Activities are gatherings that occur on a regular schedule, usually weekly, to enjoy a specific pastime.
Recommended Reading
Google loses key appeal against 2.4 billion EU shopping antitrust case
Opinion | You Are the Object of a Secret Extraction Operation
Intelligence Squared US, Europe has Declared War on American Tech Companies, October 22, 2019
https://intelligencesquaredus.org/debates/europe-has-declared-war-american-tech-companies
BBC London, EU Reveals Plan to Regulate Big Tech, December 15, 2020
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-55318225
Tax Foundation, What European OECD Countries are doing about Digital Services Taxes, March 25, 2021
https://taxfoundation.org/digital-tax-europe-2020/
Thomson Reuters, Demystifying the 2021 EU’s Value Added Taxes, August 2, 2021
https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en-us/posts/tax-and-accounting/eu-vat-myths/
Avalara, Global VAT and GST on Digital Services, undated 2021
https://www.avalara.com/vatlive/en/global-vat-gst-on-e-services.html
Tax Foundation, Evaluating Proposals to Increase the Corporate Tax Rate and Levy a Minimum Tax on Corporate Book Income, February 24, 2021
https://taxfoundation.org/biden-corporate-income-tax-rate/
SizzlingStocks Newsletter, Largest Tech Companies by Market Cap, undated (2021)
https://companiesmarketcap.com/tech/largest-tech-companies-by-market-cap/
New York Times, Facebook Whistle-Blower Brings Campaign to Europe after Disclosures, October 25, 2021
New York Times, Why Europe is Hard on Big Tech, April 22, 2021
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/22/technology/europe-tech-regulations.html
Brookings Institute, An Agenda for US-EU Cooperation on Big Tech Regulation, August 9, 2021
https://www.brookings.edu/techstream/an-agenda-for-us-eu-cooperation-on-big-tech-regulation/
9to5MAC, Europe can’t agree on how to regulate tech giants like Apple or Google, October 11, 2021
https://9to5mac.com/2021/10/11/how-to-regulate-tech-giants/
North Central Park/City College and North Harlem Wandering
Date: Thursday, Oct 21, 2021
Metro North from Darien to Harlem/125th St—8.53 am
From Noroton Heights–8.57am
Note: get off at Harlem/125th St–do not go to Grand Central. We will congregate on the Harlem platform and head to the Lexington Ave subway station as a group to take the train to 103rd St.
This Wandering consists of two parts: first, a leisurely stroll through the northern section of Central Park–a lesser known section of the Park but no less beautiful.Then, a visit to City College and various points of interest in Northern Harlem. There will be two short subway rides in pretty empty subway cars because of the off peak hour.
We enter Central Park at 102nd St and visit the Conservatory Garden and its dancing fountain sculptures. Then on to the site of Fort Clinton, which played a role not only in the Revolutionary War but also in the War of 1812. We also visit the Andrew Haswell Green Memorial Bench since he is the star of the DMA Book Club’s November selection. The next part of the Central Park walk is more rugged as we explore the Ravine in the Northern Woods. We see all three waterfalls of the Park, two great arches and observe nature. In total we spend about 90 minutes in the Park.
A short subway ride will take us to 135 th St and the highlight of the second part of this Wandering, namely City College in Harlem. Its campus, though small, is surprisingly attractive because of its Gothic architecture.We have lunch there, around 12.30 at a well ventilated restaurant. Following lunch we stroll by , various historic sites in North Harlem, including Alexander Hamilton’s home, the magnificent townhouses of Striver’s Row and the Abyssinian Baptist Church. We may also get to peek at the famous WPA murals by black artists which are displayed at Harlem Hospital.Finally, we view the Astor Row homes.
By the end of this Wandering we will have walked about 5 ½ miles, over sometimes tricky terrain. So wear sturdy shoes. And remember to bring your masks and Vaccination certificate.
We expect to head home around 3.30pm from the Harlem/125th station.
