to action and a cause for optimism: History doesn’t move in a straight line, and we can change course if we act now."

]]> "Andy Borowitz argues that over the past fifty years, American politicians have grown increasingly allergic to knowledge, and mass media have encouraged the election of ignoramuses by elevating candidates who are better at performing than thinking. Starting with Ronald Reagan’s first campaign for governor of California in 1966 and culminating with the election of Donald J. Trump to the White House, Borowitz shows how, during the age of twenty-four-hour news and social media, the US has elected politicians to positions of great power whose lack of the most basic information is terrifying. In addition to Reagan, Quayle, Bush, Palin, and Trump, Borowitz covers a host of congresspersons, senators, and governors who have helped lower the bar over the past five decades."

"Profiles in Ignorance aims to make us both laugh and cry: laugh at the idiotic antics of these public figures, and cry at the cataclysms these icons of ignorance have caused. But most importantly, the book delivers a call to action and a cause for optimism: History doesn’t move in a straight line, and we can change course if we act now."

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3861 22 full UMRA Reads: Into the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf UMRA Reads: Into the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-into-the-lighthouse-by-virginia-woolf/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-into-the-lighthouse-by-virginia-woolf/#comments Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:44:22 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/6e388b74-cf0e-3491-a251-6caa484667e0 From Goodreads: "The serene and maternal Mrs. Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr. Ramsay, and their children and assorted guests are on holiday on the Isle of Skye. From the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse, Woolf constructs a remarkable, moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life and the conflict between men and women. As time winds its way through their lives, the Ramsays face, alone and simultaneously, the greatest of human challenges and its greatest triumph—the human capacity for change."

Virginia Woolf was an English novelist and essayist regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century.

]]> From Goodreads: "The serene and maternal Mrs. Ramsay, the tragic yet absurd Mr. Ramsay, and their children and assorted guests are on holiday on the Isle of Skye. From the seemingly trivial postponement of a visit to a nearby lighthouse, Woolf constructs a remarkable, moving examination of the complex tensions and allegiances of family life and the conflict between men and women. As time winds its way through their lives, the Ramsays face, alone and simultaneously, the greatest of human challenges and its greatest triumph—the human capacity for change."

Virginia Woolf was an English novelist and essayist regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3667 21 full UMRA Reads: Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America by Barbara McQuade UMRA Reads: Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America by Barbara McQuade https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-attack-from-within-how-disinformation-is-sabotaging-america-by-barbara-mcquade/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-attack-from-within-how-disinformation-is-sabotaging-america-by-barbara-mcquade/#comments Thu, 27 Jun 2024 12:07:42 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/8c1ff6c9-963e-3f57-872b-9ab381d3d4f9 In Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, University of Michigan Law professor, legal scholar and analyst Barbara McQuade, shows us how to identify the ways disinformation is seeping into all facets of our society and how we can fight against it. The book breaks down the ways disinformation has become a tool to drive voters to extremes, disempower our legal structures, and consolidate power in the hands of the few. Disinformation is designed to evoke a strong emotional response to push us toward more extreme views, unable to find common ground with others. The false claims that led to the breathtaking attack on our Capitol in 2020 may have been only a dress rehearsal. Attack from Within shows us how to prevent it from happening again, thus preserving our country’s hard-won democracy.

]]> In Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America, University of Michigan Law professor, legal scholar and analyst Barbara McQuade, shows us how to identify the ways disinformation is seeping into all facets of our society and how we can fight against it. The book breaks down the ways disinformation has become a tool to drive voters to extremes, disempower our legal structures, and consolidate power in the hands of the few.

