OUT! AT THE OLD BALL GAME!

            A BLOG EXTRA!!!
OUT! AT THE OLD BALL GAME!

     My wife has been opposed to my
participation in "baseball" for many
years now. Since I passed 65 she
always believed there was too much
chance for injury.
     It seems somewhat ironic then to
realize that she not only allowed our
participation in an informal church
Wiffle Ball game, but was actually
at bat as I pitched and then went
down for the count!
     Her grounder went to my right.
My old Softball instincts kicked in
and I turned quickly to lunge for the
ball.
     Whether it was that quick turn,
the fact my little grandson was too
close by, or just clumsy steps on my
part, the result was the same! I went
down hard on the stone covered
parking lot and felt simultaneous
sharp pains in my let and right knees
and on my right palm.
     I was convinced the knee was
broken!
     I was immediately surrounded
by family members and our church
pastor, a former Combat Medic. He
instantly began treatment while, at
the same time admitting, he usually
only handled cases similar to mine
when a gunshot was involved.
     I worried, as I was stretched out
on the ground, that my little grandson
may have been hurt too. Fortunately
his "boo boo" was limited to a slight
scrape. He shook that off quickly and
knelt beside me to check me out. In
fact later he took his band aid off and
put it on me!
      The pastor checked my knees
carefully and, once assured there were
no broken bones, lifted me to my feet
with the assistance of my son. Then
he and my wife worked on wrapping
my bleeding knee and right palm.
      Grandson Ryan got ice and two
grand daughters, Jenna and Kara, took
turns either holding my hand or taking
pictures. My daughter-in-law, still
celebration her anniversary, also
documented the incident with photos
as did my daughter.
      My son drove me home and helped
me get in the house where I started
writing this blog and attempting to
move my left leg (knee) which is
emphasized with cries of pain!
I may be out of it for awhile!
      Hope the Yanks don't try to call
me up this week,,,and that all your
NEWS is good!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUGS!

     SUNDAY, APRIL 30TH., 2017
      HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUGS!

     It's April 30th gang. Otherwise known
    as Bugs Bunny Day!
    Bugs made his debut as “Happy Rabbit”
in a short theater cartoon called  Porky's Hare
Hunt on this date in 1938!
    That would make Bugs 79-years-old today!
    We all remember Bugs from the cartoons
in which he stared for Warner Brothers
over all those years.
     Many of us remember them from the time
we spent in Movie Theaters "back in the day."
Some of us looked forward to the cartoons
more than the feature1
     To the younger folks Bugs may be better
know from television. He's never left a screen
somewhere in all those years!
     I have still another memory.
     Through all of my pre teen years I can
clearly remember the picture of Bugs and his
buddy Porky Pig that hung on the wall of my
bedroom.
     Their images were outlined in some sort
of luminous paint that made them glow in the
dark after the lights were turned off!
      I suppose it's one of this "childhood" items
my mother decided had outlived it's welcome
somewhere along the line. She probably
tossed it!
    Now I'm kind of wondering what a classic
like that might be worth these days?! It could
have been a "20 CAROT picture!" Get it?
    Here's hoping that "Wascally Wabbit"
keeps besting Elmer Fudd for another
76 years, and that all your NEWS is good!
    
    

MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS!

  SATURDAY, APRIL 29TH. 2017
MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS!

   I'm looking back on a lot of really
great memories on this April 29th.
48 years ago today my wife and I
were married!
   Since I only met her a little over
a year before we wed my memories
now include some 49 years.
    We, like all other couples, have
gone through some tough times.
Especially those years when, one
by one, we lost our parents.
     But life has been really good for
us! Three great kids and six wonderful
grandchildren. And we're especially
blessed because they all live close by.
Our time spent with all of them is,
perhaps, our greatest treasure,
     We've also been blessed with the
roles we picked up as Travel Hosts.
      After our wedding reception we
walked into the parking lot and I asked
my bride which way she'd like to go.
She pointed North so our Honeymoon
was planned day by day and we went
from place to place. The most  impressive
at the time was probably New York City,
       Over the last few years we've been
to British Columbia, San Francisco,
Halifax, Ireland, Hawaii, Scotland, Italy,
Switzerland, and several of our National
Parks including Mount Rushmore!
       Next we're off to Austria, with stops
in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy.
       Not bad for those old newlyweds
who just started out for places unknown.
       Our future is, of course, filled with
unknowns, As long as we're facing them
together I'll be OK.
        My wife has made these last 48
years the best of my life. Thank you
sweetheart and Happy Anniversary!
        May all your, and our, NEWS be
good!

