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Month: July 2016

The Summer of Moe

July 30, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

I stopped in Tony’s Pizza, Pittston, Friday night on my way home from meeting an old friend. The plan was to order a large plain pie, of which when back home I would eat at least half, and a small… Continue Reading →

Moe Mullarkey

Deep in the heart

July 27, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

I am halfway through Texas. Not the state, the book. I bought James Michener’s 615-page, 1985 novel last summer for two bucks (hardcover, too) at the annual Osterhout Library book sale, but every time I picked it up, the heft… Continue Reading →

James Michener's "Texas", Texas

The perfect sentence

July 22, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

The Capitol Steps, an improv group that likes to say they “put the ‘mock’ in democracy,” appeared at the annual dinner of the Luzerne County Community Foundation several years ago. One of their skits was introduced as “Ernest Hemingway Meets… Continue Reading →

Hemingway's birthday

Point taken

July 20, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

“God loves me,” I told the gathering of the Back Mountain Men’s Ecumenical Group Tuesday morning at their weekly breakfast meeting at Irem Country Club. “He loves you, too, of course,” I continued. “And you should always be aware of… Continue Reading →

Back Mountain Men's Ecumenical Group, Humility

Nothing’s right

July 15, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

It’s mid-July in what has been a marvelous summer. For this college professor, there’s six more weeks ahead of doing only things I want to do only when I want to do them. And when classes begin, well, no one… Continue Reading →

Nice, Terrorism

We better stop, children

July 13, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

There’s something happening here, what it is ain’t exactly clear. There’s not a person my age who does not recognize the opening line of the Buffalo Springfield song “For What It’s Worth.” That song has been rattling around in my… Continue Reading →

Black Lives Matter, Buffalo Springfield, For "What It's Worth, Gun violence

Keep an eye on Watson

July 8, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

He’s charming that Watson. A bit too charming. One minute he’s engaging in good natured banter with tennis champ Serena Williams. The next, he wants to write songs with Bob Dylan. How cute. He’s just like one of us. Right?… Continue Reading →

Artificial Intelligence, IBM Watson

Sunday meant scrubs

July 6, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

To my wife, scrubs means the “uniform” she wore every day in the operating room. To TV viewers, “Scrubs” is a program about hospital interns. To young people, “Scrubs” is a video game. It’s also a derogatory term for an… Continue Reading →

Little League, Scrubs

Heads up!

July 1, 2016Ed Ackerman Leave a Comment

Psychologists call it one-trial learning. You burn your hand on a stove and, bingo, you’ve learned a lifelong lesson. No need to keep repeating it for reinforcement. Makes sense, right? Except when it doesn’t work. And it doesn’t work a… Continue Reading →

About the Optimist

Ed Ackerman Ed Ackerman, a consulting editor and columnist for the Greater Pittston Progress, has served the people of Greater Pittston for 48 years, starting in the newspaper field at age 17. The Pittston resident will share his thoughts in this blog and in a weekly column published in the Progress. greaterpittstonprogress.com

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