Disinformation is designed to evoke a strong emotional response to push us toward more extreme views, unable to find common ground with others. The false claims that led to the breathtaking attack on our Capitol in 2020 may have been only a dress rehearsal. Attack from Within shows us how to prevent it from happening again, thus preserving our country’s hard-won democracy.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 5324 20 full UMRA Reads: Says Who? A Kinder, Funner, Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words by Anne Curzan UMRA Reads: Says Who? A Kinder, Funner, Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words by Anne Curzan https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-says-who-a-kinder-funner-usage-guide-for-everyone-who-cares-about-words-by-anne-curzan/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-says-who-a-kinder-funner-usage-guide-for-everyone-who-cares-about-words-by-anne-curzan/#comments Thu, 23 May 2024 15:45:26 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/b83d1d15-b85b-3cd7-974a-e0147ba163e5 "A kinder, funner usage guide to the ever-changing English language and a useful tool for both the grammar stickler and the more colloquial user of English, from linguist and veteran U-M Professor Anne Curzan." "Our use of language naturally evolves and is a living, breathing thing that reflects who we are. Says Who? offers clear, nuanced guidance that goes beyond “right” and “wrong” to empower us to make informed language choices. Never snooty or scoldy (yes, that’s a “real” word!), this book explains where the grammar rules we learned in school actually come from and reveals the forces that drive dictionary editors to label certain words as slang or unacceptable."

]]> "A kinder, funner usage guide to the ever-changing English language and a useful tool for both the grammar stickler and the more colloquial user of English, from linguist and veteran U-M Professor Anne Curzan."

"Our use of language naturally evolves and is a living, breathing thing that reflects who we are. Says Who? offers clear, nuanced guidance that goes beyond “right” and “wrong” to empower us to make informed language choices. Never snooty or scoldy (yes, that’s a “real” word!), this book explains where the grammar rules we learned in school actually come from and reveals the forces that drive dictionary editors to label certain words as slang or unacceptable."

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4503 19 full UMRA Reads: The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina UMRA Reads: The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-phone-booth-at-the-edge-of-the-world/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-phone-booth-at-the-edge-of-the-world/#comments Fri, 26 Apr 2024 15:48:16 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/028d9021-d8a0-33ff-be0b-b181c380c13e The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World is a poetic novel about a real telephone booth in Otsuchi, Japan, a rural town decimated by the 2011 tsunami. Known as the “Wind Phone,” the disconnected rotary telephone allows grieving family members to speak, in a way, to loved ones who have passed on.

]]> The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World is a poetic novel about a real telephone booth in Otsuchi, Japan, a rural town decimated by the 2011 tsunami. Known as the “Wind Phone,” the disconnected rotary telephone allows grieving family members to speak, in a way, to loved ones who have passed on.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3578 18 full The Health and National Security Risks of Drug Shortages The Health and National Security Risks of Drug Shortages https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/the-health-and-national-security-risks-of-drug-shortages/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/the-health-and-national-security-risks-of-drug-shortages/#comments Mon, 22 Apr 2024 10:19:22 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/4df137f4-1a23-3c78-9dc8-9d8ce89230c2 Andrew G. Shuman, MD, FACS, HEC-C

Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Chief of the Clinical Ethics Service in the Center for the Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine (CBSSM)

Dr. Shuman is a cancer surgeon and bioethicist at the University of Michigan and the VA Ann Arbor Health System. He is internationally recognized as a thought leader in ethical issues arising within the field of surgical oncology. His greatest impact involves applying his perspective as a practicing surgeon and clinical ethicist to bioethics research. He has a portfolio of publications in leading journals in the fields of ethics, oncology and otolaryngology including The New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA.

On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, Dr. Shuman testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at a hearing, titled "Drug Shortage Health and National Security Risks: Underlying Causes and Needed Reforms". During his testimony, Shuman discussed his experiences dealing with drug shortages in his work and how they affected his patients, explaining the complex decisions physicians and other medical professionals face when confronted with drug shortages.

]]> Andrew G. Shuman, MD, FACS, HEC-C

Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Chief of the Clinical Ethics Service in the Center for the Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine (CBSSM)

Dr. Shuman is a cancer surgeon and bioethicist at the University of Michigan and the VA Ann Arbor Health System. He is internationally recognized as a thought leader in ethical issues arising within the field of surgical oncology. His greatest impact involves applying his perspective as a practicing surgeon and clinical ethicist to bioethics research. He has a portfolio of publications in leading journals in the fields of ethics, oncology and otolaryngology including The New England Journal of Medicine and JAMA.