The bestselling author of A Gentleman in Moscow and Rules of Civility and master of absorbing, sophisticated fiction returns with a stylish and propulsive novel set in 1950s America In June, 1954, eighteen-year-old Emmett Watson is driven home to Nebraska by the warden of the juvenile work farm where he has just served fifteen months for involuntary manslaughter. His mother long gone, his father recently deceased, and the family farm foreclosed upon by the bank, Emmett’s intention is to pick up his eight-year-old brother, Billy, and head to California where they can start their lives anew. But when the warden drives away, Emmett discovers that two friends from the work farm have hidden themselves in the trunk of the warden’s car. Together, they have hatched an altogether different plan for Emmett’s future, one that will take them all on a fateful journey in the opposite direction-to the City of New York. Spanning just ten days and told from multiple points of view, Towles’s third novel will satisfy fansof his multi-layered literary styling while providing them an array of new and richly imagined settings, characters, and themes
On Thursday, December 2, DMA member Greg Glashan will lead the Happy Wanderers on their final outing of the fall semester for an informative and eye-opening trek in Manhattan: South from Grand Central to the neighborhood of Washington Square. They plan to depart on the Metro-North commuter train leaving for Manhattan at 8:10 am (Darien station) and 8:13 am (Noroton Heights station). Participants should plan to bring a face mask and a copy of their vaccine card. Upon arrival at Grand Central Terminal, the group will gather at the Information Booth at the center of the Upper Level main entrance hall, and then head south.
We will walk through Madison Square Park, Union Square and Washington Square. Some highlights will be more than a dozen historic statues, monuments and memorials. Some short stops at several churches to take in their outstanding stained glass and design, a stop for lunch in the lower Fifth Avenue district, and then past some more historic sights and back to Grand Central and home.
Our plan is to end our walking at Union Square, at 14th Street near Park Ave, where there is a public market area of booths and boutiques, many with Christmas seasonal motifs. Our walkers will then have the option of browsing in the seasonal market, taking the nearby Lexington Ave. subway to Grand Central or walking back to Grand Central. Those planning to take the Subway should have their Metro Cards.
For further information on this outing, check with David Mace or Joe Spain.
HIKING DEVIL’S DEN PRESERVE
WESTON, CT
MONDAY OCTOBER 25, 2021
10:00 AM
The Devil’s Den Preserve’s original 1,400 acres was purchased by The Nature Conservancy in 1966 using funds donated by Katherine Ordway, a local philanthropist. Today it encompasses over 1,700 acres and is the largest preserve in SW Connecticut. The history of the property goes back to 1767 when it was first used as a sawmill during the Revolution. Forestry was the principal use of the property until the 1930s but the many stone walls on the land indicate its use for agriculture as well. For about 80 years during that time span, charcoal was produced at over 30 sites on the property. There are woodlands, wetlands, ponds and streams on the acreage.
We will be hiking a trail of about 4 miles which we rate as easy to moderate. The trails are mostly wide and well maintained but often have rocks and roots as you would expect. There are no serious ups and downs but there is a fair degree of elevation change. We estimate the hike will take 2 ½ to 3 hours.
There will be no lunch after this hike.
As usual we welcome friends, spouses and others to join us. These hikes are a great way to meet new members and to have a chance to converse in an outdoor environment. NO DOGS ARE ALLOWED AT DEVIL’S DEN.
Devil’s Den is accessed off of Exit 42 on the Merritt Parkway. The address is 30 Pent Road, Weston but Google Maps and Waze recognize Devil’s Den as a destination.
Contacts: Dave McCollum and Bob Plunkett
Not deterred by an overnight rain which left the trails a bit wet, a hardy group of
10 DMAers hiked about 5 miles in three hours over the Perry, Godfrey and
Aspetuck trails at the 1700 acre Devil’s Den Preserve in Weston. The damp ground
was offset by very mild and occasionally sunny weather. The trail markings and
signage at DD re very good and we navigated the course with nary a wrong turn.
Oh, wait a minute, the navigation excellence was actually more the result of
various hiker’s backwoods savvy and a nose for the correct direction!
The Preserve’s ownership by The Nature Conservancy dates to 1966 but the
property records go back to 1767. While forestry and agriculture were the
principal uses of the land, for eight decades the property was chiefly used to
produce charcoal. The accompanying photo shows one relic of that period. Again
on this hike, as was the case at Trout Valley last month, we saw very few humans
and only a worm and a toad for wildlife. These animals, which surely reside in
preserves like DD, must somehow know we are coming and spend the day in
hiding.
The next hike is scheduled for The Zofnass Family Preserve in Pound Ridge, NY on
Thursday November 18.
As of now, we plan to resume the optional lunch after this hike.
Spouses, friends and any others are encouraged to join us and dogs on a leash are
allowed at Zofnass.
