Thousands arrived at Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven last Sunday, Sept. 30, to participate in the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease. The New Haven walk, along with numerous other walks throughout Connecticut, marked the close of Alzheimer’s disease Awareness month.

Walkers were encouraged to plant artificial flowers in the sand, with the color of each flower corresponding to the walker’s relationship to Alzheimer’s disease.

The mission of the Alzheimer’s Association is to “eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health.”

The Alzheimer’s walks began in 1989 when nine chapters around the United States raised $149,000 for the cause. Last year, 650 walks took place, raising over $4.5 million dollars. Numbers were expected to improve for the 2012 walk season.

The New Haven event opened at 9 a.m. for team and participant registration. Starbucks, in addition to other local organizations, donated refreshments. Raffle tickets were also sold for a variety of themed prize baskets. However, despite the excitement seen in the faces of walker’s and Alzheimer’s Association volunteers alike, no one could forget why they were all there: to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease.

Through the building of the “Promise Garden,” a staple for the Alzheimer’s walk, it was clear that many participants had different reasons for being there. To build the “Promise Garden,” walkers were encouraged to plant artificial flowers in the sand, with the color of each flower corresponding to the walker’s relationship to Alzheimer’s disease. Blue flowers indicated that the walker was living with the disease. Orange flowers represented those who were caregivers to a person with Alzheimer’s. Purple stood for those who had lost someone to the illness, and yellow symbolized those there to give their support to the cause. Their promise? To find a cure.

Brittany Langer, a participant in New Haven’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease, planted her purple flower in the sand near the waterfront. Langer, 21, is a native to the southern Connecticut area and an active volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association. “Both of my grandmothers had it,” she explains, “and they both lost their battle.”

She explained the debilitating disease not only affects the people suffering with it, but their families as well. This experience drove her to get involved with the Connecticut chapter headquartered in Hartford.

As a volunteer, Langer gained valuable experience in planning and advertising the event. “People think that it magically all comes together, but in reality we have to make a lot of sponsorship phone calls. We have to recruit team members, and get people to register team captains and put out flyers.”

The New Haven Walk to End Alzheimer’s Disease raised nearly $185,000 dollars in donations, but the association expects that number to keep growing. “People can keep donating until November 30,” Langer stated. She hopes the next two months will bring the New Haven Walk over its goal of $202,000 dollars.

Although the New Haven event has passed, there are still opportunities for those interested to lend their support for the cause. The Southport Racquet Club will be hosting a 5k race on Nov. 3, with all of the proceeds going to the Alzheimer’s Association. More information can be obtained at www.southportracquetclub.com.

Nearly 5.4 million Americans are living with Alzheimer ’s disease. It is the “sixth-leading cause of death,” and cannot be “prevented, cured, or even slowed.” As seen in the “Promise Garden,” not all people affected by the disease suffer from it. Many have lost a family member, or currently care for those affected. The aim of The Walk to End Alzheimer’s is to end the suffering. The organization encourages people to get involved, as volunteers, like Langer, are the backbone of this effort.

“I wanted to be active in an organization that would be working to find a cure. That was the Alzheimer’s Association,” she said.

For more information about events and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.alz.org.

PRESS RELEASE

New Haven, CONN. – The Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus (CGMC) presents the Kinsey Sicks Electile Dysfunction, a benefit for the CGMC.

The Connecticut Gay Men’s Chorus (CGMC) presents the Kinsey Sicks Electile Dysfunction, a benefit for the CGMC.

In Electile Dysfunction: The Kinsey Sicks for President, the Dragapella divas present their views on pressing political issues such as education, immigration, unemployment, scandal and corruption – and all in glorious four-part harmony. Their original songs and brilliant re-imaginings of classics include such numbers as “Sell the Poor,” “Eliminate the Schools,” and their campaign anthem, “Vote for Me (I’m Not From Kenya).” Saturday, Oct. 13, at 8 p.m. Tickets, at $30 for general seating and $40 for table seating, can be reserved by calling the CGMC Box Office at 1.800.644.2462 or online to CTGMC.org. Seating is limited, so order early.

