All golden ages are marked by periods of spectacular cultural flourishing, scientific exploration, technological achievement and economic growth; yet no two are the same. Their beliefs, societies and place in the wider world all vary. Despite this, all previous golden ages have ended, whether it be because of external pressures or internal fracturing; too much hubris or too little wariness. Looking at seven of humanity’s greatest civilizations – ancient Athens, the Roman Republic, Abbasid Baghdad, Song China, Renaissance Italy, the Dutch Republic and the Anglosphere – historian and commentator Johan Norberg seeks to distil their strengths and shortcomings in answering the question: how do we ensure that our current golden age doesn’t end? As insightful as it is riveting, Peak Human is at once a paean to our incredible progress and a warning that we cannot afford to be complacent.
Category: Activities (Page 1 of 35)
Activities are gatherings that occur on a regular schedule, usually weekly, to enjoy a specific pastime.
Attention DMA Golfers: The last meeting to sign up for the Oak Hills Golf Outing is this week, May 13. Steve True will be manning the signup sheet as you come into the meeting room. Tee offs start at 11am Thursday, May 21 and limited to 24 golfers. The fee is $66 payable at Oak Hills. Foursomes will be assigned before the 21st. It is a fun day with no formal competition. Using the forward tees is recommended. Since we are playing through lunchtime, we will have boxed lunches available. Steve has the choices at signup. The lunches@ $18.25 will be available in Odeen’s Restaurant after you sign up in the Golf Shop. Please arrive 20 minutes before your tee time.
Jerry Crowley, Steve True
All Hail the Hale and Hearty!
On Thursday, May 14, we will be traversing a path in the Naugatuck State Forest. The trail starts out running north, directly alongside the railroad tracks and then turns 90 degrees to the west. The first part is level and the second portion mildly uphill, with one abrupt declivity on the way. (During this short dip you may choose, like me, to turn around and use your arms for additional balance.) The goats among us (and there are many!) will scamper right through. Our efforts will be well-rewarded, as a rushing torrent is close at hand, with a gorgeous, cascading waterfall as the ultimate payoff.
Carpoolers should meet at the DCA parking lot at 9:30 a.m. Please remember to park your vehicle in the back. For navigation purposes, or those choosing not to carpool, proceed up Rte. 8, use exit 21 and cross over the Naugatuck River in Beacon Falls on Depot Street. Take your next two rights and park facing the tracks just outside the cyclone-fence gateway, where there is ample room. It should take about 40 minutes to drive there from Darien.
For our repast, we will gather afterward at The Tap House in downtown Naugatuck, just north of the bridge.
Alec Wiggin
Current Affairs for April 2026: Why We Can’t Have Nice Things: Improving Infrastructure in America
The Current Affairs group will meet on Thursday, April 16 at 2PM in the Lillian Gade Room at the DCA and on Zoom. If you have not received the Zoom link, please contact Barry at silver.barry@gmail.com or Doug at dbernacchi@gmail.com.
How many times have you traveled internationally and wondered, “How come they can [run these trains/build these stations/maintain these roads/keep these cities clean/provide public services/provide sufficient energy] so well in this crappy little country but we can’t seem to do it in the USA?” Dan Kolakowski will bring his engineer’s eye view to the infrastructure challenges we face in this region and in the country, and I look forward to a lively discussion. Dan’s background is amazing:
Dan Kolakowski received his BS degree in Civil Engineering from the United States Air Force
Academy. Following his military stint, he worked another 39 years building construction
projects in NYC. The infrastructure projects included the AirTrain from Jamaica and Howard
Beach to JFK Airport, LIRR’s Train Maintenance Facility in Queens, the United Nations
Headquarters, airport terminals for US Air (LGA), Terminal One (JFK) and Delta Terminal C (LGA).
His projects also included the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, Pier 79 Ferry Terminal, piers and
parks along the Hudson River for the Hudson River Park Trust as well as Brooklyn Bridge Park.
But we think of him as “the DMA member who made the miracle happen at La Guardia Airport.” Bring your thoughts and questions! Can you and Dan together bring a little bit of hope to our despair???
