Imogene Coca passed on this day in 2001

Actress Imogene Coca is remembered best today for her amazing comedic work on the groundbreaking Your Show of Shows alongside Sid Caesar. 

She picked up two Emmy Awards for her performances in 1952 and 1953, and also won a Peabody for excellence in broadcasting. 

She had her own show for a season, and spent decades as a guest star or co-star in dozens of films and television programs, including a hilarious turn as Aunt Edna in National Lampoon's Vacation. 

She continued to act and branched out to voice acting later in her career, keeping busy until well into her 80s. 

We remember Imogene Coca's remarkable life today as well as the lives of other notable people who died this day in history

Driver flees traffic stop with cop in car

FLORENCE, N.J. (AP) — A man who allegedly fled from a traffic stop in southern New Jersey with a police officer inside his car in facing numerous charges.

Florence police tell the Burlington County Times  that 19-year-old Randy Eno Mase of Wilmington, Delaware was stopped early Saturday for speeding.

When officers started speaking with Mase, they say he tried to drive off. An officer then entered the car through the driver's side door and tried to stop him, but Mase drove off with the officer still in the vehicle.

A short time later, the officer was able to stop the vehicle.

Mase faces numerous charges, including aggravated assault, eluding and drug charges. He also faces several motor vehicle citations.

A telephone number for Masse could not be located Sunday.

If the shoe fits .......

RADCLIFF, Ky. (AP) — Police are investigating after finding $3 million worth of missing shoes at a central Kentucky home.

Media outlets report that officers with the Radcliff Police Department confiscated thousands of pairs of Nike shoes that were scattered in front of the home.

According to a search warrant filed last week, the shoes were supposed to be shipped in 2009 from a Nike distribution center in Tennessee to another one in Texas, but never made it.

The women who were in possession of the shoes said they had purchased them from someone else and didn't know they were stolen. They said they were selling them at a flea market.

Police are investigating. No arrests have been made.

Chemist says creating the perfect cup of coffee is all about the water

A barista (/bəˈristə/ buh-ree-stuh; from the Italian for "bartender") is a person, usually a coffeehouse employee, who prepares and serves espresso-based coffee drinks.

Chris Hendon has set out to help a local British barista win the title of world’s best barista and he says the secret to success lies in using the perfect water .

Writing for the Royal Society of Chemistry, the University of Bath computational chemist says the challenge was a natural one for him considering that, “Brewing coffee might be the most practiced chemical extraction in the world.”

Now, there is no shortage of expert opinions on making the perfect cup of coffee, including a few that attempt to break down the process scientifically.

And Hendon doesn’t discount the more obvious factors in making an outstanding cup of coffee or espresso: bean origin, roast, the size of grindings and so forth. But when it comes to the variable of water, he writes:

“This variable is less obvious, but it is clear that the chemical composition of water plays a very important role.” Specifically, different types of water bring out different flavors from the coffee bean – sometimes good and sometimes bad. And being both a chemist and coffee lover, Hendon wanted to experiment with how different variations could be used to extract specific flavors from coffee.

“This was particularly intriguing for the signature drink which featured an espresso shot mixed with two grape extracts brewed in different water – one with high cation content, one with high base content – to extract different flavours from the grapes,” he writes.

For its part, the National Coffee Association says, "The water you use is very important to the quality of your coffee. Use filtered or bottled water if your tap water is not good or imparts a strong odor or taste, such as chlorine. If you are using tap water let it run a few seconds before filling your coffee pot. Be sure to use cold water. Do not use distilled or softened water".

'Brady Brunch' actress Ann B. Davis dies in Texas

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Emmy-winning actress Ann B. Davis, who became the country's favorite and most famous housekeeper as the devoted Alice Nelson of "The Brady Bunch," died Sunday at a San Antonio hospital. She was 88.

Bexar County, Texas, medical examiner's investigator Sara Horne said Davis died Sunday morning at University Hospital. Horne said no cause of death was available and that an autopsy was planned Monday.

Bill Frey, a retired bishop and a longtime friend of Davis, said she suffered a fall Saturday at her San Antonio home and never recovered. Frey said Davis had lived with him and his wife, Barbara, since 1976.

More than a decade before scoring as the Bradys' loyal Alice, Davis was the razor-tongued secretary on another stalwart TV sitcom, "The Bob Cummings Show," which brought her two Emmys. Over the years, she also appeared on Broadway and in occasional movies.

Davis considered her ordinary look an asset.