The Kinsey Sicks, America’s Favorite Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet, have hit the campaign trail, and New Haven is their next stop. As we now know, corporations are people too. And The Kinsey Sicks are proud to be the first corporation to run for president of the United States on the Republican ticket. (Don’t forget, Halliburton was only vice president.)

The Kinsey Sicks was spawned in San Francisco 18 years ago. They have performed Off-Broadway, done an extended run in Las Vegas, and tour full-time worldwide. Combining rich, four-part harmony, biting satire and over-the-top drag, The Kinsey Sicks have performed in 41 states, Mexico, Canada, Europe and Australia. They starred in their own Off-Broadway show at New York’s Studio 54 and are the subjects of two feature films. In 2012, they released their eighth album, also called “Electile Dysfunction.”

The New York Times praised their “voices sweet as birdsong,” and Billboard calls them “one act that should not be missed.” The San Francisco Chronicle says, “Their mangling of hit songs hits genius level.”

For more information contact CGMC at info@ctgmc.org. The Annex Club, 554 Wooward Avenue, New Haven, Conn. (Just off I-95)

By Donovan Linder

The greater New Haven area is full of life for the members of the LGBT community and its allies. For those who might not be familiar with the LGBT community, here is some background. The acronym stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, but often times you might see the ‘A’ tagged onto as well which means ‘allies’ (straight or heterosexual individuals who are in support of the LGBT community).

Here on campus, UNH Pride is thriving with members of the community and they are in the process of planning exciting events for the semester. The organization may be young, but they are definitely full of energy and always participate in community service activities that relate to the community.

Within the greater New Haven region, there is a New Haven Pride center that is open to the general public to stop by and help out. Whether you are out of the closest or just want to give a helping hand, they are sure to have something for you to get involved in. The center has committees in which prospective or current members can be part of, ranging from fundraising to operations to programming and communications.

Since the 90s, New Haven Pride center has been a major support to members of the community. Their website says it all: “What’s easy to see from your first visit to the Center is that it fills a real need in the community.”

The center is a hub of activities catering to the needs of Connecticut’s LGBT community. It is becoming a “beacon” for those looking to understand their identity and place within the community and in history.

What is so great about the LGBT network in New Haven is the abundant amount of resources they have for students, whether they be graduating high school or in college, both undergraduates and graduates. Every year, the organization gives thousands of dollars to students pursuing an education.

Connecticut is one of the leading states in LGBT movement, having same-sex marriage signed into law in 2007, making it the third state in the U.S to have a legislative body in favor of same-sex marriage. Since then, it has continued to surprise the nation.

According to Wikipedia, on April 22, 2009, lawmakers of Connecticut both in the House (vote 100-44) and in the Senate (vote 28-7) agreed to repeal all the old marriage laws and fully replace them with genderless quotes, and all references to marriage will be fully gender-neutral. Most resident voters in the state are supporters of same-sex marriage.

And with the 2012 presidential elections in November plus a president who already is in full support of same-sex marriage, the LGBT community is going in strong.

So if you are a student, faculty or staff member and want to build a positive LGBT community on campus, come to the UNH Pride meetings held every Thursday at 9 p.m.

For more information about UNH Pride contact the organization at unhpride@newhaven.edu. To reach New Haven Pride Center visit their website at www.newhavenpridecenter.org

Linda McMahon, the Republican candidate for the United States Senate, spoke to supporters on Wednesday, Sept. 12, at the grand opening of her newest campaign headquarters in Branford, Conn.

McMahon’s speech focused mainly on her six-point jobs plan to revive the economy and put Americans back to work.

Guests in attendance ranged from young children to elderly citizens, as well as campaign volunteers and interns. Prior to McMahon’s arrival, attendees helped themselves to a wide selection of refreshments as they mingled with other local residents inside and outside the location.