THE THREE AMIGOS!

  FRIDAY, APRIL 28TH., 2017
    THE THREE AMIGOS!

    It's a "road show" that's been
running since 2012!
    On the 100th anniversary of
the sinking of the Titanic three
of us with ties to the disaster
teamed up to tell our stories to
anyone who was interested.
     Over these past 6 years we've
learned there are plenty of people,
young and old, anxious to hear
whatever they can about the
famous ship and some of the
people who were aboard.
     Of course as far as the ship
is concerned all of the stories
end the same way!
     Our trio was on stage again
Wednesday, at College Misericordia
where the Back Mountain Chamber
concluded a day long business and
community Expo with our presentation.
     Historian Bill Lewis has published
a book on people bound for our area
on the Titanic.
     Back in 1972 I solved a mystery
by "reuniting" two survivors. one of
whom saved the other's baby when
the ship went down.
     Mae Thomas is the sister of the
baby that was saved. She was born
long after Titanic. But she heard
her mother's stories about the ship
so many times you'd think she was
the survivor! Mae, who is 92, has a
great memory!
      We've become good friends
and enjoy sharing our local stories.
Hope we can do it for a long time
to come and that all your NEWS
is good!

    

WHERE'S THE BEEF?

   THURSDAY, APRIL 27TH., 2017
          WHERE'S THE BEEF?

     Remember that famous old TV
commercial in which the elderly lady
kept asking "Where's the Beef?"
     Well I wish I could find her.
Because I found the beef!!!!!!!
      It's at the White Haven Diner in,
of course, White Haven, PA,
      Now to be honest I knew about
it for a very long time. But up until
Wednesday my stops at the popular
diner always involved other menu
choices.
     On Wednesday, however, I
decided to go "big time" and order
the diner's famous Hamburger.
     Big would be an understatement
when it comes to describing this
burger! The "regular" sized bun in
which it rests is dwarfed by the
burger.
     But it's not the only good sized
helping available at the place. My
wife ordered the Rubin which was
twice as big as any she's ever had.
In fact her leftover looked like a
normal size Rubin!
     It was a good stop on our top
down ride although the car, or
maybe us, seemed a little heavier
as we pulled away!
     Hope she can finish her leftovers
and that all your NEWS is good!

    

CHECKING THE SCALE!

`` WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26TH., 2017
         CHECKING THE SCALE!

   The way I heard it there was an earthquake
somewhere around here the other day. I didn't
feel anything. But it must have happened about
the time I was weighing myself because the
numbers suddenly went up!
    I point this out because this is Richter Scale
Day. I don't actually know what brand of scale
we have. But I suppose it could be a Richter!
    Oh. Wait a minute! My wife tells me Richter
is the guy who came up with the way we
measure earthquakes. And this is his Birthday!
I'll bet his parties really rocked the place!
     So I guess it has nothing to do with the
scale in my bathroom.
     Perhaps there's another explanation for its
sudden surge. You see it's also national
Pretzel Day. And that could have an impact
on my scale!
      I'd rather believe it was an earthquake!
      Hope you're celebrating one or the
other and that all your NEWS is good!

WE'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER!

     TUESDAY, APRIL 25TH., 2017
     WE'VE GOT YOUR NUMBER!

  You see them everywhere. Coming and
going. Of course in Pennsylvania you only
see them going!
   I'm writing about license plates! April
25 is License Plate Day!
   There's a lot to be said for license plates.
In the days before tablets and IPads you
could keep the kids from constantly
asking "Are we there yet" by keeping
them busy playing the License Plate
Game. They had to watch for license
plates from different states on the cars
passing by to see who could find the most!
     If you're lucky enough to have the
battery die on your kid's device you can
still play the game today.
     License plates can sometimes help
solve crimes! Of course eye witnesses
have to remember to write them down
or commit them to memory.
     I know some political guys who
have found work making license
plates. We've got a few from around
these parts.
      So give some praise to the trusty
license plate today! I wonder how
many of you know the numbers and/
or letters on yours?
      Hope you do and that all your NEWS
is good!
    