"I know at least a couple hundred glamour gals who are starving in this town," she told the Los Angeles Times in 1955, the year the Cummings show began its four-year run. "I'd rather be myself and eating." She said she told NBC photographers not to retouch their pictures of her, but they ignored her request and "gave me eyebrows."

Ah, well, ah, because it ... well, might have been my fault!!

“I will not be a part of a political slugfest on the backs of dead Americans,” she writes, according to Politco. 

“It’s just plain wrong, and it’s unworthy of our great country. 

Those who insist on politicizing the tragedy will have to do so without me.”

And, her gestures were great, look at that fist, of course she is mad, they won't drop the subject and may uncover some wrongs ..... that she may have been involved in .... and, well, I may want to run for president ..... and ..... I have a headache, she often told Bill this same thing.

Softball Word Series ..... great games .

If YOU are NOT watching Ladies College Softball College World Series right now, you are missing out on the last bastion of genuine amateur athletics. Both teams are enjoying "the moment." They are serious, competitive, and the loser will shed some tears, but all of these gals have enjoyed a great four years of college. They are true, highly skilled and trained athletes, and, enjoying themselves. I love the emotion.

They are genuinely serious and want to win, and doing all they can to win, but enjoying the moment also. Most will graduate and go about their lives, a few will continue on in the game, but most have attained their goal of reaching the World Series.

This is the way that athletic competition should be, it is enjoyment for all, the fans and the players. Alabama has scored twice, Oregon is ranked Number One .... I think they just got robbed on a call at home, but in this game, a call is a call ....... no arguing. I don't think she touched the plate though.

Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner dead in plane crash

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Inquirer co-owner Lewis Katz was killed along with six other people in a fiery plane crash in Massachusetts, his business partner said Sunday.

Harold H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest confirmed Katz's death to The Associated Press, saying he was informed by their lawyer, Richard Sprague. The pair bought out their partners last week with an $88 million bid for the company, which also operates the Philadelphia Daily News and the news website Philly.com.

The Gulfstream IV crashed as it was leaving Hanscom Field at about 9:40 p.m. Saturday for Atlantic City, New Jersey. There were no survivors.

The identities of the other victims weren't immediately released. Nancy Phillips, Katz's longtime companion and city editor at the Inquirer, was not on board.

Officials gave no information on the cause of the crash. They said the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate.

John Scarne

He was born Orlando Carmelo Scarnecchia in Steubenville, Ohio in the United States of America, and at some point anglicized his name to John Scarne.

He grew up in the New Jersey communities of Fairview and Guttenberg. When he left school after the eighth grade, he learned from a local card sharp how to perform such swindles as The Three Card Monte, and how to cheat in gambling card games by manipulating the cards. Scarne began practicing sleight of hand with the goal of becoming a card sharp, but his Roman Catholic mother dissuaded her son from gambling in general, and cheating others in particular. She persuaded him to practice magic instead. Scarne soon extended his skill at handling cards to learning—and devising—magical effects with cards. He spent a few months learning about crooked gambling devices (including marked cards and loaded dice) at a nearby novelty store. Thanks to his endless practice, Scarne began making money as a magician.

Scarne's most famous card trick was appropriately titled "Scarne's Aces". The trick involved taking a spectator's shuffled deck of cards, performing a series of riffle shuffles himself and then cutting to all four aces.

I have gotten to hear some "first hand" accounts of his prowess. Many years ago Scarne was hired by someone to be the entertainment at a private party. He would take a new deck, shuffle it, ripple it, etc., and then ............. cut down ..... to all four Aces. "Scarne's Aces." In attendance was one of he Rothschilds, who was impressed and asked him to perform at at upcoming party he was having,

Scarney obligated and did the trick at his party. After the party, reportedly, Rothschild offered him a large sum of money to show him the "trick." His reply, "No trick, just practice for many hours a day and many days, until you can ....... while shuffling, count down how many cards between the Aces, and then, have sensitive enough finger tips to count those cards, no trick, just many hours of practice.

He was the first of the "Steuenville Boys," Dean Martin and many I knew in Nevada who had gotten their start there. During the war, the government hired Scarney to travel around the various bases and teach the troops what to look for in "cheaters." The gambling procession tagged him as a "fink," he was not well liked in the industry.

Del Ray .... THE Magician

I was working in a casino in Reno, late 50's, young, had just gotten a "suit" job ... very proud of myself. Did a lot of graveyard shifts, and over a period of time, I learned a "shot" on a crap table ... a spinner, that could result in one die being on the high or low side. The man who taught it to me, Don Eammelli, was my sift boss and a student of the games. He felt he had originated the shot ... and he and I were most probably the only two aware of it.