Upon McMahon’s arrival, however, elbow room within the building became noticeably scarce as guests formed a tight semi-circle around McMahon, who publically addressed the group.

The speech focused mainly on her six-point jobs plan to revive the economy and put Americans back to work. These points include passing a middle-class tax cut, eliminating over-regulation to improve job creation, stopping “out-of-control” government spending and borrowing, providing the unemployed with the proper training and skills needed to fill available jobs, and moving toward developing alternative American energy resources.

McMahon proposes to cut the middle class tax rate from 25 percent to 15 percent, which would subsequently lead to the elimination of the capital gains tax for the middle class as well.

“It’s really important what we’re doing. We’re getting our message out; we’re talking about my six-point job plan, and it’s really resonating with folks,” she said.

McMahon continued to highlight the remaining elements of her plan, most notably the creation of jobs in both Connecticut and the nation.

“I am a proven job creator,” she said. “I built a business from the ground up. I’ve had successes and failures along the way. I get what it’s like when I talk to people around our state about losing their home or losing their job.”

Her jobs plan would also include a tax reduction on businesses and entrepreneurs, and the elimination of corporate tax credits. By teaching the necessary job skills to the American workforce, McMahon anticipates an accelerated employment rate in the country.

McMahon did not hesitate in comparing the six-point plan to the ideas of Democrat Chris Murphy, her opponent in the upcoming November election. “My opponent, Congressman Murphy says that his plan is a work in progress. Well, I think the folks in Connecticut want action,” McMahon said.

If elected, McMahon’s plan also calls for an increase in the tax deductions on student loans. While it is unclear how soon that topic would reach the legislative agenda, McMahon sat down with The Charger Bulletin to discuss the impact that her proposed plan would have on college students seeking jobs after graduation.

“I really would hope that every young person who would like to go to college, and could be successful coming out of college, has an opportunity to go,” she said.

She continued, “The first and foremost thing we have to go to do is to get our folks back to work, so that these folks who are graduating from college have jobs and have a place to work so they can repay their student loans, so they can start their lives.”

McMahon has been travelling across Connecticut this past year, and the one thing she found was manufacturing companies with job openings, but no skilled workforce to fill those openings.

“I really do think that we are not addressing the right kind of training and curriculum at our vocational schools and our technical schools to fill these jobs. And so I think that we can’t lose sight of the fact that a skilled labor force really grows the economy, and they’re really good-paying jobs you can support your family with…that’s what I hope to see.”

With the opening of the Branford headquarters, McMahon hopes to reach voters from both ends of the political spectrum. “We try to really pick out good strategic locations all over the state and in each district, so Branford is very important for us. We have a good base here to have good volunteers,” she said.

One such volunteer is Toni Cietanno of East Haven, who considers herself a “super volunteer.” As a volunteer, she has worked at the North Haven, Farmington and East Lyme headquarters, among others. Cietanno has made thousands of phone calls and knocked on doors in support of the McMahon for Senate. “It’s very, very exciting,” she said.

Carol Teodosio, the recording secretary for the Hamden Republican Town Committee, has been volunteering for McMahon since her first race for the Senate back in 2010.

“I support everything Linda does,” Teodosio said. “She’s a strong woman.”

Hundreds of volunteers assist with the operations of McMahons Senate campaign. According to McMahon, her team has already knocked on over 400,000 doors, reaching out to Connecticut residents.

“That’s an unbelievable effort,” she said.

It is no stretch to say that politicians often make promises during campaigns which may not always be fulfilled once elected to office. This is a logical and realistic aspect of any election. McMahon openly acknowledged this reality at the Wednesday meet-and-greet, stating that she could obviously not guarantee success on each and every issue presented in her plan.

“But I will guarantee you 110 percent effort,” she concluded.

Connecticut farmers encourage locals to buy native-grown fruits and vegetables at the West Haven Green’s annual farmers market.

