On November 19, Romano Prodi, two-time Italian Prime Minister and former Goldman Sachs economist, gave a well attended public lecture at Princeton University. Most of Dr. Prodi's lecture was focused on the development of the European Union and its importance to European cohesion, saying the EU is "a union of minorities".
Punk rock legends The Casualties headlined a local lineup for an all-ages crowd on the stage of Trenton's underground music dive, Championship's Sports Bar. The full lineup consisted of Ash Monday, black metal Hamilton head bangers; Too Much, Too Fast, Too Soon, a rock'n'roll kick in the teeth; Post No Bills, the tour-happy ska/punk Somerville natives; FreeDOOM, a beer soaked crust-punk curbstomp; and Guilt Trip!, Jersey City hardcore thrashers, all on tour with The Casualties.
More than half way through the semester the parking lots at Mercer are still fuller than the Parkway on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Student enrollment at community colleges across the country is up as a result of people returning to school during the economic recession.