Here are a couple of pre-reads that Dan has suggested:
– Four ways to make wiser infrastructure investments | Brookings
– How much does the US federal government spend on infrastructure each year | USAFacts
And this on the California High-Speed Rail Debacle:
– https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/04/us/high-speed-rail-california.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ZlA.zMjT.lvz0otw-6cX2&smid=url-share
– The 60 Minutes segment from April 5, 2026 – https://youtu.be/9Hm0_-bOB4Y?si=IIs2h2CzZmNl_gzP
Thanks to Charles Salmans for suggesting that Dan present this topic!
This is to remind you that this Thursday, the Hale and Hearty will explore the sprawling grounds of Rockwood Hall, in Pleasantville, N.Y. This is a truly spectacular property owned and improved at one point by William Rockefeller. The estate borders the Hudson River, affording sweeping views of the River, Tappan Zee Bridge and the Palisades. There is much to explore, so upon arrival we will jointly decide on our route.
For those wishing to carpool, we will meet in the DCA parking lot at 9:30 a.m. Please park at the rear of the DCA parking lot. Travel time is a plump 40 minutes. For those choosing to go directly, there is ample parking opposite the trail head. The lot, however, comes up quickly on your left, just as Phelps Way crosses Rockwood Road. So, be vigilant! Dogs on leash are permitted.
For those seeking sustenance after our excursion, we will congregate at Bridge View Tavern (www.bridgeviewtavern.com), just a few miles south at 226 Beekman Ave. in Sleepy Hollow, which also overlooks the Hudson.
Alec Wiggin
Thursday, April 23rd, at 10:30 a.m. at Manresa Island in Norwalk
On Thursday, April 23rd, the Wanderers will drive to Manresa Island in Norwalk and enjoy a guided tour of the interior of the former Norwalk Harbor Station power plant and a wandering on the property outside the power plant and along the waterfront.
This 125- acre property is in the process of being revitalized and transformed into what will be one of the Northeast’s most creative public parks — called Manresa Wilds — which is thanks to the generosity of Austin and Allison McChord. The first phase of the project, including walking trails and other amenities, is expected to open next year. This tour will include inspecting the main building’s enormous interior spaces which will be redesigned into exciting interior spaces, one of which is as large as Grand Central Station. Details regarding the scope of the project were presented by Austin McChord at the DMA meeting on March 25rd.
The tour of the interior of the power plant will include viewing much of the plant’s huge original machinery and equipment on different levels of the plant and walking on metal stair-ways some of which are steep. Wanderers will have the option of remaining on a lower level in the plant during part of the tour. While half of the Wanderers will tour the interior of the power plant for 45 minutes, the other half of the Wanderers will wander, including riding on ATV’s (golf carts), for 45 minutes on the property outside the power plant and along the waterfront. Then, the Wanderers that toured the interior of the power plant will wander on the property outside the power plant for 45 minutes and the Wanderers that wandered on the property outside the power plant will tour the interior of the power plant for 45 minutes. Based upon the 10:30 am start time for the tour and wandering, these activities will end at approximately 12:00 noon at which time the Wanderers will drive to have lunch at the Silver Star Diner at 210 Connecticut Avenue in Norwalk at approximately 12:30 p.m.
Anyone interested in participating in this tour and wandering should sign-up in advance at a DMA meeting in April. The size of our group has been limited by Manresa to 48 participants so, if interested, please sign up as soon as possible. Due to the anticipated popularity of this tour and wandering and the group size limitation, we unfortunately are not able to include the spouses of DMA members in this tour and wandering. Wanderers will be required by Manresa to sign a waiver of liability form prior to visiting the property. The waiver of liability form can be reviewed and needs to be signed electronically prior to this tour and wandering at the following email address: (https://app.hellosign.com/
We will rendezvous at the DCA parking lot at 9:45 a.m. and then drive to the property as a caravan group. Those interested in car- pooling from Darien should plan to park their cars in the rear of the parking lot at the DCA. We will depart from the DCA parking lot by 10:00 a.m. and arrive at the power plant on Manresa Island by 10:25 a.m. as the tour and wandering will start promptly at 10:30 a.m.