West Haven’s farmers’ market takes place on West Haven’s green, located at the corner of Campbell Avenue and Main Street.

“Send more people…the prices are unbeatable,” says Maryanne Barrelli, a farmers’ market vendor.

The Farmers’ Market is a nationwide movement, created to encourage and support local farmers. Connecticut currently hosts over 100 farmers markets statewide that are conducted daily. Connecticut’s Certified Farmers’ Markets are committed to selling only Connecticut-grown farm harvests.

Most markets also participate in supplemental food programs and will accept vouchers and payments from WIC or EBT.

West Haven’s farmers’ market takes place on West Haven’s green, located at the corner of Campbell Avenue and Main Street on Thursday afternoons from 12 p.m. until 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Although one of the smaller farmers’ markets in the state, West Haven carries a large variety of fruits and vegetables including apples, pears, plums, corn, cabbage and squash, just to name a few.

The West Haven farmers’ market was dedicated to a local, Tony Inzero, who died last July at the age of 59. Inzero was very involved in the downtown community and was a founding father of the West Haven Business Association. As the president of the association, Inzero encouraged several programs, including the opening of West Haven’s farmers’ market in 2000.

The local market is seasonal and runs from the months of July through October; this is the 11th year that it has been held on the green. West Haven’s farmers’ market is currently WIC certified and welcomes WIC vouchers.

“This is the freshest stuff you can get in Connecticut,” says Jose Guadulupe, Smith’s Acres employee and market vendor.

Planning has recently begun regarding Amtrak’s new high-speed rail, proposed to extend from Washington D.C., through Philadelphia, Manhattan, Hartford, and Boston. The Connecticut section would include stops in Danbury, Waterbury and Hartford, bypassing major shoreline cities such as Stamford and New Haven and leaving many commuters displeased.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, has just entered the early planning stage for Amtrak’s heavily-traveled 457-mile Northeast Corridor in a document titled, “NEC Future: A Rail Investment Plan for the Northeast Corridor.”

Amtrak’s 30- year “NextGen High-Speed Rail Alignment” will cost a proposed $151 billion to build and would bypass nearly all of the existing Amtrak/Metro-North line.

Amtrak’s 30- year “NextGen High-Speed Rail Alignment” will cost a proposed $151 billion to build and would bypass nearly all of the existing Amtrak/Metro-North line.

A separate plan, developed and endorsed by the University of Pennsylvania’s high-speed rail studio proposed a plan costing approximately $100 billion to build a new rail line that would head from Manhattan to Long Island, then through an 18-mile tunnel beneath the Long Island Sound to reach a Milford stop before continuing on to New Haven, Meriden and Hartford. This plan, along with the first, does not provide a Stamford stop, a critical point on the New Haven line.

New Haven residents and representatives are outraged by the proposed plan and have been urging citizens to contact local and federal legislators in order to demonstrate the importance a New Haven stop serves to riders and commuters, alike.

“I think that we need to be included. We’re a major city in this state and for it to circumvent New Haven just doesn’t make sense,” said Anthony Rescigno, president of the Greater New Haven Chamber of Commerce. “This is an economic development issue. This will impact us from an economic development point of view.”

Chairman of New Haven’s Economic Development Commission, David Silverstone, agreed with Rescigno’s sentiments.

“I think you have to remember that rail service to New Haven is critical,” Silverstone said. “If we don’t have high-quality, high-speed rail service, that’s a real problem for the region. The airport…clearly doesn’t provide the kind of service that we need. Therefore we’re relying on high-quality, high-speed rail service.”

A major issue with Connecticut’s existing stretch of shoreline Amtrak line is that it covers a winding pathway littered with aging bridges that already prevent Amtrak’s fastest train, the Acela, from reaching top speeds in Connecticut.

Ultimately, the decision is up to the FRA, which is the funding body for all rail transportation service. They are currently in the early planning stages, which will take up to 38 months to complete.