On Wednesday, March 22, 2023, Dr. Shuman testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee at a hearing, titled "Drug Shortage Health and National Security Risks: Underlying Causes and Needed Reforms". During his testimony, Shuman discussed his experiences dealing with drug shortages in his work and how they affected his patients, explaining the complex decisions physicians and other medical professionals face when confronted with drug shortages.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3089 17 full UMRA Reads: Lost Horizon by James Hilton UMRA Reads: Lost Horizon by James Hilton https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-lost-horizon-by-james-hilton/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-lost-horizon-by-james-hilton/#comments Fri, 05 Apr 2024 12:27:18 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/c1ffa3fe-f790-330f-a8c2-f029a2935d56 The story follows four Europeans stranded at a Tibetan lamasery for several months after their plane is hijacked and flown into the Himalayas. With time, they learn that not everything is as it seems at this Utopian lamasery.

Hilton's magnum opus was a timely novel, written in the wake of WWI and amidst the Depression. It was a much needed escape for all sorts of readers. But more than just an escape, this book is also a careful dissection of Western and Eastern cultures.

]]> The story follows four Europeans stranded at a Tibetan lamasery for several months after their plane is hijacked and flown into the Himalayas. With time, they learn that not everything is as it seems at this Utopian lamasery.

Hilton's magnum opus was a timely novel, written in the wake of WWI and amidst the Depression. It was a much needed escape for all sorts of readers. But more than just an escape, this book is also a careful dissection of Western and Eastern cultures.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3930 16 full Education Disruption and Transformation Education Disruption and Transformation https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/education-disruption-and-transformation/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/education-disruption-and-transformation/#comments Mon, 25 Mar 2024 08:44:01 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/41685291-dd03-3694-9b01-0be078a99a1d Dr. Elizabeth Birr Moje, Dean of the U-M Marsal Family School of Education, George Herbert Mead Collegiate Professor of Education, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the School of Education, and Faculty Associate, Institute of Social Research Faculty Affiliate in Latin/a Studies, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

Dr. Moje will discuss the challenges facing education, their implications (the. pandemic, teacher shortage, trauma, disinvestment, etc.) and how K-12 education and teacher training are evolving to transform education and society.

Dr. Moje joined the U-M faculty in 1997. She has served as dean since 2016. Moje teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in secondary and adolescent literacy, cultural theory and research methods. She was awarded the Provost's Teaching Innovation Prize with colleague, Bob Bain, in 2010. A former high school history and biology teacher, Moje's research examines young people's culture, identity and literacy learning in and out of school in Detroit, Michigan. Learn more about her work and background here.

]]> Dr. Elizabeth Birr Moje, Dean of the U-M Marsal Family School of Education, George Herbert Mead Collegiate Professor of Education, Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the School of Education, and Faculty Associate, Institute of Social Research Faculty Affiliate in Latin/a Studies, College of Literature, Science, and the Arts

Dr. Moje will discuss the challenges facing education, their implications (the. pandemic, teacher shortage, trauma, disinvestment, etc.) and how K-12 education and teacher training are evolving to transform education and society.

Dr. Moje joined the U-M faculty in 1997. She has served as dean since 2016. Moje teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in secondary and adolescent literacy, cultural theory and research methods. She was awarded the Provost's Teaching Innovation Prize with colleague, Bob Bain, in 2010. A former high school history and biology teacher, Moje's research examines young people's culture, identity and literacy learning in and out of school in Detroit, Michigan. Learn more about her work and background here.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3918 15 full UMRA Reads: West with Giraffes UMRA Reads: West with Giraffes https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-west-with-giraffes/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-west-with-giraffes/#comments Thu, 29 Feb 2024 09:49:34 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/8f768613-ac52-3042-b9d7-17f7df4db86a West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge takes you back to 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe and the world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes, who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic.

Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. What follows is the story of a 12-day road trip he took in a custom-built truck to deliver these wonder creatures - California's firs giraffes - to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy, Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with Fictional ones, including the world's first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.