Dave McCollum and Bob Plunkett
From the acclaimed author of High Dive comes an enveloping, exultant novel of New York City at the turn of the twentieth century, a story of one man’s rise to fame and fortune, and his murder in a case of mistaken identity. On Friday the 13th of November, 1903, a famous man was killed on Park Avenue in broad daylight by a stranger. It was neither a political act nor a crime of passion. It was a mistake. The victim was Andrew Haswell Green, the “Father of Greater New York,” who shaped the city as we know it. Without him there would be no Central Park, no Metropolitan Museum of Art, no Museum of Natural History, no New York Public Library. His influence was everywhere, yet he died alone, misunderstood, feeling that his whole life might have been, after all, a great mistake. A work of tremendous depth and piercing emotion, The Great Mistake is a portrait of a self-made man–farm boy to urban visionary; the reimagining of a murder investigation that shook the city; and the moving story of a singular individual who found the world closed off to him, and, in spite of all odds, enlarged it.
On Thursday, Oct 7, DMA member Mark Shakley will lead the Happy Wanderers on an entertaining and informative trek to the world of Brooklyn Heights. They plan to depart on the Metro-North commuter train leaving for Manhattan at 8:10 am (Darien station) and 8:13 am (Noroton Heights station). Participants should plan to bring a face mask and a copy of their vaccine card. Upon arrival at Grand Central Terminal, the group will gather at the Information Booth at the center of the main entrance hall and then head to Brooklyn Heights via subway. For further information on this outing, check with David Mace or Joe Spain.
TROUT BROOK VALLEY HIKE
WESTON, CT
SEPTEMBER 30, 2021
10:00 AM
On our first hike of the fall, we will return to the Trout Brook Valley Conservation area in Weston, an 1100 acre preserve that is part of the Aspetuck Land Trust, where we last hiked in 2019. Trout Brook Valley classifies their trails as hard, medium and easy and your DMA hiking team discovered that on our pre-hike where we tested a “hard” trail and found the description very accurate! We will not be using that trail for our hike of about 3 miles over easy and medium terrain. The preserve is still quite lush and green in September so it will be mostly shady. The trails are well maintained and the trail markings are excellent. There is some traversing of mostly flat rocky areas. This hike should be a great way to start off our fall season!
As always, friends, spouses, etc are welcome to join us. Dogs on a leash are permitted. There will be no lunch after the hike.
We will be using the Bradley Road entrance to the preserve in Weston. On Google maps or Waze enter Trout Brook Valley Preserve or 18 Bradley Road, Weston. The parking lot is not large so car pooling would be a good idea. If you let either of us know you will be joining us, we can arrange pools. The drive takes about 25 minutes from Darien.
Dave McCollum or Bob Plunkett
A small but enthusiastic group of seven spent a delightful two hours hiking the Green and Orange Trails at Trout Brook Preserve this morning, a cool and invigorating day to be in such beautiful woods.
The 730 acre Trout Brook Preserve was purchased in 1999 by the Aspetuck Land Trust from the Bridgeport Hydraulic Company which was planning to sell it to a developer who wanted to construct over one hundred luxury homes and a golf course. The $11.3 million purchase price was raised jointly by the State of Connecticut and Aspetuck. Actor Paul Newman was among the contributors.
The trails we hiked were well maintained and of variable difficulty but nothing our group could not handle. We pretty much had the whole Preserve to ourselves as we saw very few other hikers which contributed to the quiet attractiveness of the trails. We crossed three brooks, one of which must have been Trout Brook, but saw no trout or other fauna other than a worm or two. So much for wild kingdom!
As usual on our hikes, the opportunity to talk to each other was a highlight.
We hope a larger group of DMAers will join us on our next hike at Devil’s Den in Weston on Monday October 25.
Dave McCollum and Bob Plunkett
A grand, devastating portrait of three generations of the Sackler family, famed for their philanthropy, whose fortune was built by Valium and whose reputation was destroyed by OxyContin, by the prize-winning, bestselling author of Say Nothing The Sackler name adorns the walls of many storied institutions–Harvard, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oxford, the Louvre. They are one of the richest families in the world, known for their lavish donations to the arts and the sciences. The source of the family fortune was vague, however, until it emerged that the Sacklers were responsible for making and marketing a blockbuster painkiller that was the catalyst for the opioid crisis.
Empire of Pain begins with the story of three doctor brothers, Raymond, Mortimer and the incalculably energetic Arthur, who weathered the poverty of the Great Depression and appalling anti-Semitism. Working at a barbaric mental institution, Arthur saw a better way and conducted groundbreaking research into drug treatments. He also had a genius for marketing, especially for pharmaceuticals, and bought a small ad firm. Arthur devised the marketing for Valium, and built the first great Sackler fortune. He purchased a drug manufacturer, Purdue Frederick, which would be run by Raymond and Mortimer. The brothers began collecting art, and wives, and grand residences in exotic locales. Their children and grandchildren grew up in luxury. Forty years later, Raymond’s son Richard ran the family-owned Purdue.