Journalists, locals, chiefs, employees, family and friends filled Elm City’s newest restaurant, the Shake Shack, wall-to-wall on Wednesday evening in honor of the restaurant’s housewarming celebration.

Connecticut’s newest Shake Shack sits on Chapel Street, between College and Temple Streets, and is directly across from the New Haven green.

Connecticut’s newest Shake Shack sits on Chapel Street, between College and Temple Streets, and is directly across from the New Haven green. The glass store front, a 19-foot high wall made entirely out of glass, was created precisely to welcome New Haven inside the shack.

“We want to bring the outside in,” said Greg Waters, Shake Shack’s Marketing and Communications Manager.

Upon entering, guests were greeted with several delicious Shake Shack items including frozen custard, shakes, hamburgers, hotdogs, fries, wine and beer. Food was prepared fresh and served throughout the event.

The latest addition to the Shake Shack chain was designed specifically to create an environment unique to New Haven and its large college community. One exclusive feature of the restaurant includes the reclaimed wood used for wall frames, which was taken from the Yale Bowl.

Another feature unique to this location is the flavors of concretes that are only available in the Elm City location. These flavors include Boola Boola Blue, Skull and Cones, and the Elm City Coffee Break. Lastly, the Handsome Dan hotdog was named after Yales’ bulldog mascot.

“New Haven has everything we look for when opening a new Shake Shack. It’s a culturally diverse, food-loving city that also happens to have a fun, storied history with the hamburger,” said Randy Garutti, Shake Shack CEO.

The Shake Shack chain prides itself in being different from other fast food joints by creating their hotdogs and hamburgers from 100 percent natural beef. None of the shack’s food includes any hormones or antibiotics. Burgers are ground daily on location and are made with a natural trademarked blend. The French fries are free of trans fat and have about 25 percent less fat than the standard fast food fry.

Shake Shack also believes in the importance of being kind to the economy, and models this by using energy efficient kitchen equipment. One hundred percent of their electrical usage is offset through Renewal Energy Certificates and five percent of sales from the Elm City Coffee Break concrete support Solar Youth, a non-profit organization that empowers youth thorough environmental exploration, leadership and community service.

Originally opened as a hotdog stand at New York’s Madison Square Park in 2004, the Shake Shack has since grown to 17 locations worldwide including locations in the Middle East and Kuwait.

Shake Shack is located on 986 Chapel St. in New Haven, and is opened from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.

Dramatic, thrilling, suspenseful and Clint Eastwood are a few of the things that could be said about this year’s Republican National Convention (RNC). The convention was hosted in Tampa, Fla., and it was a party. Tampa welcomed politicians, press, Republican citizens and a UNH student.

Simone Quartey, a junior and a political science major, interned with CNN this past summer and was given the opportunity to go to the convention. Now, the Charger Bulletin has an exclusive interview with Quartey and her experience at the RNC.

Charger Bulletin: How did you hear about the internship?

Simone Quartey: The internship was advertised throughout campus. You had to write an essay for the application process and a resume. So, you just hope and get it.

CB: What did you do in your internship?

SQ: You go on trips, go to academic seminars, listen to some guest speakers and get assignments. But basically just learning about the mechanics of presidential conventions, such as how they work and how they came about. I actually had to write a paper on why presidential conventions were relevant to the current political process. The second point of the internship, which is the internship itself, is that you are placed into two assignments. You can either volunteer for the RNC committee, where you assigned to the committee of arrangements, or the television media, and even the print media.

CB: Who did you meet or get the chance to talk to?

SQ: I had a lot of brief moments. I talked to CNN producers. I met, or shook hands with, Mark Preston, CNN Political Director. It’s a political convention, so constantly running into the members of the media, politicians and congressman. I had a lovely conversation with a journalist who worked for CNN. He was informative and had a lot to say about the media. I sat in on a group discussion with Mickey Edwards, former congressman. He had a lot to say about the political process and where the Republican Party is at ideologically, where it was then, where it is now and how he feels about it. I got to meet a lot of great people who taught me a lot.

