MI Calendar  Sept / Oct 2002
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 to register for classes:  415.393.0102
            LIBRARY CLASSES IN SEPTEMBER & OCTOBER 
                                                   MIL members $15 ; public $25

                                                        All Classes meet from 10:00 am - Noon

Friday, September 6

Introduction to Financial Newsletters
This class offers a basic overview of the Library's print collection of financial newsletters and subscriptions.
The audience for this workshop is the general investor with basic investment knowledge.



Wednesdays, September 11 or October 9 &
Fridays, September 13 and October 11


Introduction to Computers and the World Wide Web
Students are introduced to computer basics, to the concepts of the Internet and the World Wide Web, to browsers that access the Web, and to search directories.


Wednesdays, September 18 or October 16 &
Fridays, September 20 or October 18


Using Search Engines, Part 1
Students will learn to use search engines and discover how they differ from search directories. The workshop focuses on constructing simple search statement based upon a particular search engine's protocols to find relevant information.


Wednesdays, September 25 or October 23 &
Fridays, September 27 or October 25
10:00 am to noon


Using Search Engines, Part 2
Building on skills learned in previous workshops, students will learn to construct complex searches using search engines that offer advanced search capabilities. The use of Boolean operators will be demonstrated. Meta-search engines are introduced.


Tuesday, October 1   

Finding Quality on the Web

This workshop focuses on search engines and guides that review, rate and evaluate web resources. Participants will learn to apply standard evaluation criteria such as authority, accuracy, currency, objectivity, and scope to critically analyze web information.

MECHANICS'  STAIRWAY

Photo credit: Paul Sauer


Wednesdays, October 2 or 30
Fridays, October 4 or November 1


Electronic Mail
Students will learn to set up electronic mail accounts through free e-mail services. This workshop provides instruction on composing, reading, replying, sending, and attaching files, and on basic e-mail etiquette.

    
                        

Saturday, October 26

Smart Searching for High School Students   NEW!
This workshop helps high school students use what they already know about the Net to develop powerful research strategies to find accurate and reliable on-line information. Participants will learn to apply standard evaluation criteria such as authority, accuracy, currency, objectivity and scope to critically analyze electronic sources of information.

Special Evening Tour
Thursday, October 17 at 5:30 pm
-----
Tour begins at 3rd floor Reference Desk



chess for more chess info: 415.393.0110
CHESS ROOM EVENTS
                      IMRE KONIG
      GRANDMASTER TOURNAMENT

                    September 4 - 15
                          (except September 10)

                        11:00 am - 4:00 pm daily

Tuesday, September 3, 10, 17, 24
5:15 pm to 6:15 pm
Grandmaster lecture by Alex Yermolinsky

Tuesday, September 3, 10, 17, 24
6:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Konig Tuesday Night Marathon


Wednesday, September 4, 11, 18, 25
5:15 pm to 6:15 pm
Grandmaster lecture by Alex Yermolinsky

Saturday, September 21
10:00 am to 8:00 pm
2nd Donnelly Memorial G/45


Tuesday, October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
5:15 pm to 6:15 pm
Grandmaster
lecture by Alex Yermolinsky

Tuesday, October 1
6:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Konig Tuesday Night Marathon
 
Illustration of Kempelen's chess playing automaton (1769) from Edison's Eve: A Magical History of the Quest for Mechanical Life by Gaby Wood
(see author event on September 24)

Wednesday, October 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
5:15 pm to 6:15 pm
Grandmaster
lecture by Alex Yermolinsky

Saturday, October 12
10:00 pm to 8:00 pm
2nd JJ Dolan Memorial G/45


Tuesday, October 22
6:30 pm to 10:30 pm
Fall Tuesday Night Marathon
                                             

              events information & reservations:  415.393.0100
                                                  For reservations by email: rsvp@milibrary.org  

Thursday, September 19  6:00 pm
West of Kabul,  East of New York
This is the story of San Francisco writer, Tamim Ansary , an Afghan-American who searches for his roots throughout the Islamic world on route to Afghanistan. After the tragedy of 9/11, his internationally read email became a voice of truth.

Members: free; Public $5
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Tuesday, October 8  6:00 pm

The Far Side of Eden: The Ongoing Saga of Napa Valley

New York Times best-selling author, James Conaway returns to America's premier wine country after a decade, and finds a community riven by conflicts over land, power, money and the environment. Conaway, author of nine previous books, is contributing editor for Preservation magazine and a regular contributor to Smithsonian, National Geographic Traveler, Food & Wine and other magazines.
                       Members: free; Public $5

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Thursday, October 10  6:00 pm

The Boom and the Bubble:
The US in the World Economy


Professor Robert Brenner , Director of the Center for Social Theory and Comparative History, UCLA , dismantles the myths and hype surrounding the US economic boom in terms of profitability, investment, and productivity and restores a more global context to the process. He is the author of Merchants and Revolution and the keynote contributor of The Brenner Debate edited by T.H. Aston.
                        Members: free; Public $5
.00


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STEINBECK CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION
Thursday, October 24  7:30 pm

Word for Word performs: Pastures of Heaven (Chapter IV) by John Steinbeck

A dramatic presentation of Steinbeck's acclaimed novel, set in the Salinas Valley--a poignant tale of a martyred woman and her troubled daughter-- by San Francisco's literary inspired theatre company.