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

     MONDAY, APRIL 24TH., 2017
       SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE

  The movie in which I play a short part,
"All In Time" was screened as part of
the Dietrich Theater's Spring Film
Festival on Sunday.
   In many cases when a feature is
included in a festival someone involved
in the production is on hand to talk about
the movie and answer questions after it
has been seen. That someone, in a
sense, becomes the Speaker of the
House. Or in this case the theater!
    On Sunday that was me.
    Only problem is the allergies got to
my throat Sunday morning!
     There's nothing worse than a speaker
who can't speak!
     Fortunately the movie speaks for
itself for the most part so my squeaky
responses only had to be offered to a
handful of questions!
     We got a nice response from the
folks who turned out. Including, by the
way, my old TV colleague Derry Bird
and his wife Nancy!
     There's some great music in our
production, although Derry said he
had been hoping for a little Sinatra!
      For those who haven't yet seen
"All In Time", which was filmed in
Wilkes-Barre for the most part, it can
be purchased on line at sites such as
movieberry.com.
     Hope you  get to see it and that
all your NEWS is good!

SEEING STARS!

    SUNDAY, APRIL 23RD., 2017
           SEEING STARS!

    There was a lot of talent gathered
in one room at Stirna's Restaurant in
Scranton Saturday night. But it wasn't
a band or a comedy act that highlighted
the night (although there were a lot of
funny memories)!
     The occasion was the WDAU/WYOU
Reunion!
      Veteran TV watchers will surely
remember many of the on-air personalities
that once appeared on channel 22 back in
the day. People like Debbie Dunleavy,
Bill Mecca, Sue Miller, Bob Reynolds,
Paula Deignan-Reynolds, Don Perry, and
my old buddy Derry Bird.
      But the gathering also brought
out many of the people who worked
behind the scenes to bring those nightly
newscasts into your home.
       It's nice to get together and reminisce
about old times. You can even laugh at
some of the not-so-good memories after
years have passed. And the good memories
seem even better now! Time has a way of
doing that! 
       You could still put this gang in front
of a camera anytime and come away with
a great, professional newscast!
        It was great to work with them in the
past and to see them again at the reunion!
Hope we get together again and that all
their, and your, NEWS is good!

A COUPLE MILESTONES!

    SATURDAY, APRIL 22ND., 2017
       A COUPLE MILESTONES!

       You need a license for
all kinds of things these days.
       I have a Driver's License,
a Fishing License and what you
might call an "Artistic License!"
       On April 22nd., 2011,
in a moment of insanity, I
decided to begin a Blog!
       I had officially
retired from the main stream
media. But I still had a desire
to write and had seen others
fulfill that ambition with a
blog. I wasn't sure if it would
be a weekly or a monthly
effort. But before I could give
it a second thought I was
authoring an essay every day!
     Most have been based on
personal events in my day to
day life. Some are prompted
by web sites where I have
found some very unusual
holidays that few people
know about.
     Occasionally over these
past 6 years I've repeated a
couple of my posts. That's
either because I find they are
well worth revisiting or
because my mind has gone
blank. Of course some would
say many of my original
writings suggest a blank mind
anyway!
      So here we are, six years
later with Blog number 2238!
       I got another License on
April 22nd. But that one came
48 years ago!
     It was my Marriage License!
My wife (then my fiancée), her
mom and I, showed up at the Luzerne
County Courthouse with the
required fee to get our license.
We needed her mom too because,
back then, you had to have a
parent's signature if you were
under 21. That didn't effect me.
I didn't even get carded!
      Fortunately my mother-in-
law to be agreed to sign and we
got our license.
      Hope it hasn't expired....and
that all your NEWS is good!

KINDERGARTEN DAY!

     FRIDAY, APRIL 21ST., 2017
       KINDERGARTEN DAY!

