I was at Penn State visiting once. I asked what the state funding was. They said 4% or so. I figured that’s not correct. Last year I dug into the university budget and the state’s funding level. It was actually a small fraction. A lot of money, but not 90% or so. When I was on campus I asked why, if the funding was so low, they call it “Penn State?” The dean told me it will always be called Penn State, regardless of the state funding level.

FWIW: I went to school in California, when it was nearly zero tuition. It can be done. While there, the Cal system had more Nobel Laureates than all of the USSR. Affordable education is possible, people just have to want it. In Texas, the U of T has so many gas and oil wells in West Texas they could make all education free. But you can bet that they don’t.

Seriously. All that time I thought it was!!

I recall on the West Side of campus was a bar called “Train Station.” When I was there, it was just a bus depot. But I thought trains did go to SC at one point.

I don’t get it. People die in every state. Based on experience, most of those passages are without a will. With no will, usually the state comes out a winner. And in PA, the state is literally the first in line to get a slice of the pie after death. That must be worth billions. I know my own Aunt passed with thousands in a bank (in TX). But no will, and no easy way to break it out amongst an array of cousins. I figure every state should be making out like a bandit, while keeping it off the radar.