If you don’t elect to rendezvous with the group at the DCA parking lot, you can use the Google Map address of “Manresa Island, Norwalk, CT” or set your WAZE, Google Maps or other GPS to “1 Longshore Avenue, Norwalk, CT” to get there. If you don’t use WAZE, Google Maps or other GPS, the easiest way to drive to Manresa Island is to take State Route 136 beginning on Tokeneke Road in Darien and staying on Route 136 through Rowayton and South Norwalk until making a right turn onto Woodward Avenue (which becomes Longshore Avenue) and then making a right turn onto Manresa Island Avenue (don’t turn right into the “Village Creek” private association). The entrance to Norwalk’s Manresa Island is located on the right side of Longshore Avenue where Longshore Avenue intersects Manresa Island Avenue. After making a right turn onto Manresa Island Avenue, there is a security gate at the entrance to Manresa Island where car occupants must check in before driving down Manresa Island Avenue and parking in a parking lot adjacent to the power plant.
Contact: Chet Cobb, Harry Bergen, Doug Bora or Robin Hogen.
Thursday, March 26th, at 8:36 a.m. at Darien Metro-North Station or 8:39 a.m. at Noroton Heights Metro-North Station
Next Thursday the Wanderers will travel to Roosevelt Island in Manhattan. We will take the Metro North train to Grand Central that leaves the Darien train station at 8:36 a.m. and the Noroton Heights train at 8:39 a.m. As usual, we will gather at the Information Booth on the main floor of Grand Central and proceed together by Subway and Tramway to Roosevelt Island.
After enjoying the overhead views of the East River and Roosevelt Island from the Tramway, we will wander three or so miles around Roosevelt Island and enjoy its unique views of New York City. Our Wandering will take us to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park at the southern end of the island, past three modern Cornell Tech Center buildings – the Bloomberg Center, the Tata Innovation Center and the House – that have attracted students, professors and technology research to the island, and past historic structures including the Smallpox Hospital ruins, the Strecker Memorial Laboratory, the Blackwell House, and if time permits, the Octagon Tower and the Lighthouse.
The Wanderers plan to have lunch at Granny Annie’s Bar & Kitchen at 425 Main Street on Roosevelt Island. After lunch, we will complete our Wandering and enjoy a few more vistas from Roosevelt Island before returning to Grand Central and home via the Subway and Metro-North.
Contact: Chet Cobb or Harry Bergen
Is the US Ready for the Next War – New Yorker
Highly recommended also is a more recent article focusing on Ukraine, the epicenter of the new drone warfare: Drones Now Rule the Battlefield in the Ukraine-Russia War – The New York Times
Filkins focuses quite a bit on US drone technology company Anduril, which got a critical close-up in the Wall Street Journal last fall (gift link – no paywall):
A detailing of some of the stumbles as the US tries to get ahead of the trend (gift link – no paywall): https://www.wsj.com/
Problems with the technology emerged recently in Texas: El Paso Incident Highlights Gaps in America’s Drone Defense Industry – The New York Times
And the NY Times Editorial Board weighs in: Opinion | This Is the 21st-Century Arms Race. Can America Keep Up? – The New York Tim
This one’s a stunner. On Thursday, March 12, our adventurous group will explore the grounds of Rockwood Hall, the one-time estate of William Rockefeller, brother to John D. Located in Mount Pleasant, N.Y., the site affords sweeping views of the Hudson River, Tappan Zee Bridge and the Palisades. These vistas are breathtaking. It is worth a moment to access Wikipedia, which recounts a storied history of the property. At arrival, we will jointly decide whether a clockwise or counterclockwise direction is preferable for negotiating this loop’s 500-foot grade change. (Hale and Hearty, right?)
For those wishing to carpool, we will meet in the DCA parking lot at 9:30 a.m. Travel time is a plump 40 minutes. For those choosing to go directly, there is ample parking opposite the trail head. This lot, however, comes up quickly on your left, just as Phelps Way crosses Rockwood Road. So, be vigilant! Dogs on leash are permitted.
