Opinion
-
Opinion
The Local Lens – Jan. 15, 2014
In the 1970s, Philadelphia’s architectural treasure, City Hall, suffered from abuse and neglect. Not only did the portals leading into the courtyard smell of urine, but most of the bathrooms…
Thom Nickels | 01/15/2014 -
Opinion
The Local Lens – Jan. 8, 2014
I didn’t expect to attend the 114th Mummers Parade, but there I was with friends Tara, Walt and Bob walking up Broad Street to the Union League, the only place…
Thom Nickels | 01/08/2014 -
Lifestyle in Port RichmondArrangement Finders.Com: Thou Shall Not Be Jerks to Third Graders
The religion class lesson plan for third graders attending Catholic schools is to learn and understand the Ten Commandments. Usually, after reciting these moral codes that Catholics are supposed to…
Patty-Pat Kozlowski | 02/20/2013 -
Opinion
Local Lens — Feb. 20, 2013
News of Pope Benedict XVI’s abdication traveled fast, but it didn’t take the chorus of those who have always called him a “Nazi” to jump in with more insulting one-liners.…
Thom Nickels | 02/20/2013 -
Opinion
The Local Lens — Feb. 13, 2013
I’m with my friend Stephen, the Ice Skating Cowboy, and we’re headed across the Betsy Ross Bridge for Berlin, New Jersey, to attend the public portion of the funeral for…
Thom Nickels | 02/13/2013 -
Opinion
The Local Lens — Feb. 6, 2013
I’m a little late with this Super Bowl column, but that’s probably because I’ve never really been a football fan. My father was a football fan (he was a quarterback…
Thom Nickels | 02/06/2013 -
Opinion
The Local Lens — Jan. 30, 2013
As a suburban Catholic grade school student, I’d sometimes visit the parish church during recess time and stand, my arms extended sideways, before the high altar. In those few short…
Thom Nickels | 01/30/2013 -
Opinion
The Local Lens — Jan. 16, 2013
I’d like to give a New Year’s toast to my pet, Ziggy the Cat! The toast in this case comes with good reason, because over the course of three months,…
Thom Nickels | 01/16/2013 -
Opinion
The Local Lens — Jan. 9, 2013
In case you haven’t heard, the “politically correct” crowd is on the warpath over a New Year’s Day Mummers skit by Northwest Philadelphia’s Venetian New Year’s Association. The three-minute strut…
Thom Nickels | 01/09/2013 -
Opinion
The Local Lens — Jan. 2, 2013
Happy New Year, but may potato salad fall on your head if you were one of those who believed the Mayan calendar “prophecy” about the world ending on December 21st.…
Thom Nickels | 01/02/2013 -
Features in FishtownThe Local Lens
A few weeks ago I heard a very disturbing story about a guy who sometimes used to wait at the Route 15 bus stop with me on Richmond Street. This man…
Thom Nickels | 06/27/2012 -
Features in Northern LibertiesThe Local Lens
The recent shooting death of a man outside the PYT burger joint and bar in the Piazza at Schmidts in Northern Liberties got me thinking about how glad I am…
Thom Nickels | 06/20/2012