Time to go back to class
Lifelong learning is booming, with informal lectures, classes and discussion series quickly gaining popularity.
Whether it's literature, film or the history of plastic surgery, the topics are abundant and the in-person attendance is strong, The Cut reports this week.
Online learners are turning to Substack communities, Zoom classes or even AI chatbots that can generate personalized syllabi.
The big picture: We're seeing the rise of AI doing the critical thinking for us, despite its often generic output. Plus, we know learning new things is one of the most effective tools we have to stave off dementia in an aging population.
Spending an evening marking up a syllabus, going deep on a topic or discussing Vladimir Nabokov's "Speak, Memory" might be the ultimate antidote for the perpetually online condition of brain rot, Hope Corrigan notes in The Cut.
Zoom in: Lectures on Tap, based in New York, presents 45-minute talks from academics on topics like "Why People Cheat?" and "Summer Solstice and the Science of the Sun."
Profs and Pints, which started in D.C., hosts lectures in bars on "The Great American Road Trip" and "The Physics of Baseball."
Both are expanding. Lectures on Tap is coming soon to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, while Profs and Pints has expanded to multiple cities, including Dallas, Detroit, Nashville, Philadelphia and Richmond, according to its website.
Bookstores can also double as sites for classes: I took a Details & Dialogue class earlier this year at D.C.'s Politics & Prose, which offers courses on history, writing, classics, poetry and more.
You might even try a brewery: Common Roots Brewing Company in upstate New York has hosted lectures on topics like "Ticks and the Diseases They Carry" and "Wood Identification & Old House Myths."
Washington Post journalist Karen Attiah's class at Columbia University on race and media was canceled last year.
She has since created an independent version of the class and sought potential students via her newsletter and a Google Form with a sliding-scale payment system.
"I hope that this can be a model for people to say, 'We can think outside of these structures, these institutions, that trade on prestige and are asking us to believe in their prestige, even as they're caving in on their own values that they use to market themselves," Attiah told Corrigan.
Within 48 hours of posting, 500 people had reportedly signed up — with more than 2,000 on the waitlist.
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Associated Press
3 hours ago
- Associated Press
Ukrainians celebrate midsummer traditions with song, dance and fire
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Hundreds of Ukrainians observed the longest day of the year on Saturday with a midsummer celebration of some of their oldest traditions, a display of cultural perseverance in a nation threatened by war. Rooted in Ukraine's ancient past of Slavic paganism the event, Ivana Kupala, features rituals and symbolism to honor the summer solstice, related to fertility, nature, purity and renewal — values that predate the region's Christianization at the end of the first millennium. At the open-air National Museum of Folk Architecture and Ukrainian Life on the outskirts of Kyiv, participants in embroidered shirts and blouses strolled among thatched-roof cottages, wooden churches and windmills dating to the 18th and 19th centuries. Women and girls wore vinoks — wreaths made from wildflowers — as they took part in folk dances, games and craft workshops. Viktoria Phi, a master of folk art at the museum, taught visitors to weave the colorful flowered headdresses. She said that Ivana Kupala, which also has variations in other Slavic countries from the Czech Republic to Bulgaria to Russia, was a 'small oasis' in the war in Ukraine, where people can 'walk and enjoy nature, architecture, songs and dances.' 'It's most popular among young people, and I am very happy when a family comes with young children,' she said. As the sun began to set over the wheat fields and wildflower meadows, hundreds formed a circle around a pyramid of logs. When the bonfire was lit, flames climbed into the twilight sky as music swelled and people spun around the pyre hand in hand. In a purification rite, some leapt over the burning embers. With Russia's war in Ukraine now in its fourth year and aerial attacks on cities intensifying, for some the observance of old folk customs holds deeper meaning. Saba Alekseev, 25, said the event gave her a chance to 'breathe some fresh air without thinking about (the war), for some time at least, because it's impossible to put it out of your mind under shelling.' For 18-year-old Sofia Orel, it was a reminder that 'it is crucial to support Ukrainian culture and traditions, especially since the war started, because this way we preserve what is ours.' 'As I am weaving a wreath, I'm thinking that I will teach my daughter how to do it,' she said. 'These are our traditions and they have to be passed on and honored.'