CB: Which figure did you find most interesting about the RNC?

SQ: I found Marco Rubio interesting. I feel like that he’s one the best examples of the party trying to gain a more diverse side. While I don’t agree with his political opinion, he was one the most dynamic speakers that was at the RNC. I think Susan Martinez was interesting as well. Also, a lot of candidates of color speaking there had great things to say about the party and had an affected pitch to obtain Latino and African-American voters.

CB: So, I just need to ask about Clint Eastwood. What was going through your head?

SQ: [Laughs.] The Clint Eastwood thing was something. I think Rachel Maddow’s reaction to the speech was my reaction. All the people from both parties, and me looked at each other and were like, “What the hell is going on?” It was weird. It was bizarre. It feeds into every negative stereotype of the Republican Party. It was bizarre. I don’t know what to make of that. All I can say is that if you are a member of the party faithful, then that was your thing. But I don’t think it did anything positive for the party and it took away a lot for Mitt Romney’s message. I thought it was strange.

CB: What aspect of the Republican Party did you find very interesting?

SQ: I found interesting the young Republicans. If they’re anything like the people I met in Tampa, then the party still has a future. There’s been a lot of talk in the media that the Republican Party is going to become extinct because of demographics issues, and that may be true, but young republicans are smart. While they’re obviously very conservative and hold very strong principles, they acknowledge the people in their party, and if they are the future of the party, then the party has a good chance. They are a lot smarter about the issues and where the country is than their political elders. So, the greatest thing I learned and found interesting was the group of young republicans.

CB: Would you recommend this opportunity to anyone?

SQ: I would recommend it to students. I would probably recommend that if you’re a Democrat, then go to the RNC and if you’re a Republican, then go to the Democratic National Convention (DNC), because you will learn something about your fellow Americans around your age that you may not learn. A lot became friends with people from different backgrounds, views, religion and etc. But I would most definitely recommend this trip to communication majors. Students, who have an interest in journalism, would have a more hands on experience than any other internship.

CB: What was the best part of the RNC and what did you get out of it?

SQ: I got the most unfiltered access to the convention itself. I got to be there when tension rose between politicians. I got to be there when they made their speeches. I was also there when the media formed an opinion, spin or angle on the story to cloud voters’ votes. So, I was glad that I was there for myself to form an opinion without being influenced by the media.

CB: So, how was the overall experience?

SQ: To sum it up in one word, it was educational. It was educational in the sense that I’m a registered Democrat and I got to be around people who share different political views than me, and ideological opposite me. Also, it was educational because I got a better understanding of how much work, and I learned more about myself as a person. I got a once-in-a-lifetime experience interning for a respectable institution, CNN. I learned the in’s and out’s, and how the business works, especially how the political candidates coverage works. So, educational is the best way to describe it.

For about 13 years, millions of Europeans in 23 countries have shared a common currency—the euro. Since the euro launched in January 1999, 17 of the 27 members of the European Union (EU) have adopted it as their official currency. Recently, however, some experts suggest that the euro is weakening to the point of collapse.

Some countries in Europe may abandon the use of the euro as a common currency, affecting not only the European economy, but the American economy as well.

Good news for Americans: those visiting the continent can get more for their money. The U.S dollar is strengthened by the weakened euro. Unfortunately, this also means that Europe gets the short end of the stick.

However, the U.S. is not necessarily out of harm’s way. The euro’s failure would obviously cause currencies to revert to their original values, according to country. But the hassle of swapping American dollars for multiple European currencies is only the beginning. Experts believe that reverting back to individual national currencies would hurt American business and the economy.

“If the euro collapsed, a country like Spain would leave the eurozone and go back to its own currency. And that would be chaos,” said Chris Telmer, associate professor of financial economics at Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business, to the Associated Press.

