USA

The Presque Isle project, cleaning the gravestones at the beautiful Pennsylvania Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Veterans Memorial Cemetery, in Erie, Pennsylvania, under the direction of MaryJane Koenig, chair of the DAR Service for Veterans Committee, was awarded first place for Historic Preservation in Pennsylvania by the Pennsylvania State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution.   The project was then sent on…

I will confess. During recent presidential elections, I’ve felt a little fuzzy about how the electoral college works. I must have learned about it in school, but over the years, the details have dripped out of my brain, one by one. So, I did some poking around to see how the president in the United…

Last week, I attended a performance of Rent’s 20th Anniversary Tour. The musical follows a year in the lives of several artists, some of whom are afflicted with HIV/AIDS. In 1996, the future was grim for those who had the disease. Over the years I’ve seen Rent on Broadway, on tour, and on the big screen. Reflecting on the passage…

What was it like in Erie, Pennsylvania, during the 1918 pandemic (Spanish Flu, H1N1 virus, influenza)? Well, now that we can browse the Erie Daily Times online from the late 1800s to present, we can get a pretty good idea. Accessed through NewsBank and the Erie County Public Library, nearly 40 newspaper articles referencing influenza from late…

I’ve always wanted to walk across the country. Now, I’ve met someone who’s actually done it—in the name of happiness. I will probably never walk across the country, but I did drive it solo once on Route 66—so I have that at least. My big walk, if I had ever done it, would have been merely…

Sometimes I’m disappointed with movie remakes, but that’s not the case with Fahrenheit 451. The theme of the first film, and the novel it was based on, is actually strengthened in the 2018 version. Both versions have just enough similarities and differences to make them both worth watching. I’d recommend reading the novel by Ray Bradbury…

When is a debate not a debate? As part of the Jefferson Educational Society’s Global Summit, in Erie, Pennsylvania, Howard Dean, retired Democratic politician, and Elise Jordan, Republican political analyst participated in a debate on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College. The event was moderated by Steve Scully, C-SPAN political editor,…

Recently, I saw The Post, starring Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks. The film centers on a damning Vietnam War study and Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham’s most-difficult decision in 1971. At the beginning of the film, I was confused by a Katharine Graham who was unsure of herself and reluctant to ruffle the feathers of her editors, advisors, and cronies…

When I tell people I belong to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), sometimes they ask what the DAR is or what it does. Generally, I tell them that DAR members can trace their lineage back to a Revolutionary War patriot and that its members honor American history. But, there’s much more to the…

After a divisive presidential election cycle, which pitted neighbor against neighbor and split the country down the middle, there will be many disappointed people after the results are announced. Chances are, you might be one of them. Here are seven things you can do to ease some of the discomfort following the election. Reflect Look…