     They say we never stop learning.
But now-a-days "formal education" begins
pretty darn quickly!
      Take Kindergarten. April 21st is
Kindergarten Day.
       I have 6 grandkids and 5 of them
graduated Kindergarten. The 6th isn't
quite old enough for that advanced
education yet. But he's in Day Care where
he already recognizes the ABC song!
      Kindergarten Day is celebrated in honor
of Friedrich Froebel. He was born on this
day in 1782. In 1837, he started the first
Kindergarten in Germany.
      I guess it didn't catch on everywhere
because they didn't have it at my
Elementary School in Hazleton until I
was already in 2nd or 3rd grade. Of course
by 3rd grade I already knew my ABC's.
Well most of them anyway!
     Today's the day to pull out those old
Kindergarten photographs and remember
those good old days before 1st grade.
      I spent most of mine playing in my
back yard!
      Hope you have fond memories
and that all your NEWS is good!

GIVE ME FIVE!

     THURSDAY, APRIL 20TH., 2017
               GIVE ME FIVE!

     It's an everyday thing these days.
Especially in sports. You see the winning
team leaving the field and all the players
are exchanging "high fives!"
     My 19-month-old grandson is just
beginning to speak. But ask him to
give you fives and he'll probably reach
out his hand to accommodate your
request.
     Still, little did I know there was
a "National High Five Day." And this
is it!
     The use of high fives actually dates
back to 1997 when it was used during
a basketball game. It was probably done
before that. But nobody noticed.
      In 2002 some college students from
the University of Virginia picked the
third Thursday in April as "National High
Five Day" and decided to celebrate. It
spread, although there's no record of any
Congressional action making the day
"official."
      So join in the fun and pass along
some high fives today to extend the
celebration! Hope your greeting is
welcomed and that all your NEWS
is good!

PEER PRAISE!

  WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19TH., 2017
                PEER PRAISE!

     We hear a lot about Peer Pressure.
But on Tuesday I was the grateful
recipient of some Peer Praise!
     For then third time in about as
many years Harold Jenkins of
nepablogs.org has selected my daily
publication as his "Blog of the week"
for PALive on WBRE.
    I've been lucky to win a couple
of reader poll contests with my
daily ramblings. But Harold's selection
is special because he's in the blog
business.
     When selecting my blog he called it
"The blog of longtime newsman, traveler,
and raconteur David DeCosmo."
      I had to look up "raconteur" to make
sure he wasn't connecting me with the
rackets. But, turns out, it's a compliment!
      There are some really good bloggers
on line these days. David Yonki comes
to mind immediately. He, like many of
the others, writes about serious topics
that deserve our attention.
       I suppose I've touched on a serious
topic from time to time. I remember,
for instance, writing what I was sure
would be my last blog when the Mayan
calendar ended!
      I had to come up with a blog quickly
the next day when I found we were all
still here! (By the way, according to
Jeane Dixon, we've got until 2020!)
      But most of my blogs are based on
personal experiences, crazy "holidays,"
or just nutty things I see around us
every day.
      So my thanks to Harold, the folks
at PAlive, and all of you who take a
minute or two every day to read my
nonsenses! Hope you keep reading
and that all your NEWS is good.

  

HACKED AGAIN!

   TUESDAY, APRIL 18TH., 2017
          HACKED AGAIN!

    I got an alert from one of my
Facebook friends Monday afternoon
informing me that I had been
"Hacked."
     For those who haven't gone through
this inconvenience (yet) it involves
someone pretending to be you who
tries to contact your friends.
     The first time it happened to me
my email was hacked. Someone
claiming to be me wrote to all my
friends and told them I had been
robbed in England and needed them
to send money to help me get home.
      Ironically I had just returned from
a trip to Europe at the time (although
not England) so the request might
have sounded legitimate to those
who knew I had been overseas but
didn't remember just where,
       I don't think anyone actually
send money to the imposter. In fact
my sister-in-law responded with
the message, "Let him stay there!"
       When I checked yesterday I
realized I already have 3,663 'Friends'
and the majority of them asked me to
add them to my list. I haven't asked
anybody to become my Friend lately.
        The bulk of my list is made up
of people who knew or know me from
TV. Of the 3,663 'Friends' I probably
actually know only 50.
        No one has bothered to hack
my Blog (yet). But I suppose that
day will come too.
         So while you know it's me
understand that I am not trapped
anywhere and am not in any
immediate need for money. Of
course that shouldn't stop you
from sending some if your heart
is set on it!
         Hope, in the meantime,
you are you and that all your
NEWS is good

     

FULL SERVICE, SERVICE!