It's part adventure, past historical saga and part coming-of-age love story. West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time and a story told before it's too late.

]]> West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge takes you back to 1938. The Great Depression lingers. Hitler is threatening Europe and the world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes, who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic.

Woodrow Wilson Nickel, age 105, feels his life ebbing away. But when he learns giraffes are going extinct, he finds himself recalling the unforgettable experience he cannot take to his grave. What follows is the story of a 12-day road trip he took in a custom-built truck to deliver these wonder creatures - California's firs giraffes - to the San Diego Zoo. Behind the wheel is the young Dust Bowl rowdy, Woodrow. Inspired by true events, the tale weaves real-life figures with Fictional ones, including the world's first female zoo director, a crusty old man with a past, a young female photographer with a secret and assorted reprobates as spotty as the giraffes.

It's part adventure, past historical saga and part coming-of-age love story. West with Giraffes explores what it means to be changed by the grace of animals, the kindness of strangers, the passing of time and a story told before it's too late.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3348 14 full The Impact of Slavery and Systemic Racism: The Grace of Repair The Impact of Slavery and Systemic Racism: The Grace of Repair https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/the-impact-of-slavery-and-systemic-racism-the-grace-of-repair/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/the-impact-of-slavery-and-systemic-racism-the-grace-of-repair/#comments Fri, 16 Feb 2024 09:37:43 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/07c97670-0c5c-31b7-b1ce-3efe43a06876 Dr. Earl Lewis, founding Director of the University of Michigan Center for Social Solutions and  the Thomas C. Holt Distinguished University Professor of History, Afro American and African Studies, and Public Policy. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal in 2023 awarded by President Biden.

This talk centers on a handful of moments in world history that invite us to think about our own journey and our own means of combining grace and repair.

In 1779, an Anglican cleric and poet named John Newton penned the lyrics to a song that has accompanied many moments of travail and trauma. The song languished in relative obscurity for several years until rescued by American Baptists and Methodists, who fueled a religious revival, called the Second Great Awakening, during the period of years from 1790 to 1820.

Yet its most poignant moment may have come in 2015 when President Barack Obama offered the song as a salve to a grieving nation following the racist murders of Black parishioners attending Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

What many people don't know is the song's birth sprung forth from the horrors of the transatlantic slave system. Before becoming a clergyman, Newton had been a sailor and slaver. A near death experience led him away from the sea and the slave trade. It took him several years to find the grace to repent and to seek repair by becoming an abolitionist.

Learn more at Earl Lewis | U-M LSA Center for Social Solutions (umich.edu).

]]> Dr. Earl Lewis, founding Director of the University of Michigan Center for Social Solutions and  the Thomas C. Holt Distinguished University Professor of History, Afro American and African Studies, and Public Policy. Recipient of the National Humanities Medal in 2023 awarded by President Biden.

This talk centers on a handful of moments in world history that invite us to think about our own journey and our own means of combining grace and repair.

In 1779, an Anglican cleric and poet named John Newton penned the lyrics to a song that has accompanied many moments of travail and trauma. The song languished in relative obscurity for several years until rescued by American Baptists and Methodists, who fueled a religious revival, called the Second Great Awakening, during the period of years from 1790 to 1820.

Yet its most poignant moment may have come in 2015 when President Barack Obama offered the song as a salve to a grieving nation following the racist murders of Black parishioners attending Mother Emanuel Church in Charleston, South Carolina.

What many people don't know is the song's birth sprung forth from the horrors of the transatlantic slave system. Before becoming a clergyman, Newton had been a sailor and slaver. A near death experience led him away from the sea and the slave trade. It took him several years to find the grace to repent and to seek repair by becoming an abolitionist.

Learn more at Earl Lewis | U-M LSA Center for Social Solutions (umich.edu).