“Anything that happens in Europe has implications for the U.S. in general,” said Erasmus Kersting, an economics professor at Villanova University School of Business.

George Haley, a professor of marketing and international business and director of the Center for International Industry Competitiveness at the University of New Haven, also weighed in on the issue. “U.S. companies doing business there would take real losses,” he said. “The growth in U.S. manufacturing would slow down, and it’s been the most consistently performing section of the U.S. economy for the last three years.”

Additionally, U.S. banks and corporations have large operations in Europe. For example, Westinghouse Electric Co. has approximately 4,000 employees and 25 percent of its $5.2 billion in revenue last year came directly from Europe. However, spokesman Vaughn Gilbert reassured that the company is “not dependent on the strength of any single currency.”

“A severe decline in economic activity (in Europe) will be noticeable in the revenue and profits of U.S. companies and banks,” Kersting said.

Of course, the situation would be less worrisome if European countries were not defaulting on their debts or asking to be bailed out. Just last year, Greece received a bailout from the European Union. The country would need to adopt austerity measures in return for the aid; however, Greek leaders have asked for more time to implement these reforms while still accepting additional aid. Some fear that Greece may abandon the euro completely.

“The fear is that if Greece left, other countries that are bigger might leave, such as Portugal and Spain,” Kersting said.

In fact, the EU bailed out Spanish banks earlier this year. Telmer says if Spain’s banks get any worse, the government may revert back to pesetas and value them relatively low to other currencies.

If the euro failed, Gerald Hanweck Sr., professor of finance at George Mason University, says “U.S. companies would want contracts restructured in U.S. dollars, and that would hamper trade substantially because these countries would not have access to enough U.S. dollars.” Individual national currencies would have to be reintroduced to the economy, and exchange rates and business contracts would all have to be reset. However, Hanweck believes it is unlikely that Europe will abandon the euro.

These occurrences tend to lean toward a recession period in Europe. According to data from European Union’s statistics agency (Eurostat), the economic output of the 17 EU nations using the euro fell by 0.2 percent in a three-month period ending June 30. They posted zero growth in the previous quarter ending on March 30.

This evidence strongly hints toward a recession. In Italy and Spain (Europe’s third and fourth largest economies), recession has already begun. Eurostat shows that growth in Germany’s economy, Europe’s largest, slowed to 0.3 percent last quarter, while France’s economy has remained at zero growth for three straight quarters.

As of now, the ball is in Germany’s court. In early September, a German high court will rule whether the country’s constitution allows them to participate in EU bailouts.

“There’s a willingness in the strongest economy—Germany—to keep (the EU) together,” Hanweck said, “but I’m not sure they can fix this with monetary policy and bailing out banks and the various countries.”

Open Mic Night at MegaBites Café in New Haven is a great outlet for local talent.

Artists have the opportunity to share their gift through music, spoken word, comedy and poetry. The event is recurring every Wednesday night and usually begins around 10 p.m. Creative minds from all the local New Haven colleges are welcome and encouraged to participate.

Initially opened as an internet café, MegaBites Café is now a platform for many local events, including Open Mic Night. Now that the summer is almost over and school is back in session, management anticipates a larger crowd and will be advertising other happenings at the venue.

Tucked away in a small plaza on Blake Street, along with a thrift store and pizza place, the café is a hidden gem for college students and locals to meet or just a place to relax and escape from the typical college party scene. It is opened to students every night of the week until midnight or later.

The space’s walls are fully decorated with artwork from a variety of local artists. The paintings are used not only for the café’s décor but are also for sale to the public. The atmosphere is warm and inviting with dim lighting, comfortable seating and a large flat screen television.

The café, which will be opened a year in October, was initially a daytime spot but has now turned into an evening retreat. Although there are a limited amount of public computers for use, students are welcome to bring their laptops to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi service.

A variety of coffee shop drinks are offered as well as beer and wine. Guests also have a variety of baked pastries to choose from. Students can save 15 percent off of their purchase with a valid college ID.