 Reservations required: Members: $12; Public $15   
       SCIENCE ON THE MIND SERIES
             Members Free; public $5 for each event

Tuesday, September 24  6:00 pm

Edison's Eve: A Magical History of the Quest for Mechanical Life

Fairy tale, science fiction and fantastic invention merge in Gaby Wood's brilliant exposé on our human obsession with creating artificial intelligence from mechanical chess players to contemporary robotics. Wood is a London based journalist and has contributed to The Guardian and the London Review of Books. She is a staff writer for The Observer.
                                * * * * * * * * *
Wednesday, October 2, 6:00 pm
The Hidden Connections: Integrating the Biological, Cognitive, and Social Dimensions of Life Into a Science of Sustainability

Fritjof Capra, world-renowned physicist and visionary thinker , critically examines biological, socio-economic and ecological problems today.  He makes an impassioned plea for systematic and social changes that are crucial for the survival of humanity and life on earth. Capra is author of the best-selling books, The Tao of Physics, The Turning Point, and The Web of Life..


                         * * * * * * * * *
Wednesday, October 16  6:00 pm
Time Travel in Einstein's Universe: The Physical Possibilities of Travel through Time

Award-winning Princeton astrophysicist, Professor J. Richard Gott III, gives a guided tour of the potential of time travel and his ground-breaking theories of how the universe could create itself through progressive expansion and elegant "looping" regeneration. Chrononauts-- be ready for more than wormholes, warpdrives and Big Bangs!
 Professor Gott received the President's Award for Teaching. He has written for Time, Scientific American, New Scientist and other publications.
The Birth of the Universe - courtesy of Bibliotheque Nationale de France - rare book archive

For late additions to the events schedule, visit the Mechanics' Institute Events page.
              Events programs are funded in part by:  Mark & Lisa Pinto and Richard Laiderman & Jung-Wha Song.


  cinemalit curated by Terrance Gelenter      

                           SEPTEMBER
                       Celluloid New York

Friday, September 13 
Manhattan  (1979)
Directed by Woody Allen
Starring:  Woody Allen,
                    Diane Keaton


Friday, September 20
My Favorite Year  (1982)
Directed by Richard Benjamin
Starring:  Peter O'Toole
                   Joseph Bologna

Friday, September 27
The Naked City  (1948)
Directed by Jules Dassin
Starring:  Barry Fitzgerald, Howard Duff
Cafe opens 6:00 pm ; Program  6:30 pm
 Members free;  public $5


OCTOBER
Hitchcock in
Color

Friday, October 4 
North by Northwest (1959)
Starring:  Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Martin Landau


Friday, October 11
Rear Window (1954)
Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly

Rear Window

Friday, October 18
The Birds (1963)
Starring: Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor



Friday, October 25
To Catch a Thief (1955)
Starring: Cary Grant, Grace Kelly

          Reservations required: 415-393-0100
                     or rsvp@milibrary.org



salons, clubs & special programs
3 Wednesdays in September
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Announcing the founding of a sister chapter of the
Republic of the Imagination: A Play Reading Salon with Saul Galin.

Join in a series of conversations about plays from Ibsen to Pinter in a relaxed, open, and encouraging atmosphere, where nothing is forbidden and everything is allowed.  Meetings led by Saul Galin, President of the Republic of the Imagination and Professor Emeritus of modern drama, creative writing, and Shakespeare at the City University of New York.
For a review of the conversations as originally conducted in New York, see Tara Bahrampour New York Times article of May 5 2002, “When Anna Met Ulysses . .”

 
A Doll's House  (Henrik Ibsen)  9/11
The Seagull  (Anton Chekhov )  9/18
The Homecoming  (Harold Pinter)  9/25

Limited to 10 per session.  Registration required.
Call 415 393-0116 or rsvp@milibrary.org


                 * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Every Sunday beginning Sept 22
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Sunday with The Times
Facilitated by MI members Wendy Beck and Vince Vitale

A "salon style" New York Times reading group.  Pore through The New York Times and discuss the important issues of the day over coffee.  FREE to all.
                 * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Every Third Thursday
6:00 pm - 8:00 pm in Room 405

Thursday Evening Book Club
Facilitated by Dr. John Reid

This book group will meet to discuss Macbeth by William Shakespeare (9/19) and Breath and Shadow by Ella Leffland (10/17).
Fee per session: Members $10 ; Public $15
                 series: $40 / $60
To register: call 415-393-0114 (Events Office).
Second Tuesday of each month
6:30 - 8:00 pm

M
echanix Poets    Yves Moralex, Moderator
 
September 10  "September Song"
October 8  "Cricket"


Bring a poem on the topic or original work to share.

FREE to all.

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Third Annual Victorian Gothic Halloween Reading Thursday, October 31  6:00 - 8:00 pm

Bring a "devilish" or "haunting" selection from Poe, Bronte, Hugo, Baudelaire, Shelley, Wilde, Dickens or others to read!  Costumes welcomed!

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ART EXHIBITION:
The High Sierra of California --woodblock prints by Tom Killion
September 19 - December 15, 2002
Exhibition in association with Heyday Books. Original woodcut/woodblock prints by Tom Killion from the book, The High Sierra of California, with poetry by Gary Snyder, published by Heyday Books.

Members' Lounge/Meeting Room, 4th Floor.
Weekdays, M-F 10:00am -5:00pm

Upcoming artist talk and slide show on Thursday, November 7 at 6:00 pm


                  
  Revised: August 21, 2002