Columns
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Like It or Not, This Is What Democracy Looks Like
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A couple of cops were among the 150 or so folks in the standing-room-only crowd that turned out for Wednesday night’s State College Borough Council meeting. They weren’t needed. The meeting, which culminated in Council unanimously passing a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, was emotional, but civil – amazingly so. Mayor Ezra Nanes…
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Writing the Leads of Our Life Stories
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For some reason on Sunday, I clicked onto a seemingly obscure article in the New York Times about a writer’s retreat in Tuscany. Maybe it’s because I’m in what can be the dreaded editing, refining and finishing phase of another book project. The article was about the Baronessa Beatrice Monti della Corte. On her estate,…
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Tom Allen May Be Penn State’s New Defensive Coordinator, but He Still Thinks Michael Penix Jr. Scored in 2020
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I messed up on Thursday. At his introductory press conference Thursday afternoon in Beaver Stadium, I asked new Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen about then-Indiana quarterback Michael Penix Jr.’s overtime dive to the left goal line pylon vs. Penn State back in 2020. I mistakenly called it a “touchdown.” (Of course, the referees that…
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Tonight at 6: State College Takes Another Crack at a Ceasefire Resolution
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Russell Frank offers two columns this week. For a lighter read, click here. A resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza is back on the table for State College Borough Council. Council will consider a rejiggered version of the resolution today at 6 p.m. Two weeks ago, council had pulled back the previous iteration of…
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Can I Borrow a Cup of Vodka? (It’s Not for Me, It’s for My Tineola Bisselliella)
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Russell Frank offers two columns this week. For a more serious read, click here. At 9 a.m. on Saturday, I asked Mary across the street if she could spare some cheap vodka. She didn’t bat an eye, and not because I’m known as the neighborhood drunk. In fact, I had no intention of drinking the…
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Tales (and Tails) from the Dog Park
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During our years in State College, we made regular trips to Tudek Dog Park with our dogs Sportster and Barkley. It was especially fun when I met up with longtime friend Jamey Perry, an academic advisor extraordinaire at Penn State, and we would catch up on family, work and Penn State sports. We’d laugh out…
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Penn State Football: Let’s Go Tom All(en)-22 as Franklin’s New Defensive Coordinator
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If the reports are right — Pete Thamel of ESPN had it first — Tom Allen will be the next defensive coordinator at Penn State. He’ll succeed Manny Diaz, who left after two very successful seasons, to become the head coach at Duke. Whether Allen can replace Diaz, who guided the 10-2, Peach Bowl-bound Nittany…
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The Economic Outlook for 2024
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The U.S. Federal Reserve gave investors a nice Christmas present this past week. The Federal Reserve, headed by Jerome Powell, meets eight times a year, usually every six weeks. On Wednesday of their meetings, they announce their rate decisions and Powell holds a news briefing after the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) regularly scheduled meeting. …
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A Case for a Consumable Christmas
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Whether it’s the trending minimalist lifestyle or the realization of unused toys cluttering our spaces, as we unload boxes of decorations taking up entire closets, the concept of a consumable Christmas is one I’m here to champion. The Concept of Consumable Christmas The term “consumable” might sound wasteful, but in this context, it’s about gifts,…
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Will James Franklin Reveal His Penn State D-Coordinator and QB Coach Puzzle Pieces on Friday?
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James Franklin is in a bit of a pickle. He currently has a puzzle to solve for 2024. Two, at least. Right now, at least publicly, the Penn State head coach is without a defensive coordinator for next season. And, it seems, a quarterback coach. That’s what happens when your D-coordinator leaves for the head…