In April 1961 Fidel Castro was the leader of Cuba & the enemy of the United States. That month an army of Cuban exiles -- trained and armed by the U.S. -- landed on the beaches of Cuba to begin a counter-revolution to take back their country. President Kennedy was only a few months in office at this time. The results of this event would shape our relations with Cuba & the Soviet Union for decades to come.

Smartphones have become an amazing tool in the 21^st century. However, the tool has begun to control the lives of us. Why and how did something as simple as a phone become so addictive. In the class we will explore how the smartphone tapped into our dopamine reward network and what we might do about controlling this addiction.

We will take a brief look at the long history of this nation, and its connection to the current turmoil. We’ll get acquainted with some of our Rochester neighbors who have settled here and learn why many are from Burma, but are not “Burmese."

This course will cover the history of the Cold War from its  beginning immediately World War II to the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991. It will cover all major events of the period and seeks to illuminate the underlying causes and consequences of this historical event. The approach will be of a revisionist nature, meaning that it will challenge some of the orthodox beliefs on this subject and consider many of the mistakes made on both sides. It will also attempt to see certain aspects of the Cold War from our opponents viewpoint. The course will be divided into four one hour segments. These segments will cover:

• How and why the Cold War began and will cover the early confrontations in Europe and the Korean War.
• The Eisenhower and into the 60’s culminating in the Cuban missile crisis.
• The Viet Nam years and the Sino/ Soviet break-up.
• The slow decline of the Soviet Union leading to the Gorbachev era and the ultimate dissolution of the Soviet Union. US policies regarding Russia since the Soviet break-up will also be covered.

This excursion features one-of-a-kind authentic food experiences in the Canandaigua Lake/Naples region. You’ll discover the gastronomic heritage unique to this area in a small group, self-drive, insiders’ guided tour. Go behind the scenes and see a family-owned and operated gourmet bottling plant in operation, then sample local chef-created condiments, sauces and other unique culinary treats. Learn how award-winning Finger Lakes Wines are made. You’ll walk amongst vineyards featuring several unique grape varieties, and pick your own grapes, on a 100-year-old family-owned farm. Learn how the famous Naples grape pies are lovingly prepared by a local baker specializing in baked goods. Check out fresh-from-the-farm produce, baked goods, gourmet foods made/sourced locally at a bustling roadside stand, where colorful flowers and seasonal plants are grown in their own greenhouses.  Sample delicious local delicacies available only during the fall harvest season. Tour an historical landmark house and discover the fascinating culinary history of the bountiful Naples agricultural region. Tour a state-of-the-art maple sugar house nestled atop the Garlinghouse Hills, and see the 4,000-tree farm from which syrup and a variety of other maple products are produced. Enjoy tasting the many different maple products made on premises. Walk out to the apiary and see working bee hives on our tour led by a local beekeeper. Sample seasonal honey and learn the basic biology of honey bees, where the queen resides, how honey is made, and what makes bees so special and interesting. Enjoy the beautiful fall color show and scenery of Naples Valley and Canandaigua Lake. Join our tour and enjoy all things local, like a local! Masks are encouraged and required if unvaccinated.  We will meet at 8:30AM at Arbor Hill, 6461 State route 64, Naples, NY 14512.

This excursion features one-of-a-kind authentic food experiences in the Canandaigua Lake/Naples region. You’ll discover the gastronomic heritage unique to this area in a small group, self-drive, insiders’ guided tour. Go behind the scenes and see a family-owned and operated gourmet bottling plant in operation, then sample local chef-created condiments, sauces and other unique culinary treats. Learn how award-winning Finger Lakes Wines are made. You’ll walk amongst vineyards featuring several unique grape varieties, and pick your own grapes, on a 100-year-old family-owned farm. Learn how the famous Naples grape pies are lovingly prepared by a local baker specializing in baked goods. Check out fresh-from-the-farm produce, baked goods, gourmet foods made/sourced locally at a bustling roadside stand, where colorful flowers and seasonal plants are grown in their own greenhouses.  Sample delicious local delicacies available only during the fall harvest season. Tour an historical landmark house and discover the fascinating culinary history of the bountiful Naples agricultural region. Tour a state-of-the-art maple sugar house nestled atop the Garlinghouse Hills, and see the 4,000-tree farm from which syrup and a variety of other maple products are produced. Enjoy tasting the many different maple products made on premises. Walk out to the apiary and see working bee hives on our tour led by a local beekeeper. Sample seasonal honey and learn the basic biology of honey bees, where the queen resides, how honey is made, and what makes bees so special and interesting. Enjoy the beautiful fall color show and scenery of Naples Valley and Canandaigua Lake. Join our tour and enjoy all things local, like a local! Masks are encouraged and required if unvaccinated.  We will meet at 8:30AM at Arbor Hill, 6461 State route 64, Naples, NY 14512.

Who makes foreign policy in the United States and how is it made? Shouldn't we know the answer to that question? In this class we'll take a look at American foreign policy – the good, the bad, and the ugly (too much of that, unfortunately).We'll look at the Departments – State, Defense, CIA, Military and the people – Presidents, Cabinet Secretaries, staff (all The Best  and the Brightest). But most of all we'll look at the National Security Advisors  (Kissinger, Scowcroft et al.) and the National Security Council – the  unelected, all powerful, accountable to no one group with outsized influence. We'll close with a detailed look at the run up to the Iraq war, with a special emphasis on the role of VP Dick Cheney and the rift of the once close relationship  between Cheney and Secretary of State Colin Powell. After looking at how policy is made, we'll take a stab at deciding how – in a democracy – foreign policy should be made.

How are trees, the Maine coastline, the stock market, ferns, and Hokusai's print The Great Wave Off Kanagawa related? Join Muriel and discover one of the newest math topics, Fractals. No math background is required for you to learn the geometry of self-similarity through 'hands-on' lessons and exploration of the beautiful Mandelbrot Set.