Experiences of an American
in Central Europe
Christopher Ball, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Economics
Quinnipiac University
Feb. 2, 2010

In Aug. 1994, an Alabama-born economist arrived in Budapest, Hungary, having been awarded a teaching position complete with living quarters and a stipend. But shortly before his arrival, there was a change in government and all that had been promised disappeared. Undeterred, this individual turned a temporary three month visa into a four year stay, in the process falling in love with the people and the countryside of Hungary and Romania.

Speaking to 58 Y's Men of Meriden on Feb. 2, Christopher Ball, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Economics at Quinnipiac University, used a PowerPoint show to describe his work in facilitating capitalism and democracy in this area which was previously under Russian communist domination. It was during these years that he served as Project Director at the Hungarian Atlantic Council.

But the focus of his presentation was on the history and heritage of these peoples. Ball described the incursion into Hungary by the Ottomans in the 16^th century, leaving a permanent legacy of Turkish baths, minarets and mosques. Following WW I, the land was partitioned, with 72% being separated into Yugoslavia, Romania and Czechoslovakia. And during Russian occupation after WW II, picturesque villages were transformed into towns with rows of bleak high-rise apartments and cities covered with black pollutants emanating from run-down factories.

Ball sensed that in the 1990's, the people there felt they were undeserving of inclusion in the European Union and alignment with the West, as they had always been on the losing end of international strife. Language and ethnicity were of paramount importance here, requiring Ball to learn to speak Hungarian, quite a challenge with this non-Latin based language whose difficulty  he describes as, "close to Martian but a little bit harder." But his love for that land came from the beautiful snow-covered landscapes in Transylvania, the horse-drawn carriages on the roads and the fields being plowed by teams of oxen. And he often passed through traditional carved wooden gateways into homes of friendly folks eager to interact with him.

Today, Hungary and Romania are much better off economically. Ball is now married to his wife from Hungary, and he often returns to that land, accompanied by scholarship students eager for their own experiences.

Global Climate Change
Teresa Gagnon
Geologist with the CT DEP
Jan. 26, 2010

It's a global warming warning. It's a message we have all heard repeated a lot lately, and today, it was delivered by an expert.

Addressing 65 Y's Men of Meriden on Jan. 26, Teresa Gagnon, geologist with the Connecticut DEP and also daughter of club member Tom Kennedy, used a PowerPoint show to review the climatic changes that have occurred in our state during the past 200 million years. It was during this time that the supercontinent Pangaea broke apart, allowing North and South America to drift westward, thus creating the Atlantic Ocean, and dinosaurs named Eubrontes roamed what is now Connecticut. And a mere 20,000 years ago, Connecticut was covered with glaciers which sculpted Long Island and many of our valleys.

Today, scientists use a variety of research tools to study our climatic past and present, permitting a window into the future of our state and our planet. Rock core samples from the Hartford Basin provide a storybook about ancient climatic events, while ice cores, tree rings, sedimentary layering and historical records add information about our past. Modern tools such as satellites, weather stations, ocean buoys and research vessels give precise data about ongoing climate events. Instruments measure atmospheric concentrations of water, CO₂ (carbon dioxide ), methane, nitrogen and oxygen, as well as airborne particles such as volcanic ash, sea spray and smoke from forest fires.

Occupying 70% of the earth's surface, our oceans dominate the energy and water cycles on the planet. Man-made CO₂, nitrous oxide and methane have been dumped into the atmosphere by humans since the Industrial Revolution in the 1800's, while deforestation, expanding land development and industrial activity have removed many of nature's filters. CO₂ is being added to the air faster than natural processes such as absorption into the oceans can remove it, thus increasing levels in the atmosphere. And these elevated greenhouse gas levels will remain for centuries to come. 

So what? Should we care? Well, effects of unbridled pollution of our atmosphere will likely include rising sea levels, extreme weather patterns, destruction of ecosystems, and altered human health and mortality. Yes, we should care.

Photo at top:
Teresa with her father Tom Kennedy

Aéropostale
The Secret of our Success
Kathy Gentilozzi
Senior V.P. for Human Resources for Aéropostale, Inc.
Jan. 19, 2010

"We are located on the corner of Fashion and Value." Spoken by Kathy Gentilozzi, Senior V.P. for Human Resources for Aéropostale, Inc., these words summarize the philosophy that has driven this company to remarkable success, such that they experienced a growing financial year in 2009 when most apparel companies were suffering the opposite.

