When the Constitution was written in 1787, the Founders viewed the U.S. Supreme Court as the weakest branch of government. Today, the Court’s decisions influence every aspect of our Nation’s life. This series of classes will explore the Court’s evolution and the judicial titans responsible for it. (Sign up for one, two or all three sessions in this series. See class #810 for Part 1 and class #821 for Part 2.) This session will discuss how the Court after the Brown decision became a major protector of individual rights and liberties, issuing landmark decisions in such areas as right to counsel, voting, and, most controversially, on abortion rights. The Court’s membership became more racially and gender diverse with the appointments of Justices Thurgood Marshall, O’Connor, and Ginsburg, and public scrutiny of judicial nominations grew. The 2005 appointment of Chief Justice Roberts and eight consecutive GOP appointees over a twenty-three year period have completely remade the Court. The session will discuss how a steady stream of relatively recent decisions have rejected the judicial philosophy of earlier, more liberal Justices. The session and the course will conclude by considering whether the present Court is influenced more by political considerations than prior Courts have been, whether the Senate confirmation process has become more politicized, and whether the Court now plays a more dominant role in setting national policy than was envisioned by the Framers. If the answers to these questions are yes, what are the steps that Congress or the public at large should seriously consider to address this problem?

Phil Hochberg will chat with WFT Hall of Famer Brig Owens and WFT historian Mike Richman about the Glory Days of Washington football – five Super Bowl appearances, three Super Bowl wins (we’ll look at clips from those victories), glorious wins over the Cowboys. They'll also look to (what is hoped to be) the promising future – a 2020 Eastern Division championship, a young and highly successful defensive line, and a new regular-season crew at quarterback. Phil Hochberg, a Stadium Announcer for 38 years, is a member of the team’s Ring of Stars and the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame.

In the final lecture of a series on the sub-fields of philosophy we examine ethics. How do we determine what we should do? How do we know that there are reasons why we should do what we should do? What is the foundation for determining what we should do? (For a related philosophy class, see class #812.)

In this session, Professor Brunsman will discuss the Broadway musical Hamilton (which was filmed in June 2016 and released on Disney+ in 2020). One of the most critically acclaimed cultural productions of the twenty-first century, Hamilton follows the rags-to-riches life story of America’s first treasury secretary, Alexander Hamilton. Prior to the session, we will email you brief reading to do before the meeting. If possible, we also encourage you to watch (or listen to) Hamilton before the session.

There has been an upsurge in opiate-related deaths in the nation. The main contributor to the surge is the use of synthetic opiates such as fentanyl. Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy will describe the recent trends around the nation involving this opiate epidemic, as well as how Covid-19 has contributed to the increase of opiate usage. How are communities responding to address and prevent this tragic scourge?

Perhaps the most successful popular singer of the 20th Century, Frank Sinatra’s decades long career spans the history of the American songbook and beyond. Julie Kurzava will use her expert knowledge of vocal technique and style to illuminate Sinatra’s distinctive sound while highlighting his musical collaborators. Come fly with us!

(This class is suitable for desktop, laptop computer and/or tablet users.) Learn how to create, store, and share files using free Google tools. All you need is a device that can access the internet and a Google account to use a variety of applications. This class will cover how to create, store, organize and share files such as letters, forms, and spreadsheets. Editing, storing and sharing photos will also be covered. Limit: 10 Participants should have the following in order to take this class: • Google account; know your username (usually an email address) and password • Ability to use a web browser such as Chrome, Safari, or Firefox in order to sign on to Google • Ability to navigate through the menus of your tablet, laptop or desktop computer

(Class was originally scheduled for Oct. 27, rescheduled to Nov. 19 at the instructor's request.) For thirteen days in October 1962 the world waited, seemingly on the brink of nuclear war, and hoped for a peaceful resolution to the Cuban Missile Crisis. This is the story of how Kennedy and Khrushchev narrowly averted a nuclear war.

(This program is more of a concert than a class.) Ravel was born in a small town on the French and Spanish border. His mother was Basque, his father Swiss, and his homeland, France. This spectacular mix will express itself beautifully in his music and his very famous orchestrations. Dance and drama abound!

This program delves deeper into the important discussions that need to occur with your physician and loved ones regarding your desires for care when you can no longer speak for yourself. It provides an opportunity to learn about medical terms and jargon that will be important to understand when considering how to develop an advance directive. It will prepare you to ask pertinent questions and make good decisions for yourself when developing your advance directive. This class is sponsored by CarePlus Home Health.