Issue number one hundred and ten (February 2010) in a series of Signposts from WorldU3A International, sent once a month to any and all U3A members anywhere in the world.

Please send snippets of possible interest to the editor, Tom Holloway.
Feel free to copy any or all of this information in your newsletters.

Music Groups: Burnham on Sea University of the Third Age (U3A) presents a CLASSICAL MUSIC WEEKEND devoted to the life and work of EDWARD ELGAR -- the "Saviour of English Music". To be held in The Princess Theatre, Burnham-on-Sea on Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th February 2010.

There will be morning lectures followed by concerts in the afternoons, and the lecturer will be the distinguished musician JULIAN WILLIAMSON. Click on or go to http://www.burnhamu3a.info/music weekend.htm for details, or call Rod Winfield on 01278-789824 -- email rodwinfield@talktalk.net

History Groups: The British Museum and the BBC Radio 4 present a History of the World, told through talks about 100 objects from the past.

For details see http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/programme and for help with downloading these talks (podcasts) click on or go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/ahow

European Study Groups: Our Maltese colleague, Carmelina Grech, reports as follows: "As President of the U3E Association at the time I wrote to the Maltese MEPs in Brussels and was referred to the Representation of the European Commission in Malta. E-mails were exchanged and eventually perseverance paid off and a visit to Brussels Institutions was granted by the EU Representation in Malta, for twelve U3E students in European studies to join a mixed group of ‘Media Multipliers’ on a Brussels Visit.."
French Study Groups/Art History Groups: Le CED à http://www.canal-educatif.fr/ est un projet collaboratif visant à constituer le premier patrimoine gratuit de vidéos éducatives pour les jeunes et leurs parents à domicile. Enseignants, étudiant ou expert vous pouvez y participer et jouer les passeurs de culture.

All Subject Groups: Have you spotted a video(s) on YOUTUBE that you could use for a talk, and need to record it? Applian Technologies 'Replay Media Capture' is completely free and will cleverly convert a YOUTUBE clip to a file you can keep on your laptop or memory-stick. See http://www.applian.com/replay-media-catcher/demo.php

-- Don't have a projector yet? Apply to your local Council for a grant for one. Get a Councillor to sponsor you (choose one that's about retirement age).
-- Not sure how to record/play videos? Ask those clever people in your computer group to help you. They are only waiting for you to ask.

All Subject Groups: Our informal approach to learning suits us well, but sometimes a more structured approach would be better. For FREE lesson plans for a wide range of subjects clickon or goto http://www.lessonplanspage.com/ (ignore the advertisement for Concordia University and there is no need to register for lesson plans).