Landing at Normandy was only the beginning of the Allied campaign to liberate Europe in WWII. Next was liberating France and marching towards Germany. This lecture will talk about the obstacles the Americans, British, and Canadians experienced as they moved inland from the D-Day beaches and towards Paris and how they overcame them.

While the French Emperor Napoleon is one of the most recognizable figures in all of history, how he rose to such colossal power is sometimes overlooked: Born into a poor but proud Corsican family, he became the most powerful man in Europe for more than a decade by his intellect, his sheer force of will, and his understanding of how the nature of power in the Revolutionary Era was being transformed. This discussion will address Napoleon’s rise to power, contrasting what he was able to accomplish on his own merit versus how he leveraged situations and acquaintanceships to suit his ambitious purposes. We will also see how his inability to adapt led to his spectacular downfall.

With the coming of Rock and Roll in the '50s, the great days of Gershwin, Cole Porter, and similar talents were fast coming to an end. But a closer look at the music of the '60s reveals that awesome tunes were still being written. We'll take a specific look at the songs of Burt Bacharach, Henry Mancini, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, with brief histories of each, followed by a performance with keyboard and vocalist of some of their best tunes.

While the French Emperor Napoleon is one of the most recognizable figures in all of history, how he rose to such colossal power is sometimes overlooked: Born into a poor but proud Corsican family, he became the most powerful man in Europe for more than a decade by his intellect, his sheer force of will, and his understanding of how the nature of power in the Revolutionary Era was being transformed. This discussion will address Napoleon’s rise to power, contrasting what he was able to accomplish on his own merit versus how he leveraged situations and acquaintanceships to suit his ambitious purposes. We will also see how his inability to adapt led to his spectacular downfall.

Television news has undergone remarkable transformations in the last seven decades. Beginning with the Camel News Caravan with John Cameron Swayze in 1948, evening newscasts drew tens of millions of viewers nightly, and expanded from 15-minutes to 30-minutes a year after Walter Cronkite became the anchor of the CBS Evening News in 1963. With the launch of CNN in 1980, TV news expanded to 24 hours a day, seven days a week--and a new era in television journalism was born. Americans no longer had to wait until 6:30 p.m. to get their news but could tune in any time to find out what was happening, all over the world. In 1996, TV news would change once again with the launch of two new 24/7 cable channels: MSNBC and six months later the Fox News Channel, which introduced a distinctly partisan approach to news coverage that would have enormous implications on American political life. This presentation will look at these sweeping changes and examine the impact--both good and bad--of television journalism over the last six decades.

Art theft makes international headlines overnight! This presentation will be both a review and update of the most famous--and notorious--art crimes. Highlights include past heists, from the Mona Lisa caper to the stealing of the Scream. However, the status of unsolved art mysteries will be discussed, including the greatest art theft in our time: the taking of a Vermeer, Rembrandt, and several other works from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, still missing after more than 30 years.

Art theft makes international headlines overnight! This presentation will be both a review and update of the most famous--and notorious--art crimes. Highlights include past heists, from the Mona Lisa caper to the stealing of the Scream. However, the status of unsolved art mysteries will be discussed, including the greatest art theft in our time: the taking of a Vermeer, Rembrandt, and several other works from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, still missing after more than 30 years.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh was a towering figure in the Arts & Crafts movement at the turn of the 20th century. As an architect based in Glasgow, Scotland, he designed a wide range of buildings—from schools and churches to public spaces and homes for industrialists. Alongside his wife, Margaret MacDonald, Mackintosh created harmonious interiors that complemented his strikingly minimalist architectural style. Their work gave rise to the distinctive Glasgow Style, a design movement that continues to inspire artists and architects today.

We’ve heard that Broadway is riddled with backstage politics, but what about when the politics are right on stage? Broadway hitmakers have frequently used politics, both historical and contemporary, as a backdrop for our entertainment.  Singer/actor Julie Kurzava will consider how the American musical theater has staged political intrigue as well as the difference between truth and fiction.  Part 1 covers "Of Thee I Sing" (Gershwin) and "Fiorello" (Frank Loesser), both Pulitzer Prize winners. (For Part 2 of the class, see class #557)

India has long envied China's rapid transformation from Third World backwater to economic powerhouse, and wants to follow that same path. It is now the world's 5th largest economy, just as China was two decades ago, and is gaining ground in the rankings amid a development and population boom. As an authoritarian-run China confronts slower growth and a declining population, the rise of a democratic India will have profound implications for the world's political, strategic and economic order.

