It's caffeine and camaraderie for the male members of MCC and guests! This group meets every other Thursday and is hosted by various members who get the conversation going. Please register by the Monday prior to Men's Coffee and Conversation. This week, MCC member Roger Hale will be talking about "My Chess Obsession."

Men MCC members sign up here; guests email MCC.

A special free screening for MCC members of "O Samba," with director Georges Gachot attending, is being hosted by the Cynthia Froid Group. Samba is more than just the grand chaotic staging of Rio de Janeiro's Carnaval and frenetic rhythms and dancing. Through the work of the popular samba school Unidos de Vila Isabel and musician Martinho da Vila, "O Samba" explores the heart and soul of this Brazilian artistic tradition. Director Georges Gachot asserts the deeply lyrical way of life with samba, with da Vila as our guide. Augmented with vivid live performances and other musical icons--including Leci Brando, Ney Matogrosso, Paula Lima and Martinho's daughter Mart'nalia--this documentary captures the spirit of samba. Watch the trailer here. A reception will follow the film in the River Room at the Aster Cafe.

RSVP to the Cynthia Froid Group with attendee names and date of screening: admin@cynthiafroid.com.

Born out of an umbrella organization of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) burst onto the international stage after it seized Fallujah in December 2013. Since then, the group has seized control of a number of critical strongholds in the country and declared itself a caliphate, known as the Islamic State. Still, the question remains: What is ISIS, and what danger does it pose to U.S. interests? MCC member and speaker Bill Davnie served as a Foreign Service Officer in the U.S. Department of State from 1981 to 2007, with postings in several countries, including four months in Baghdad in 2007. Prior to the Foreign Service, he researched Islam and taught for one year in Indonesia, and he served as a Presbyterian pastor for five years in rural North Dakota. Suzanne Joyce hosts.

MCC members sign up here.

Washburn Lofts, 700 2nd St S
Join advanced or intermediate bridge players for a round of social bridge. You are expected to come with a partner at your level. (Advanced players play all the major conventions comfortably.) If you need help finding a partner, contact Carol Jordan at (612) 817-0466 or caroljordan@millcitycommons.org and she will assist you.

St. Anthony Main Theatre, 115 Main St SE
A special free screening for MCC members of "Minnesota 13: From Grain to Glass," with director Norah Shapiro attending, is being hosted by the Cynthia Froid Group. Minnesota craft brewing is not just a 21st century story of taprooms and food trucks. During Prohibition, one of the best and most popular moonshines in the country, known as Minnesota 13, came from Stearns County in Minnesota. Local directors Shapiro and Kelly Nathe pull the curtain back on this little-known story in Minnesota history. Widely regarded as the only branded moonshine of its day, Minnesota 13 was created by church-going farmers with the support of everyone in their community. Double-distilled and aged in oak barrels, Minnesota 13 was far from the bathtub booze the era was famous for. A reception will follow the film in the River Room at the Aster Cafe.