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3146 13 full UMRA Reads: Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichi UMRA Reads: Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichi https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/garlic-and-sapphires-the-secret-life-of-a-critic-in-disguise-by-ruth-reichi/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/garlic-and-sapphires-the-secret-life-of-a-critic-in-disguise-by-ruth-reichi/#comments Mon, 29 Jan 2024 12:59:21 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/ee3078f1-eccb-3fdb-b79e-76af778b0b12 "Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and former editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl reveals the comic absurdity, artifice, and excellence to be found in the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world and gives us - along with some of her favorite recipes and reviews - her remarkable reflections on how one’s outer appearance can influence one’s inner character, expectations, and appetites, not to mention the quality of service one receives".

]]> "Ruth Reichl, world-renowned food critic and former editor in chief of Gourmet magazine, knows a thing or two about food. In Garlic and Sapphires, Reichl reveals the comic absurdity, artifice, and excellence to be found in the sumptuously appointed stages of the epicurean world and gives us - along with some of her favorite recipes and reviews - her remarkable reflections on how one’s outer appearance can influence one’s inner character, expectations, and appetites, not to mention the quality of service one receives".

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3322 12 full Progress in Developing Clean, Cheap and Sustainable Energy through Solar Power Progress in Developing Clean, Cheap and Sustainable Energy through Solar Power https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/progress-in-developing-clean-cheap-and-sustainable-energy-through-solar-power/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/progress-in-developing-clean-cheap-and-sustainable-energy-through-solar-power/#comments Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:49:56 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/ed5b4086-8ed8-3e7b-8763-770e83e87d16 Dr. Zetian Mi's is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan who is focused on the investigation of semiconductor nanostructures and their application in electronic, photonic, clean energy, and quantum devices and systems.

A new kind of solar panel, developed at the U-M, has achieved 9% efficiency in converting water into hydrogen and oxygen—mimicking a crucial step in natural photosynthesis. Outdoors, it represents a major leap in technology, nearly 10 times more efficient than previous solar water-splitting experiments of its kind. But the biggest benefit is driving down the cost of sustainable hydrogen.

Currently, humans produce hydrogen from the fossil fuel methane, using a great deal of fossil energy in the process. However, plants harvest hydrogen atoms from water using sunlight. As humanity tries to reduce its carbon emissions, hydrogen is attractive as both a standalone fuel and as a component in sustainable fuels made with recycled carbon dioxide. "In the end, we believe that artificial photosynthesis devices will be much more efficient than natural photosynthesis, which will provide a path toward carbon neutrality," said Zetian Mi.

Dr. Mi will describe the innovative research in his lab and discuss overall progress towards developing clean, sustainable energy.

]]> Dr. Zetian Mi's is a Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan who is focused on the investigation of semiconductor nanostructures and their application in electronic, photonic, clean energy, and quantum devices and systems.

A new kind of solar panel, developed at the U-M, has achieved 9% efficiency in converting water into hydrogen and oxygen—mimicking a crucial step in natural photosynthesis. Outdoors, it represents a major leap in technology, nearly 10 times more efficient than previous solar water-splitting experiments of its kind. But the biggest benefit is driving down the cost of sustainable hydrogen.

Currently, humans produce hydrogen from the fossil fuel methane, using a great deal of fossil energy in the process. However, plants harvest hydrogen atoms from water using sunlight. As humanity tries to reduce its carbon emissions, hydrogen is attractive as both a standalone fuel and as a component in sustainable fuels made with recycled carbon dioxide. "In the end, we believe that artificial photosynthesis devices will be much more efficient than natural photosynthesis, which will provide a path toward carbon neutrality," said Zetian Mi.

Dr. Mi will describe the innovative research in his lab and discuss overall progress towards developing clean, sustainable energy.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3036 11 full Adventures in Bee Keeping Adventures in Bee Keeping https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/adventures-in-bee-keeping/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/adventures-in-bee-keeping/#comments Wed, 24 Jan 2024 09:45:20 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/39e52320-b3c3-32d3-a0b4-4994bef737ed Beekeeping basics with novices Patty and Steve Bebee and experienced beekeepers Amy and Beau LaFleur. They provide a short overview of getting started as a hobbyist beekeeper and share our experiences getting started, hive components, life inside the colony, the different jobs of honeybees, and a year in the life of a beekeeper. Equipment, clothing, costs, time, and what about getting stung? If time permits, we can talk about honey harvesting/benefits of honey. They finish with a panel discussion on how and why we started beekeeping.