We’ve heard that Broadway is riddled with backstage politics, but what about when the politics are right on stage? Broadway hitmakers have frequently used politics, both historical and contemporary, as a backdrop for our entertainment.  Singer/actor Julie Kurzava will consider how the American musical theater has staged political intrigue as well as the difference between truth and fiction.  Part 1 covers "Of Thee I Sing" (Gershwin) and "Fiorello" (Frank Loesser), both Pulitzer Prize winners. (For Part 2 of the class, see class #557)

India has long envied China's rapid transformation from Third World backwater to economic powerhouse, and wants to follow that same path. It is now the world's 5th largest economy, just as China was two decades ago, and is gaining ground in the rankings amid a development and population boom. As an authoritarian-run China confronts slower growth and a declining population, the rise of a democratic India will have profound implications for the world's political, strategic and economic order.

Join us for a special free demonstration of our new fitness class, Move Well, Live Well. This interactive class will give you a firsthand look at how simple, everyday movements can build strength, improve balance, and increase flexibility. Using body weight, light dumbbells, and resistance bands, we'll explore exercises that support real-life activities like reaching, lifting, squatting, and stepping—all at a pace that's safe, approachable, and encouraging. Come see how small movements can lead to big improvements in your daily life! This program is brought to you through the generosity of the Florence Nesh Charitable Trust.

All around the world ancient people told fantastical tales of the dawn of time and the creation of the universe. What questions were they trying to answer? “Who made the world, and how?” Or were they asking different questions – questions much closer to home, like, “What am I, and what is my place in the cosmos?” Using Joseph Campbell’s four functions of myth, we’ll examine the creation stories in both Genesis and the Mayan Popul Vuh for insights not into the literal origin of the universe, but into the secrets of our own essential nature and the nature of reality itself.

(Due to the 10:30 am class being full, we have added this second session.) Join us for a special free demonstration of our new fitness class, Move Well, Live Well. This interactive class will give you a firsthand look at how simple, everyday movements can build strength, improve balance, and increase flexibility. Using body weight, light dumbbells, and resistance bands, we'll explore exercises that support real-life activities like reaching, lifting, squatting, and stepping—all at a pace that's safe, approachable, and encouraging. Come see how small movements can lead to big improvements in your daily life! This program is brought to you through the generosity of the Florence Nesh Charitable Trust.

The festive season means fun with friends and family, goodwill and giving. Sadly, it's also a prime time for cybercrooks to cook up nefarious schemes.  According to AARP Fraud Watch, three-quarters of U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays, including requests from (often fake) charities, online shopping scams and fraudulent communications about shipping problems.  Find out how to skip the scams this holiday season!

Enjoy the gardens, forest, meadows, and stream at Woodend, headquarters of Nature Forward (formerly Audubon Naturalist Society). We will take a leisurely walk to highlight the efforts taken to restore native biodiversity to this urban oasis. Native plant formal gardens, forest and meadow restoration, permeable trails, and a restored stream will all be explored during our walk. 

 Participants are responsible for their own transportation.  Woodend is located at 8940 Jones Mill Road, Chevy Chase, MD 20815.  Bathrooms in the mansion will be available, as well as a composting toilet along our walk. We will primarily be walking on solid ground or mowed areas. The trail in the forest is wheelchair accessible. Park in the gravel lot nearest to the Jones Mill Road entrance. Accessible parking is available.  October weather can be variable in MD so please dress appropriately. Bring good walking shoes, water, and a snack.  We will meet at the Jones Mill Road trailhead.

The festive season means fun with friends and family, goodwill and giving. Sadly, it's also a prime time for cybercrooks to cook up nefarious schemes.  According to AARP Fraud Watch, three-quarters of U.S. consumers have experienced or been targeted by at least one form of fraud that can be tied to the holidays, including requests from (often fake) charities, online shopping scams and fraudulent communications about shipping problems.  Find out how to skip the scams this holiday season!