PALS Fall 2020 Classes
Come To Our Enrichment Classes
PALS (Perimeter Adult Learning Services) is pleased to announce that it will be presenting classes for the Fall 2020 session running for 8 weeks on Mondays AND Wednesdays beginning September 14, 2020 and running through November 11, 2020. The classes will be virtual using the Zoom platform. A detailed description of the classes is as follows:
MONDAYS from September 14 – November 11, 2020
10:00 am – 11:00 am– ANTARCTICA – WHY NOT? – Bill McLain will explore the highest, driest, windiest, purest, coldest and least inhabited continent on earth and discuss how research in Antarctica has benefited humanity in the areas of medicine, astronomy, physics, biology and psychology among others.
11:15 am – 12:15 pm – OUR EARLY PRESIDENTS – John Evans will discuss the elections and administrations of US Presidents from George Washington to Martin VanBuren, reviewing their achievements and failures; tumults and tragedies; dramas and melodramas. There will be opportunity for discussion and comments.
WEDNESDAYS from September 16 – November 11, 2020
10:00 am – 11:00 am – ELECTION 2020 – Preeminent political science university professors, journalists and election experts will guide us through the November 3, 2020 national as well as state and local elections dealing with subjects such as use of data and polling in elections, how the media impacts elections, the effect of the elections on reapportionment and how the elections are shaping up and the impact of the results.
September 16 – Kim Brace, CEO of Election Data Services, who is the nation’s leading expert on the Census, reapportionment and redistricting will discuss the once every 20 year intersection of the Census and a presidential election in the context of the 2020 election and its impact on subsequent reapportionment and redistricting.
September 23 – Andrew Tavani of Aristotle will discuss how data impacts political campaigns, from its collection to how it is sorted and targeted to campaigns to how it is ultimately used by the campaigns. Particular attention will be paid to how BIG DATA has revolutionized political campaigns.
September 30 – (NO CLASS)
October 7 – Professor Trey Hood, Director of the University of Georgia’s Survey Research Center will describe how a state wide election poll is conducted, how to interpret poll results and what the current polls predict for key races in Georgia.
October 14 – Greg Bluestein, the top political reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution will share his perspective of the presidential, congressional and Georgia State assembly races from the perspective of on the ground reporting.
October 21 – Professor Adam Stone of Georgia State University will focus on the upcoming presidential and congressional elections and the key role Georgia voters will play in those races.
October 28 – Professor Charles Bullock of the University of Georgia will follow up with his analysis of the November 3, 2020 election based, among other things on the latest polls, focusing on the presidential and Georgia Senate races as well the races for the Georgia State Assembly. As the leading expert on Southern politics, he will be able to put the 2020 election in a unique perspective.
November 4 – Professor Ben Taylor of Kennesaw State University will focus on how political campaigns’ media strategies have evolved over the years with a particular emphasis on social media. He will also discuss the results of the November 3 election to the extent results are available.
November 11 – Professor Kerwin Swint of Kennesaw State University, another expert on presidential and Georgia politics will provide a wrap of the 2020 election with an in depth analysis of the results of the presidential, congressional and Georgia state elections and their implications.
11:15 am – 12:15 pm – AVOIDING SCAMS AND FRAUDS – Experts from the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, the Federal Trade Commission, Renasant Bank as well as experts in the field of internet security, home repair protection and elder law protection will demonstrate how not to be a victim of frauds and scams, particularly as they relate to seniors.
September 16 – Cathy Mendelsohn of the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division will discuss a number of common scams, their red flags and how to avoid them including Social Security, IRS, Corona Virus, Grandparent, Price Gouging and Charitable Solicitation scams among others.
September 23 – Dr. Karen Drexler, the Medical Director of the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry will speak about bringing drugs to market through the FDA process and in particular the benefits and downsides of marijuana and CBD use and their legalization issues. She will also briefly address the Myths and Realities of Covid-19.
September 30 – (NO CLASS)
October 7 – Mike Culver of Keller Williams Realty will drill in on scams involving home maintenance and repairs.
October 14 – Richard Warner, CEO of Aware Force, a cybersecurity company, will explain how computers get hacked, how to know when you hacked, what to do when you have been hacked and how to prevent being hacked. He will also address the issue of identity theft.
October 21 – David Anderson, Branch Manager of Renasant Bank, will focus on a number of scams, including so-called “Nigerian Banking,” Health Insurance, Reverse and Second Mortgages, Pyramid schemes and Counterfeit Prescription Drug scams among others. He will also discuss the use of direct deposit and direct debit versus writing checks and other ways to protect your Savings and Checking Accounts.
October 28 – Richard Warner is back, this time to discuss “Phishing” (fake emails) including how to recognize them and the implications of opening a fake email. He will also deal with Spam and the Riskiest Things Done on the Internet.
November 4 – Sarah Watchko, a Partner in the law firm of Hill and Watchko, will provide legal advice on how to prevent your loved ones from Being Taken Advantage of by Family, Friends or Neighbors, through the use of Trusts and Power of Attorney. She will talk about what to do when abuse has already occurred.
November 11 – Harold Kirtz, Senior Attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, will also examine a litany of scams including Phantom Debt Collection and Debt Relief, False Advertising, particularly in the Health Area (Herbal Supplements – Weight Loss), Gift Card and Student Loan scams, among others.
The cost is $55 for all classes for the 8 weeks. Registration and payment must be made through this site. For further information, call the PALS office at 770-698-0801.