]]> Beekeeping basics with novices Patty and Steve Bebee and experienced beekeepers Amy and Beau LaFleur. They provide a short overview of getting started as a hobbyist beekeeper and share our experiences getting started, hive components, life inside the colony, the different jobs of honeybees, and a year in the life of a beekeeper. Equipment, clothing, costs, time, and what about getting stung? If time permits, we can talk about honey harvesting/benefits of honey. They finish with a panel discussion on how and why we started beekeeping.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3682 10 full Preserving the Legacy of Song: The University of Michigan’s Gershwin Initiative Preserving the Legacy of Song: The University of Michigan’s Gershwin Initiative https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/preserving-the-legacy-of-song-the-university-of-michigan-s-gershwin-initiative/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/preserving-the-legacy-of-song-the-university-of-michigan-s-gershwin-initiative/#comments Mon, 18 Dec 2023 09:06:45 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/f8bc9360-4ee4-3b95-87d5-bfb8b82f9cb4 Dr. Mark Clague -- Associate Dean for Collaborations and Partnerships, Professor of Music and Director of the U-M Gershwin Initiative and Co-Editor-in-Chief MUSA -- talks about the University of Michigan Gershwin Initiative is an ongoing scholarly examination of the Gershwins' music, in which U-M scholars in collaboration with peers from across the nation and globe, document and analyze—note-by-note and word-by-word—the treasure trove of works featuring music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin—including Porgy and Bess, often considered America's greatest opera—as well as the celebrated instrumental works by George Gershwin. Professor Clague will share the current findings for these analyses and discuss how the Initiative is contributing to student education and the international music community.

]]> Dr. Mark Clague -- Associate Dean for Collaborations and Partnerships, Professor of Music and Director of the U-M Gershwin Initiative and Co-Editor-in-Chief MUSA -- talks about the University of Michigan Gershwin Initiative is an ongoing scholarly examination of the Gershwins' music, in which U-M scholars in collaboration with peers from across the nation and globe, document and analyze—note-by-note and word-by-word—the treasure trove of works featuring music by George Gershwin and lyrics by Ira Gershwin—including Porgy and Bess, often considered America's greatest opera—as well as the celebrated instrumental works by George Gershwin. Professor Clague will share the current findings for these analyses and discuss how the Initiative is contributing to student education and the international music community.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4861 9 full UMRA Reads: My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places by Mary Roach UMRA Reads: My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places by Mary Roach https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-my-planet-finding-humor-in-the-oddest-places-by-mary-roach/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-my-planet-finding-humor-in-the-oddest-places-by-mary-roach/#comments Thu, 14 Dec 2023 12:27:51 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/be740606-3c25-33d3-a6ef-a0b7a46f0d69 New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach was a hit columnist in the Reader's Digest magazine, and this book features the articles she wrote in that time. The quirky, brilliant author takes a magnifying glass to everyday life, exposing moments of hilarity in the mundane. Insightful and hilarious, Mary explores the ins and outs of the modern world: marriage, friends, family, food, technology, customer service, dental floss, and ants—she leaves no element of the American experience unchecked for its inherent paradoxes, pleasures, and foibles.

]]> New York Times best-selling author Mary Roach was a hit columnist in the Reader's Digest magazine, and this book features the articles she wrote in that time. The quirky, brilliant author takes a magnifying glass to everyday life, exposing moments of hilarity in the mundane. Insightful and hilarious, Mary explores the ins and outs of the modern world: marriage, friends, family, food, technology, customer service, dental floss, and ants—she leaves no element of the American experience unchecked for its inherent paradoxes, pleasures, and foibles.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 2968 8 full UMRA Reads: Dawn of Detroit by Tiya Miles UMRA Reads: Dawn of Detroit by Tiya Miles https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-dawn-of-detroit-by-tiya-miles/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-dawn-of-detroit-by-tiya-miles/#comments Thu, 16 Nov 2023 12:21:07 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/4790ef11-e70c-317b-9917-2e218db54bd0 Tiya Miles is the recipient of a 2011 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" and is a professor at the University of Michigan in the departments of American culture, Afro-American and African studies, history, women's studies, and in the Native American Studies Program. She lives in Ann Arbor.

