The Barn Blog

Raphael Montfort  gave an in-depth presentation on the energy problem. First he showed us how oil is a limited resource that will run out sooner than we might think. Then Raphael explained how scientists came to the conclusion that climate change is taking place and is influenced by human activity. We discussed and debated the implications of this and what can be done about it. The most controversial topic was the considertation of taxation as a means to regulate ones carbon footprint. You can download Raphael’s excellent presentation here:Ben’s Barn – Energy & Climate Change

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Local stand up comic, Shaun Eli, performed his routine at the barn. He did a good job of poking fun of most who attended. His routine was very funny, although he seemed to be testing out some new material on us, some of which worked and some of which didn’t. We were a tough audience. After the routine, we had a question/answer session where Shaun told us a little about himself and how he got into comedy. During our late night wrap up discussion we celebrated the end of 3 years at the barn. This was the 36th barn night! We haven’t missed a month yet.

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Vinny Tiso, a pharmaceutical industry verteran, discussed Flu vaccines, with a particular emphasis on the Swine Flu. Vinny gave us a historical perspective on epidemics, including the Black Plague in the Middle Ages, the Spanish Flu of 1918, and the Swine Flu outbreak in the 1970’s.  He explained why the Swine Flu is of major concern today and outlined the various immunization options. There was some discussion regarding the safety of the vaccines, particularly the nasal spray variety.

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Ignacio Yuseff  lead a fascinating discussion on astronomy. He took us through its history beginning with ancient civilizations, and touching on the discoveries of Copernicus, Gallileo, Newton, and Einstein. We discussed the theory of relativity and its implications. Ignacio shared his opinion that there is likely life on other planets, but we’ll never know because life on earth would end before we could reach another galaxy or travelers from another galaxy could reach us. He showed us some beautiful images from the Hubble telescope of distant galaxies and exploding stars. We ended with a highly controversial disucssion about the existence of God.

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Stan Chin lead an amazing discussion about the Yankees. The barn was filled with some die hard Yankees fans, many of whom didn’t expect to learn anything at this event. They were wrong. I think we were all blown away by Stan’s knowledge, enthusiasm and loyalty to this team. Stan shared some fascinating trivia and engaged the group with some real stumpers. Yankees tickets were given away to those who could answer the toughest ones. A good time was had by all.

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Chris Watson, co-founder of Changing Our World, led a brief, but highly educational discussion on philanthropy. A number of men commented on how much they learned from Chris on a subject they were previosly very ignorant about. One encouraging statistic was that the United States is the most generous nation in the world. Another was that giving comes from all socioeconomic classes, not primarily from wealthy or corporate donors, as one might think. After the talk we enjoyed a night of gambling, including roulette, blackjack, and craps. We had hoped to donate the profits to a local charity, but being summer the attendance was barely high enough to cover expenses. We’ll make up for it next time.

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We began with a BBQ dinner, courtesy of Peter Palma and Bob Degennaro, who purchased the burgers and dogs, and rented and manned the grille. After dinner, Dave Flannery, who is quite the raconteur, told stories from his youth growing up on a farm in Ireland. The boys were rivited, and asked questions about farm life and about his adventures arriving in the U.S. without a home or a job.  Dave shared how it was only later in life after building a business and having a son of his own, that he appreciated all his father had taught him.  Some of the other men shared their appreciation for their fathers and their desire to provide the best possible opportunities for their sons.

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Back in April we brewed and bottled beer in the barn (see April 2009 – Beer Making Night below). After letting the beer age for 2 months we eagerly sampled our handiwork. We didn’t know what to expect, but to our shock, all 3 types of beer were outstanding. In particular, the Raspberry Wheat received rave reviews. All in all, the barn beermaking was a huge success.

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John Cappabianca introduced his associates from One Ten Crew Films: Don Capria – writer/director and Robert Scaleri Jr. – producer. They gave us an overview of the filmaking industry and discussed their current projects. We saw a trailer for a TV series called “Westchester”, a real life drama about young friends and foes growing up in one of the country’s wealthiest suburbs.  Also a horror film called “Buckout Road”, based on a true story about local cannibals.

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David Tosi taught us how to make beer in the barn. We brewed 3 batches of beer: a Pilsner, an Amber and a Raspberry Wheat. Some volunteers will be needed to reconvene at the barn in 9 days to assist with the bottling process. We’ll drink the beer on our June barn night. It was a fun process that involved lots of participation.

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