http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=960&32=3991&7=-1&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman Optimist columns from Sunday Dispatch editor Ed Ackerman. en-us 2009 Christopher J. Hughes en-us 2009 http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=52276752&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FOne_of_us_08-02-2009.html Next time you are at a baseball game at Citizens Bank Park or at Yankee Stadium, or at a Philadelphia Eagles or Penn State football game, or at any event at which the National Anthem would be played, when the public address announcer asks everyone to rise and introduces The Star Spangled Banner by saying, “And now, to honor America,” listen carefully to these words and allow yourself to well up with pride. Sun, 02 Aug 2009 05:00:00 GMT 86bfcf1822c711c7d3fbaa9c9bc49178 2009-08-02T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=51711437&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FTidying_up_07-26-2009.html On Sunday, May 31, while I was off to attend my son’s college graduation in Savannah, Georgia, my friend and 30-plus year newspaper colleague Dotty Martin, current editor of The Dallas Post, stepped in and wrote a column in this space. Sun, 26 Jul 2009 05:00:00 GMT 14c1edf199864c1b2716578c7b3304b6 2009-07-26T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=51109367&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FThe_One_07-19-2009.html My daughter broke up with her boyfriend over the Fourth of July weekend. Sun, 19 Jul 2009 05:00:00 GMT bb8e54fc2ebc319f715e21d11708161a 2009-07-19T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=50552272&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FDone_too_soon_07-12-2009.html The young man at the Fourth of July party loved history. He actually said it – “I love history” – but it wasn’t necessary. Between sips from his bottle of Corona he told one interesting historical tidbit after another. He was quite entertaining. Sun, 12 Jul 2009 05:00:00 GMT a9270c194bfd7fce82eda5bf6c3e0cde 2009-07-12T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=49948072&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FThe_good_ol_rsquo__summertime_07-05-2009.html Sorry, Nat King Cole, I do not think of the “lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer” as “days of soda and pretzels and beer.” Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:00:00 GMT e5670054becedc2809684528b070c1d3 2009-07-05T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=49354192&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FAt_the_NE_Fair__say__lsquo_hi_rsquo__to_my_pal_Neil_Young_06-28-2009.html Neil Young will be at the Northeast Fair today. In fact, he’s been there all week. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 05:00:00 GMT bb29c97b31e6a54832c5d094a1599dd5 2009-06-28T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=48697292&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FThe_lessons_in_huckleberries__and_in_one_kiss_06-21-2009.html I was eating blueberries the other day and thinking about my dad. He never ate a blueberry in his life. To him they were “huckleberries.” Just as Memorial Day was “Decoration Day,” a stream running through the woods was a “crick,” and a gulp of any beverage was a “swaller.” Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:00:00 GMT d8875b8ce7db4d0c9132a906d1c2e650 2009-06-21T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=48014042&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FBananas_and_The_Bear_06-14-2009.html Two years ago at Career Day, I told the Wyoming Area juniors about Bananas. This year, I told them about The Bear. Sun, 14 Jun 2009 05:00:00 GMT d2c1a55eb348852a43e53e922c348a09 2009-06-14T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=47137597&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FWhat_dads_do_06-07-2009.html Call me crazy. Sun, 07 Jun 2009 05:00:00 GMT e6ab8f687b5006e53b3bf12f36a98565 2009-06-07T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=45928202&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FPlease_don_rsquo_t_you_be_my_neighbor_05-24-2009.html Don’t take this the wrong way but every time I hear the radio commercial pushing multi-acre building lots in the countryside, I’m kinda glad Fred Rogers is slipping into his cardigan and lacing up his sneakers in Heaven these days. Sun, 24 May 2009 05:00:00 GMT 89091ada365ab26b0c0f8943e88a2cfb 2009-05-24T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=45233007&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FTwo_lessons_learned_back_in_second_grade_05-17-2009.html I’ve been drinking a lot of water lately. Sun, 17 May 2009 05:00:00 GMT 83eca2f34d0e40b12694e7ff45faddff 2009-05-17T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=44653247&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FMom_rsquo_s_still_telling_me_what_to_do_05-10-2009.html My mom’s been dead for more than five years and she’s still telling me what to do. Sun, 10 May 2009 05:00:00 GMT c69a3bc0f5c8e41ceb895f87864b0d7e 2009-05-10T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=44240847&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FI_might_be_losing_it_05-03-2009.html As I wrapped up last week’s column, in which I listed nine of the 17 candidates running for judge in Luzerne County and pointed out various personal connections that could bring me to vote for any of them, I did a mental inventory to be sure I wasn’t leaving anyone out. Was I linked in any way to the eight candidates not mentioned? I concluded I was not. Turns out I was wrong. Sun, 03 May 2009 05:00:00 GMT f8d836880376dc2ace03247d65fd194b 2009-05-03T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=43708382&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FEenie__meenie__miney__moe_04-26-2009.html I’ve seen the CJ Bufalino television commercial several times now and it always brings a smile to my face. And not just because a friend of mine produced it. It’s because of a newspaper clipping that flashes by the screen. The clip is of a story and photo about CJ scoring his 1000th point as a basketball star at Wyoming Seminary. Sun, 26 Apr 2009 05:00:00 GMT 6de0933c63aa71d961d7af1b9617e7bf 2009-04-26T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=43238127&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FSay_it_isn_rsquo_t_so__Ross_04-19-2009.html In my near 40-year career at the Sunday Dispatch I’ve had literally hundreds of dealings with Ross Scarantino. Every single one involved the promotion of Pittston Area School District and its students. Sun, 19 Apr 2009 05:00:00 GMT db84119e062fbba3d5acde0a08cb11e9 2009-04-19T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=42863792&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FWatching_airplanes_for_Stacey_04-12-2009.html Stacey leaves her white cane at home. She says she doesn’t want people feeling sorry for her. Sun, 12 Apr 2009 05:00:00 GMT 7f7775ac65d30f46bf26b9f07e9d649b 2009-04-12T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=42486417&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FGathered_in_His_name_04-05-2009.html How many of you went to bed last night knowing the exact thought you would have the moment you opened your eyes this morning? I did. Sun, 05 Apr 2009 05:00:00 GMT f4ffb502368885dde24d5451bad3ce51 2009-04-05T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=42074122&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FBridging_the_gap_03-29-2009.html Wanna know how young my students at the community college are? Get this: they don’t know Jack Benny. Never heard of him. Sun, 29 Mar 2009 05:00:00 GMT 38e7e14230ac794369c745ecf6b98784 2009-03-29T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=41643267&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FA_jolly_hello_03-22-2009.html Despite the winter-like mornings the past few days, the sunny, warmer weather last week got me to thinking about a couple of encounters with two young boys in the spring of 2007 that prompted me to pen a poem for my weekly column. I called it “A jolly hello” and if you don’t mind, I’d like to repeat it today. Sun, 22 Mar 2009 05:00:00 GMT b19dd9d19fcdaa9ac69d6cf88a0e2ce3 2009-03-22T05:00:00Z http://www.timesleader.com/r?19=961&43=377944&44=41274662&32=3991&7=532782&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timesleader.com%2Fpittstondispatch%2Fcolumnists%2Fackerman%2FThe_gift_of_a_lifetime_03-15-2009.html Mention the name John P. Cosgrove in Greater Pittston and it’s hard to find anyone who knows him. Mention his name in Washington, D.C., and it’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t. Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:00:00 GMT fc01661e75cc2ac86292483e73fdd928 2009-03-15T05:00:00Z