"Extracting seemingly lost lives from sparse records to recover the humanity of people regarded as property, Tiya Miles exposes the tenacity of slavery and forced labor, both black and Indian, in multiethnic and multicultural Detroit during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries."

]]> Tiya Miles is the recipient of a 2011 MacArthur Foundation "genius grant" and is a professor at the University of Michigan in the departments of American culture, Afro-American and African studies, history, women's studies, and in the Native American Studies Program. She lives in Ann Arbor.

"Extracting seemingly lost lives from sparse records to recover the humanity of people regarded as property, Tiya Miles exposes the tenacity of slavery and forced labor, both black and Indian, in multiethnic and multicultural Detroit during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries."

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3957 7 full Complexities of China-U.S. Relations Complexities of China-U.S. Relations https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/complexities-of-china-us-relations/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/complexities-of-china-us-relations/#comments Wed, 15 Nov 2023 09:31:53 -0500 umichretirees.podbean.com/4faf6053-f868-3def-9a89-e7573ac32b52 Professor Mary Gallagher is the Amy and Alan Lowenstein Professor of Democracy, Democratization, and Human Rights, Professor of Political Science and Director of the International Institute in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the University of Michigan. She is also a Research Associate Professor at the Center for Political Studies for the Institute for Social Research also at U-M

Mary is an expert in Chinese politics, law and society, and labor politics. A U-M faculty member since 2000, she directed U-M's Kenneth G. Lieberthal and Richard H. Rogel Center for Chinese Studies from 2008 to 2020. She also taught at the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing, was a Fulbright Research Scholar at East China University of Politics and Law in Shanghai, and, in 2012-13, was a visiting professor at the Koguan School of Law at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Professor Gallagher is the author of Authoritarian Legality in China: Law, Workers and the State, and Contagious Capitalism: Globalization and the Politics of Labor in China. She also co-edited three other books: Chinese Justice: Civil Dispute Resolution in Contemporary China; From Iron Rice Bowl to Informalization: Markets, Workers, and the State in a Changing China; and Contemporary Chinese Politics: New Sources, Methods, and Field Strategies. Additionally, she has published many articles in academic and non-academic publications, including World Politics, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Dr. Gallagher is a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and has consulted for the World Bank, the U.S. State Department and Department of Labor, and many other international organizations. In 2018, Professor Gallagher received a U-M Faculty Recognition Award for her contributions to the understanding of China and autocratic regimes, her teaching, and her leadership.

]]> Professor Mary Gallagher is the Amy and Alan Lowenstein Professor of Democracy, Democratization, and Human Rights, Professor of Political Science and Director of the International Institute in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts at the University of Michigan. She is also a Research Associate Professor at the Center for Political Studies for the Institute for Social Research also at U-M

Mary is an expert in Chinese politics, law and society, and labor politics. A U-M faculty member since 2000, she directed U-M's Kenneth G. Lieberthal and Richard H. Rogel Center for Chinese Studies from 2008 to 2020. She also taught at the Foreign Affairs College in Beijing, was a Fulbright Research Scholar at East China University of Politics and Law in Shanghai, and, in 2012-13, was a visiting professor at the Koguan School of Law at Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Professor Gallagher is the author of Authoritarian Legality in China: Law, Workers and the State, and Contagious Capitalism: Globalization and the Politics of Labor in China. She also co-edited three other books: Chinese Justice: Civil Dispute Resolution in Contemporary China; From Iron Rice Bowl to Informalization: Markets, Workers, and the State in a Changing China; and Contemporary Chinese Politics: New Sources, Methods, and Field Strategies. Additionally, she has published many articles in academic and non-academic publications, including World Politics, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Dr. Gallagher is a member of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations and has consulted for the World Bank, the U.S. State Department and Department of Labor, and many other international organizations. In 2018, Professor Gallagher received a U-M Faculty Recognition Award for her contributions to the understanding of China and autocratic regimes, her teaching, and her leadership.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3811 6 full UMRA Reads: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman UMRA Reads: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-thursday-murder-club-by-richard-osman/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-thursday-murder-club-by-richard-osman/#comments Thu, 26 Oct 2023 12:27:26 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/31bebdc6-731e-3f49-aa35-a12365b59b70 The Thursday Murder Club is an intelligent mystery about a group of senior citizens who find themselves in the center of a murder investigation.

