A different point of view

Grabbing a cup of coffee, a cookie and a chair, approximately 30 seniors listened to Barbara Krupit speak about current events from the economy to the proposed mosque near Ground Zero during a presentation in the community room of Peninsula Public Library.

With a global map clipped to the chalkboard as her backdrop, Krupit used news articles to begin her talking points and asked questions as she propelled the Aug. 23 discussion forward.

Her conversational and professorial style coupled with several animated audience members created a collegial environment, where information and opinions mixed freely.

"You have to think for yourself, that is what I would love people to do," said Krupit, who established her one-person Woodbury-based speaker bureau in 1978.

As a 15-year old growing up in Brooklyn, she "fell in love" with knowing about the economy and began reading the New York Times and the long defunct Herald Tribune, "they reported the same news with a different point of view," Krupit said.

A graduate of Baruch College and seeing the great economic potential years before it occurred, she wanted to go to China to start an export-import business, but got married instead.

Reading four newspapers a day — Newsday, the Times, Wall Street Journal and the Financial Times — gives Krupit the breadth and depth to speak on a multitude of news topics.

She began the talk speaking about the economy, current unemployment figures and the housing market, along with an article that referenced Caterpillar (a global leader in manufacturing construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines and industrial gas turbines) building a plant in Victoria, Tx., that would add 1,000 jobs at a time.

In addition, to the serious discussions regarding bank failures, mergers and acquisitions, Krupit took a moment to add a light touch reading silly things said by attorneys questioning witnesses during actual trials.

Holding court for nearly two hours and allowing audience members to chime in with answers and opinions, Krupit even had one woman change her mind about leaving.

"I hate to leave, she is good," said Shirley Greenfield, who sat back down to listen again.

Touching on General Motor's stock offering, the coincidences between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy and noting the purchase of Newsweek by 92-year old Sidney Harman, Krupit had the room interested and stimulated and that was before the discussion turned to the planned mosque.

Many had their say and that is what Jerry Mantell, who has heard Krupit speak several times likes about these events. "I enjoy her talks, she is control and lets everyone say what they want to say," he said.