Speaking to 62 Y's Men of Meriden on Jan. 19, Gentilozzi, who is the eldest daughter of club member Dick Leary, instantly caught the rapt attention of those attending, driven by her evident commitment, managerial ability, decisiveness and smart good looks. Following a 24 year career with May Department Stores, she joined Aéropostale in 2008. This company broke off from Macy's in 1998, went public in 2002 and is today a $2 billion per year corporation, marketing casual clothing to 14-17 year old teens in 939 stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada.

Manufacturing and selling tee-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans and other apparel to the youth of today requires a nimble marketing savvy, always keeping the products in the "cool" mindset of teen fashion which is chiefly driven by peers. In addition to keeping the product line in tune with current trends, Aéropostale keeps all its stores (currently increasing by about 100 outlets per year) bright, colorful and clean, and staffed with nearly 20,000 employees most of whom are also teenagers.

Always moving ahead, Aéropostale is now opening a chain of "p.s. from aéropostale" stores which cater to children aged 7-12 years and their moms. Initially concentrating in the New York area, it is anticipated that an eventual total of 1000 outlets is possible. And online sales are exploding, with $75 million in sales in 2008, a number expected to double for 2009, partially fueled by copious postings on Facebook and Twitter.

"We never think good is good enough." This corporate mantra quoted by Gentilozzi reflects an inspired management team dedicated to following company passions, taking calculated risks and never giving up. And a final priority segment  in this company's structure: giving back to the community. "Holiday Bears" (more than 100,000 donated to date), coat donations (100,000 donated to date) and "Teens for Jeans" which has provided hundreds of thousands of blue jeans to homeless shelter occupants (and which just yesterday committed to sending 200,000 pairs to earthquake stricken Haiti).

Photo at top:
Kathy with her parents Winnie and Dick Leary

Classic Italy
From the Tip of Her Boot to the Top of Her Thigh
Peter Burch
Y's Men Member
Jan. 12, 2010

"Classic Italy - From the Tip of Her Boot to the Top of Her Thigh." This title describes a PowerPoint show of a two-week trip taken in Sept. 2009 by Peter and Sharon Burch throughout the length of Italy, starting in Sorrento and ending in the canals of Venice.

On Jan. 12, some 82 Y's Men of Meriden accompanied Burch on this journey and initially experienced the rugged beauty of the Amalfi Coast, reminiscent of the Big Sur coastline in California. A visit to Pompeii showed scenes of temples, bakeries, chariot roads and bodies frozen in time after becoming entombed by up to 20 feet of pumice and ash when nearby Mt. Vesuvius underwent a cataclysmic explosion on Aug. 24, 79 A.D.

A stop in Rome allowed the audience to experience the wonders of Vatican City, the world's smallest nation occupying 112 acres, with passage though the legendary Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums, St. Peter's Basilica (able to accommodate 60,000 worshippers) and the huge St. Peter's Square whose curving colonnades were designed by Bernini. Then followed a somber visit to the Coliseum, site of the savage deaths of an estimated 500,000 people and 1,000,000 animals, all for the entertainment of the people of ancient Rome.

Village in Cinque Terre

The journey continued northward into the lush vineyard-laden countryside of Umbria and Tuscany where a myriad of pastel colors and flowers decorated the homes and buildings found in the tiny villages there. The simple life in the fishing villages of Cinque Terre was a refreshing contrast to the sophistication of Rome. Then on to Florence with its magnificent sculptures, frescoes, mosaics and churches, designed and created by Italian masters from centuries past. The magical names of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo make their presence well known here.

Gilded door panel at Baptistry (Florence)

The trip drew to a close in the waterways of Venice, resplendent with a network of canals sporting colorful gondolas and the Byzantine-appearing St. Mark's Cathedral. But the gradual sinking of the city and the rising ocean level due to global warming now result in serious seepage of seawater into St. Mark's Square during high tide, forcing the use of ramps for visitors to enter the Cathedral or nearby shops.