Suggestions for a nearby lunch spot are welcome.
Please RSVP to Alec Wiggin at alec@aared.com if you are interested.
Everything evens out in the end. That’s the theme of the report for today’s 10 bowlers.
We had a very spirited team competition, so let’s focus on that first. Team Marty (MM, BT, AG, JB, WS) went up against Team Tom (TL, TH, GG, MR, DS), and right off the bat Marty’s team got off to a fast (and noisy) start. But things evened out for them in the end, as Tom’s team got hot after a slow start. George G finished at 198, while Ted had a four-bagger on his way to a 177, pacing their team to a comfortable game one win. In game two it was Dave who came out of nowhere to record a double and a triple in the last five frames (see photo) to post his best ever DMA game of 157. Combined with Tom’s 203, that helped their team win that game by a mere 14 pins. Marty’s squad unanimously issued the double-or-nothing challenge, and “everything evened out in the end!” All five of Team Tom’s bowlers finished the game below average, while Alex’s 182 paced Team Marty to a 75-pin victory.
Above average series were bowled today by Ted (+4), Alex and Bill (+11), George (+24) and by our BoD Dave (+41). Tom posted the high series at 543. Woody recorded the day’s only BBS.
Let’s see what sort of roller coaster ride we get next week.
Nine bowlers braved the roads and cold to get to Nutmeg this morning, with five bowling above their recent average.
Woody was a +5, including a 120 in his middle game. Mike also had a 120 in his last game to finish with a +16. Linc got off to a fast start with a 140 and finished +17. Ted had a second 500 series in a row with a steady 503 for +53. But BoD was none other than Mr. Up & Down, Alex. He started with a nice 178 and finished with 200 on the button, his first 200 game of the season. His 539 series was his best of the season as well, and he was +98. Let me hear a “Yeah Baby!”
Most improved bowler over the three games was clearly the Commish. His opening game of 137 was his lowest of the season and left him muttering to himself all game. Things got better in game two as he rolled a 195, including going strike/spare in the 10th to tie the team game. Game three really put a smile on his face as he opened up with a five-bagger on his way to a 223. His 86-pin differential start to finish was quite the turnaround and helped him get high series of 555. Because Alex and Ted were teammates, their team won the two other games with ease.
While Ben was absent with his driveway yet to be plowed, we did have many BBS opportunities, with one that was completed by Gehr. Tom converted a 3-6-7 split, as well as a 2-7 and a washout (space between pins with head pin still standing), while Ed Sc converted a 3-10.
So, I think our little experiment worked out quite nicely today. Even with a morning cancellation, we got balls rolling at 9:05. To simplify things, the suggestion has been made that it should only be necessary to notify me on Mondays if you are one of our regulars and expect to be absent. That makes perfect sense.
It seems that the Commish has had the good fortune of being on the same team as the BoD these past weeks, and so it was again today. Ben and Ed Sc were slightly in the plus, but it wasn’t them. Alex started strong and ended up +29 — but it wasn’t him. Thanks to a first game 150, Linc was +45 (and he was on Tom’s team). Ian Webb finished with a 153 to end up +60 for the day; John had three good games to finish +66 — but not them, either.
Today’s BoD was my teammate Ted. After a very good game one of 185, Ted had the high game of the day of 214 in the second. His 535 series, though 12 below Tom, was +97! And we’ll note that Ted was on the same pair of lanes on which he met disaster a couple of weeks ago (535 vs 346 ). Even in game three when Ted came back to earth, there was a happy ending for him. In his game three head-to-head against Ben, Ted fell behind early. When Ben opened in the 10th, Ted still needed a strike/spare to win or a spare/strike to tie. On his first ball he left a 5-10 split, which put a slight smile on Ben’s face. BUT Ted converted the split and followed that with a strike to gain the draw. And wouldn’t you know that Ted also turned his hole card on the third game poker hand and revealed a third 10, giving him the winning hand. Just like last week, when Ben filled his pockets with quarters, so it was today for Ted. In addition to Ted’s split conversion, kudos also go to Woody for making a 9-10.
Let’s see who gets hot next week!