]]> The Thursday Murder Club is an intelligent mystery about a group of senior citizens who find themselves in the center of a murder investigation.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4183 5 full Learn & Grow: Preparing Your Gardens for Winter Learn & Grow: Preparing Your Gardens for Winter https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-learn-grow-preparing-your-gardens-for-winter/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-learn-grow-preparing-your-gardens-for-winter/#comments Wed, 18 Oct 2023 13:56:29 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/42fbd9d2-b4b8-3eb1-9a97-2bec535cb009 University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 3418 4 full UMRA Reads: The End of Miracles by Monica Starkman UMRA Reads: The End of Miracles by Monica Starkman https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-end-of-miracles-by-monica-starkman/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-end-of-miracles-by-monica-starkman/#comments Fri, 13 Oct 2023 12:44:53 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/f5de451b-9107-31d8-8488-eda5b6501747 The End of Miracles is a twisting, haunting story about the drastic consequences of a frustrated obsession. This emotionally gripping novel is a suspenseful journey across the blurred boundaries between sanity and madness, depression and healing.

]]> The End of Miracles is a twisting, haunting story about the drastic consequences of a frustrated obsession. This emotionally gripping novel is a suspenseful journey across the blurred boundaries between sanity and madness, depression and healing.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4748 3 full UMRA Reads: The Journey of Crazy Horse by Joseph M. Marshall III UMRA Reads: The Journey of Crazy Horse by Joseph M. Marshall III https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-journey-of-crazy-horse-by-joseph-m-marshall-iii/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/umra-reads-the-journey-of-crazy-horse-by-joseph-m-marshall-iii/#comments Wed, 11 Oct 2023 14:36:08 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/67c455c9-3fa4-3920-8df7-029ac682d3d3 In this fascinating biography, Marshall, himself a Lakota Indian, creates a vibrant portrait of Crazy Horse, his time and his legacy.

]]> In this fascinating biography, Marshall, himself a Lakota Indian, creates a vibrant portrait of Crazy Horse, his time and his legacy.

]]> University of Michigan Retirees Association false No 4585 2 full Seminar: U-M Government Relations Seminar: U-M Government Relations https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/u-m-government-relations/ https://umichretirees.podbean.com/e/u-m-government-relations/#comments Fri, 29 Sep 2023 20:13:33 -0400 umichretirees.podbean.com/830c6c30-87c0-31cf-931e-b14aab8f9243 Chris Kolb is the Vice President of Government Relations at the University of Michigan. Prior to accepting this position, Kolb served as Governor Whitmer's State Budget Director. Vice President Kolb led the Michigan Environmental Council for ten years. He is a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives serving from 2001–2006 and he served over six years on the Ann Arbor City Council, and as Mayor Pro-term from 1994 - 2000. Kolb is an alum of the University of Michigan.

]]> Chris Kolb is the Vice President of Government Relations at the University of Michigan. Prior to accepting this position, Kolb served as Governor Whitmer's State Budget Director. Vice President Kolb led the Michigan Environmental Council for ten years. He is a former member of the Michigan House of Representatives serving from 2001–2006 and he served over six years on the Ann Arbor City Council, and as Mayor Pro-term from 1994 - 2000. Kolb is an alum of the University of Michigan.

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