New York Post
2 days ago
- New York Post
Summer Solstice 2025 horoscopes for every zodiac sign
All hail the longest day of the year as the Summer Solstice arrives on Jun 20, 2025, at 10:42 p.m. As daylight edges out darkness, the world blooms, pollen drifts and fruit ripens, we look forward to warmth and welcome the onset of Cancer season. 'The ancient Sumerians began planting during the Summer Solstice — a time that symbolizes new beginnings, when nothing is yet defined and everything is coming into being. Summer Solstice 2025 Today, the Summer Solstice is a time when we plant the seeds of things we want to grow,' Polina Arutiunian, an astrologer at Nebula, a spiritual guidance platform, told The Post. Arutiunian sheds light on the areas of our lives primed to flourish under the zenith of our favorite death star. Read for your sun and rising sign. 12 KseniaKrop – 'You may find yourself focusing more on your emotional state and domestic life, Aries. This is the perfect time to make changes in your home, reframe relationships with family members, or even alter your living situation,' said Arutiunian. She told The Post the sun's standstill could dredge up long-buried fears, experiences, and emotions for Aries folk. Trust that whatever comes up is looking to change form — for the brighter and better. 12 KseniaKrop – For the bull brigade, the Summer Solstice lights up your third house of language, cognition, expression, and exchange. 'The Summer Solstice may highlight new beginnings in communication, Taurus. For some of you, this transit could bring up heartfelt conversations that will mark the start of a new cycle,' said Arutiunian. She advises Taurus folk to avoid arguments on this day — and focus instead on olive branches and peaceful bedrock. 12 KseniaKrop – Happy Solstice Gemini! The peaking sun shines a light on your second house of wealth and worth, encouraging you to bring your finances and the feelings they are tied to out of the dark. You're advised to avoid spending when you're feeling low or risking it all when you're feeling lucky. When you're trying to decide on the necessity of a bet or purchase, consider this Swedish proverb. 'He who buys what he does not need, steals from himself.' 12 KseniaKrop – Happy return of the sun to you, Cancer! 'The Summer Solstice is your time to shine. All your actions could lead to a new beginning for the next six months, so make sure you approach every precipice with confidence. It's a great time to start a new project, take on new work, or make a change to your appearance,' said Arutiunian. 12 KseniaKrop – The Summer Solstice lends light to your twelfth house of the unconscious, Leo — the domain of dreams, dissolution, and ghosts. 'This is truly a magical time for you. Hidden feelings and wishes may arise, possibly even from the past. It's time for deep self-reflection to separate your true desires from illusions,' said Arutiunian. She notes that big cats can get big downloads from their dreams during the days surrounding the Solstice. Pay mind to what catches light when you power down. 12 KseniaKrop – Ahoy, Virgo! The sun stands still and ingresses into Cancer, illuminating your tenth house of community. Your future is coming into focus and fruition. 'You have all the opportunities to start something new, especially in collaborative work projects, within your team, or in friendships. The most beneficial practice for you will be writing down all your plans for the next six months – this is your way to start a new cycle,' said Arutiunian. 12 KseniaKrop – 'The peak of the Sun's energy fills your 10th house, Libra. You might notice a new beginning in your career, public image, or even feel like your ambitions are growing,' said Arutiunian. 'This is the time to focus your forces on a work promotion, new job, or even an opportunity to move abroad — dream boldly and manifest broadly.' 12 KseniaKrop – Scorpions will feel a surge of exploratory energy in their ninth house of ideals and horizons. 'You might feel some fundamental changes in what you believe, even if those changes seem small at first, Scorpio. The Sun highlights the importance of higher education, your views, and values, and may even challenge them through emotional situations,' said Arutiunian. To paraphrase Denis Waitley, we don't find fulfillment in the pursuit of happiness — but in the happiness of pursuit. 12 KseniaKrop – Happy Solstice to you, Sagittarius. The sun is shining in your shadowy eighth house of sex, death, resources, and regeneration. 'This transit may shift your focus to what needs to change, especially in your business, work projects, or partnerships. Don't be afraid to invite deeper transformations,' said Arutiunian. To spur your metamorphosis, I offer you the words of Leon C. Megginson: 'It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.' 12 KseniaKrop – Arutiunian says the Summer Solstice and the onset of Cancer season will deepen relationships for Capricorn folk. With the sun beaming into your seventh house of trusted partnership, you can magnetize what you want by acting like you deserve it fully and trust wholly that it is on its way to you. Whether you're looking to call in a partner or cement a commitment, now is the hour. 12 KseniaKrop – Happy solstice, Aquarius! The energy of the solstice encourages you to turn your attention to bodily health, daily routine, and habitual rituals. 'It's a good time to start a new discipline or system in your routine, or even take on a new responsibility, like caring for a pet,' said Arutiunian. Whatever you initiate on or around the solstice is imbued with the fire power of the sun at its peak, a solar boon that bolsters success. Get to it! 12 KseniaKrop – 'You may experience a beautiful new cycle forming in your life, Pisces, especially when it comes to love,' shared Arutiunian. 'It's a great time to start an artistic project, go public with a pursuit, or even begin planning for children if that's your wish.' Regardless of how creation takes form for you under the standstill sun, Pisces, you are poised for a bountiful ROI. Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
Axios
3 days ago
- Axios
Time to go back to class
Lifelong learning is booming, with informal lectures, classes and discussion series quickly gaining popularity. Whether it's literature, film or the history of plastic surgery, the topics are abundant and the in-person attendance is strong, The Cut reports this week. Online learners are turning to Substack communities, Zoom classes or even AI chatbots that can generate personalized syllabi. The big picture: We're seeing the rise of AI doing the critical thinking for us, despite its often generic output. Plus, we know learning new things is one of the most effective tools we have to stave off dementia in an aging population. Spending an evening marking up a syllabus, going deep on a topic or discussing Vladimir Nabokov's "Speak, Memory" might be the ultimate antidote for the perpetually online condition of brain rot, Hope Corrigan notes in The Cut. Zoom in: Lectures on Tap, based in New York, presents 45-minute talks from academics on topics like "Why People Cheat?" and "Summer Solstice and the Science of the Sun." Profs and Pints, which started in D.C., hosts lectures in bars on "The Great American Road Trip" and "The Physics of Baseball." Both are expanding. Lectures on Tap is coming soon to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco, while Profs and Pints has expanded to multiple cities, including Dallas, Detroit, Nashville, Philadelphia and Richmond, according to its website. Bookstores can also double as sites for classes: I took a Details & Dialogue class earlier this year at D.C.'s Politics & Prose, which offers courses on history, writing, classics, poetry and more. You might even try a brewery: Common Roots Brewing Company in upstate New York has hosted lectures on topics like "Ticks and the Diseases They Carry" and "Wood Identification & Old House Myths." Washington Post journalist Karen Attiah's class at Columbia University on race and media was canceled last year. She has since created an independent version of the class and sought potential students via her newsletter and a Google Form with a sliding-scale payment system. "I hope that this can be a model for people to say, 'We can think outside of these structures, these institutions, that trade on prestige and are asking us to believe in their prestige, even as they're caving in on their own values that they use to market themselves," Attiah told Corrigan. Within 48 hours of posting, 500 people had reportedly signed up — with more than 2,000 on the waitlist.