The template Arthur Sackler created to sell Valium–co-opting doctors, influencing the FDA, downplaying the drug’s addictiveness–was employed to launch a far more potent product: OxyContin. The drug went on to generate some thirty-five billion dollars in revenue, and to launch a public health crisis in which hundreds of thousands would die. This is the saga of three generations of a single family and the mark they would leave on the world, a tale that moves from the bustling streets of early twentieth-century Brooklyn to the seaside palaces of Greenwich, Connecticut, and Cap d’Antibes to the corridors of power in Washington, D.C.
Empire of Pain chronicles the multiple investigations of the Sacklers and their company, and the scorched-earth legal tactics that the family has used to evade accountability. The history of the Sackler dynasty is rife with drama–baroque personal lives; bitter disputes over estates; fistfights in boardrooms; glittering art collections; Machiavellian courtroom maneuvers; and the calculated use of money to burnish reputations and crush the less powerful. Empire of Pain is a masterpiece of narrative reporting and writing, exhaustively documented and ferociously compelling. It is a portrait of the excesses of America’s second Gilded Age, a study of impunity among the super elite and a relentless investigation of the naked greed and indifference to human suffering that built one of the world’s great fortunes.
October 28th at 11:30am (new date & time) Current Affairs: Income Inequality-Is it a problem? If so, what are the solutions? What are the Chinese doing to address their income inequality? Mike Wheeler will moderate the discussion. Gary Banks will argue for the proposal and Mark Nunan will argue the opposing side.
Study Materials
Based on Washington Post Series “Sharing the Wealth” and the IntelligenceSquared Debate
“Economic inequality has become a linchpin of modern politics. As nations around the world face a reckoning on racial and social justice and work to combat the economic impacts of the pandemic, we ask: Is it time to redistribute the wealth? Should we address growing inequality by overhauling our tax system, expanding our social safety nets, and investing more in public initiatives like universal health care, education, and infrastructure? Or would a wealth transfer unduly punish the economic elite, destroy the promise of a meritocracy, and inevitably lead to excessive government intervention in our social and economic lives?”
Washington Post Series on “Sharing the Wealth”
Backgrounder from the Council on Foreign Relations
Is Economic Inequality Really a Problem?
Intelligence Squared U.S. Debate: It’s Time to Redistribute the Wealth
It’s Time to Redistribute the Wealth-Research Brief
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/intelligence-squared-u-s-debates/id216713308?i=1000529064442
Warning of Income Gap, Xi Tells China’s Tycoons to Share Wealth
A Distorted View of Wealth Inequality
6 facts about economic inequality in the U.S.
How the Left Exaggerates Income Inequality -WSJ
How to Distort Income Inequality-WSJ
A Bipartisan consensus on Income Inequality-WSJ
6 Policies to Combat Inequality-Center for American Progress
Income Inequality Isn’t the Problem-Hoover Institution
Fixing Income Inequality-Hoover Institution
Middle-Class Pay Lost Pace-Is Washington the Blame-New York Times
This Viral Video is Right: We Need to Worry About Income Inequality
Corporate Revenue Keeps Shrinking-Scott Galloway
Americans know Wealth inequity is a problem, but what does it look like?
The Problem with the Peloton Economy
Why Do People Tolerate Wealth Inequality?
Our third 2021 outing is at Sterling Farms, Stamford,
Tuesday 14 September starting at 10:30 AM.
Tee times will be assigned once registration is complete.
To sign up, email Peter Carnes, picarnes@gmail.com.
Provide your handicap to facilitate pairing.
Fee is $46 (includes cart) payable when you arrive.
Confirmation and coordination will be via email during the week prior to play.
We were blessed with a beautiful day on 14 September at Sterling Farms where 24 members arrived for 18 holes of golf on the Stamford course. Remarkably there were no last-minute cancellations; since the event was oversubscribed, this meant that at least half a dozen members were not able to play. There were no reports of unusual accomplishments, good or bad, which is probably more attributable to modesty or embarrassment than reality. The course was in excellent condition which is a tribute to their staff to which we are again grateful for their annual hospitality to the DMA.
Peter Carnes
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