   MONDAY, APPRIL 17TH., 2017
     FULL SERVICE, SERVICE!

     Easter at our little church really
was a "Full Service, Service!"
     You'd expect an enthusiastic
sermon and some good old fashion
hymn singing on an Easter Sunday.
And we sure had that!
      But long before the congregation
showed up a couple volunteers opened
the kitchen in our church hall and
started preparing breakfast for anyone
who cared to partake! Needless to
say many did!
     After breakfast some more church
volunteers, including some young
people. salted the yard just in front
of our church with colorful Easter
Eggs! Then, just before our services
got started, the little kids got a chance
to gather as many eggs as their baskets
or bags could hold. Then they got some
special prizes as a reward for their
gathering efforts.
      What a wonder family oriented
Easter topped by a wonderful
hope filled sermon!
       Hope your day was great too
and that all your NEWS was, and
is, good!

AN EGG-TRAVAGANZA!

 SUNDAY, APRIL 16TH., 2017
   AN EGG-TRAVAGANZA!

   Happy Easter friends!
   On Saturday two of my grandkids,
and their parents, joined me for one
of our community's nicest Easter
traditions!
    The Plains Township Lion's Club
hosts a lot of special events for our
town. And it's especially nice that
several of those events are designed
to bring families together.
     The annual Easter Egg Hunt is
one of them!
      Our community park provides
an ideal location for the event.
Lions club members set the stage
by scattering what must be a
thousand or so plastic eggs in
several sections of the park. Each
section is reserved for kids of
various ages so everybody has a
fair chance to gather an egg or so.
       And each of the eggs has a
bit of candy inside. Some also
have a special prize which can
be claimed after the hunt if over.
       Now those candies don't
grow in the eggs. And those
special prizes weren't delivered
by Santa.
       It's all the work of the Lions
Club and it, like all the club's
other projects, are designed to
make our community a better
place. The club also collected
can goods to be donated to a
local soup kitchen.
         Judging from the smiles
on parents and kid's faces, and
a chocolate stain were or there,
the efforts are working well.
        I had only one problem.
I couldn't find the field set us
for 74 plus year olds!       
        Hats off to the Lions for
all they do and, again, Happy
Easter to everyone. Hope all
your NEWS is good!      









 

I WASN'T THERE! BUT........

   SATURDAY, APRIL 15TH., 2017
        I WASN'T THERE! BUT......

    105 years ago today the mighty
Titanic slid beneath the icy waters
of the Atlantic claiming over 1500
lives!
     And about this time every year
I get requests to tell the many stories
I've gathered about the ship and some
of its passengers. More than a dozen
listed Wilkes-Barre Pennsylvania as
their destination. Some of them made
it and some did not.
      So we are clear, and in answer to
a young student's question after one
of my talks, I wasn't there when the
ship went down!
      Back in 1972 fate, or coincidence,
placed me in a position to solve a
then 60-yera-old mystery as I was
able to reunite two Titanic survivors.
One had saved the other's infant son
the night the ship sunk. But until I
became involved they didn't know
each other.
      That event began my interest
in Titanic related stories and my
invitations to share then with people
who are still fascinated with the
ship all these 105 years later.
       I'm glad there's still so much
interest. The last survivor died in
2009 so first hand accounts are
no longer available except as
presented in books or as passed
along through the families of
survivors.
        And those stories are as
thrilling now as they were went
they were originally told by those
who had been on board and lived
to tell about the disaster.
         Many are as good or better
than those you've seen in the
movies so while I'm still around
I'm more than happy to tell them!
         This is a great day to recount
"A night to remember!"
          Hope the stories and the
interest live on and that all your
NEWS is good!