Cleveland Orchestra’s Kasower (Principal Cello) and Walters (Solo English Horn) Hidden Valley Concert on May 27, 2026 reposted by Ruth Paget

The Monterey County Weekly online calendar lists an upcoming concert at Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Carmel Valley (California) featuring the Cleveland Orchestra’s Mark Kasower (Principal Cello) and Robert Walters (Solo English Horn) on May 27, 2026.

Event information and ticket purchase details follow on the link to the Monterey County Weekly online community calendar:

https://www.montereycountynow.com/events/#/details/masters-concert-mark-kosower-cello-robert-walters-english-horn/18802867

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Gaming the Gods Course Hones Analytical Skills at UChicago reposted by Ruth Paget

The Gaming the Gods course at the University of Chicago Divinity School challenges students to identify religious and belief systems present in games like Halo and India.

The class learns about insider/outsider analysis skills as one of the class outcomes.

Students are invited to bring in content from their studies outside the class such as in economics and art history to enrich the class experience for all students as they analyze the games.

Many students are learning about foreign cultures and religions through gaming imagery in the 21st century making game analysis a necessary skill like media literacy.

The University of Chicago article on the Gaming the Gods course follows:

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/please-play-syllabus?utm_medium=05.21email&utm_source=UChicagoNews&mkt_tok=MjUwLUNRSC05MzYAAAGh6rBPisKWxgFkMPrctnu1smQvweUMz_uZursjGo9Rwf1rNpAoW10BZHihQNeOGUsfQmkFuXP6v2lqqsiPZJjTT9jAT2GXfPCm3k3Ni2fs0C4DsMo

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Sweet Pea Shrub Sightings at The Market at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget

Sweet Pea Shrub Sightings at the Market at Pebble Beach, California by Ruth Paget 

While drinking my Peerless organic coffee at The Market at Pebble Beach (California), I used the Google lens app to identify a sweet pea shrub grown by the side of The Market. 

The sweet pea shrub is originally from South Africa and grows well in coastal conditions like those at Pebble Beach. 

It requires frequent watering when first becoming established, but once it is established it can withstand drought conditions. The sweet pea can be trimmed to a hedge with purple-magenta flowers poking out of the hedge like those at the Market at Pebble Beach.  

More information about the sweet pea shrub follows: 

https://www.thespruce.com/sweet-pea-shrub-profile-5074216

Happy Garden Strolling! 

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Painting in the 1980s Art Book on sale by UChicago Press reposted by Ruth Paget

The overarching ambiguity of Painting in the 1980s characterizes outwardly diverse styles such as Neo-Geo and Italian Transvanguardia in this book by Rosemary Vohane Erpf sold by the University of Chicago Press during its book sale which runs until June 15, 2026.

Details about the book and purchase information follow:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_promo/19e455f9e35b502a

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

UChicagoNode makes 200 Special Library Collections Available to Researchers reposted by Ruth Paget

The following article in UChicago News discusses UChicgoNode which makes 200 University of Chicago Special Library Collections available to researchers in digital format.

These collection reflect the diversity of the University from archaeological digs in Turkey to 1960s news television.

UChicagoNote comments on collected data (metadata) and is designed for the easy addition of future materials.

The article follows:

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/new-uchicago-digital-research-tool-opens-paths-connecting-cultures-and-continents?utm_medium=05.19email&utm_source=UChicagoNews&mkt_tok=MjUwLUNRSC05MzYAAAGh4AzgoUOZsLO-MulJ7Rukz0BjZdsHtSLTeJWU-Q6hYX7ea3Ef_zKXwag9Oi0vLPvzzcyj2Pl5OQ2EzRAQVoBy8rU8Vp-WrOrigM6xUoyOeHq87Xo

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Chicago Booth article on making AI training faster and cheaper reposted by Ruth Paget

The following article on ways to make AI training faster and cheaper so businesses can use their own data to develop AI human language models for business needs according to Kawin Ethayarajh from Chicago Booth (one of the article’s authors) details one of  the reasons AI is expensive to implement and how to potentially lower implementation costs:

https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/ai-works-better-when-its-little-bit-human?source=ic-em-20260519&mkt_tok=MjUwLUNRSC05MzYAAAGh37md3Qyng25f9hdCmgxj_tv1SYe0irSC34Wfyzil116NrgQ4pngdhJHD4ZZ9ZCjeBLpf8fj8zcj2ZovIGqXnV1GNAXErzgRh1bOO4-gMr7Svb5U

Reposted by Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games

Great Courses Travel Videos Look Good reposted by Ruth Paget

I have used Great Courses videos to study photography, nutrition, tai chi and qigong, microeconomics, and English literature.

I have been very happy with these courses and think their travel videos might be great preparation for trips to the following countries:

-Germany

-Vietnam

-Great Britain

-Japan

-Norway

-France (Paris - Belle Epoque)

-Italy (Ancient Rome)

Information about these travel videos follows:

https://mail.google.com/mail/mu/mp/465/#cv/priority/%5Esmartlabel_promo/19e3adbeca47fea8

Happy Trails!

By Ruth Paget, author Eating Soup with Chopsticks and Marrying France and developer of the Novgorod and Bento War Games