Early one morning, graveyard shift, a man stepped up to the end of the table, eventually got the dice to shoot, threw them, and ....... wham .... that looked like Don's shot. I said nothing and let if go. He rolled again, down came the shot, I reached out and snatched one of the dice. He got upset, I called Don over to the table ..... they talked .... Del Ray thought that HE was the only one who knew the shot .... and here, at the Primmadonna,  this young kid spotted it ..... Del Ray was impressed that we knew of HIS shot. We went on a break and had a nice conversation with him. He was appearing at The Riverside, and rounded his night out by trying his shot. It was one of his first appearances in Reno, later on, few to none would take his "action."

Harolds Club often had him do some afternoon "sessions" with his dealers, showing them some outside "tricks" they might run in to. He got some of his experience in Northern Kentucky at the casinos there in security, so he had learned all the moves and scams. I think he was in house the night that one of them burned to the ground. From talking with him, I think he liked the gambling-casino life better than being a magician. I have heard of John Scarne and his prowess, but I thin Del Ray was more proficient in more areas, Scarne was just a card man, Del Ray was more well rounded, I think. I treasure the moment that I "caught" Del Ray making "a  move."

Tough question .......

"What?"

"Who was the most impressive person you ever met, who impressed you the most?"

Two very "magnet" personalities I have met. One was L. Ron Hubbard, the other Glenn Turner of Koscot Cosmetics, pyramid selling fame. They were both impressive. I was thinking of all the "politicians" I had med, regardless of their political stature I was really never impressed with any of them. They were all handshakes or seen from a distance, did not have an opportunity to speak with them. I did have an opportunity to talk with Jon Corzine during a fund raiser. He was rather knowledgeable and impressive.

I was greatly impressed with the qualities of most that I met in the casinos. If they had achieved success, it was because of their sharp mindedness, intelligence and ability. I doubt they any of them were highly educated, they were self taught with razor sharp memories and a perceptiveness that was extraordinary. There are many "business" executives in all of the corporations in the country. They have "climbed the corporate ladder," so to speak. Their rewards were for time served.

Lincoln Fitzgerald and Ernie Primm, Bill Harrah and the Smith Family, of Harolds Club fame ... they all had, well, it is an intangible quality that is hard to express. Bill Harrah could have been a preacher, I think, quiet and mild mannered. He easily could have become the President of the United States if he had gone off in that direction, I think the same for all of the others. They all made their own way in life, and, achieved success beyond their hopes and dreams.

They all knew .... people ..... they had to ... they were relieving of them of their .... money ... just think what that entails. People entered, knowing that their chance of winning was small, but they tried, most lost and just ...... walked away. They were all perceptive enough to see that "flaw" in the human psyche, and turn it in to their success. How great is that. "Chances are you are going to lose your money, but come on it and give it a try."

I guess the same thing as, "Vote for me and I will ............" You know he won't, but you vote for him anyway. You know you will lose, eventually, but you try anyway ...... Geez, that's the same thing.

Top of my list, most impressive I have met, Lincoln Fitzgerald, Mr. Alan Roberts, Sr., Casino Manager of the old Primmadonna,  comes in second. If he had gone another way, Mr. Roberts would have been the Ambassador to a large country, a high ranking diplomat, or the head of a large PR firm. He will always be, Mister Roberts to me. I have met his wife, she was, Mrs. Roberts. He was the first that I knew of, who had a beautiful lawn, in Reno, no grass, green gravel, now, how smart is that?

One "Nevada Term" .... used rarely, "Super Smart." Few received that title. Some of the above mentioned names, held that title.

Yes, a lot more, Thanks Bob ............

Funny, the things that sometimes stick in our memory, and occasionally rise to the surface. I was sitting here, watching Ladies Softball, which I love, a true, honest sport, one of the few left. Anyway, Oregon was mentioned, I lived in Oregon for a while, which led me to think of Bob Stivers.

He was a teacher at OTI, Oregon Technical Institute, and I took some courses there. I was going to become a Medical Lab Tech, until a young girl, a fellow student, came at me, and was going to draw my blood, in a school lab. I thanked everyone, and left, never went back.

I forget the course, English, perhaps, writing, or something like that. One of his teaching statements that has stuck with me .... "There is a lot more to it, than just a blue sky. What else is there, be more descriptive."

Ah, well, a blue sky, a dark blue sky,  white clouds floating, no, drifting ...... many other statements, things could be said, other than ........... a blue sky.

The land of plenty ............

If you live in the USA or  a similarly prosperous country, you are very lucky. I don't think we really appreciate what we have. We unquestionably have inept leadership in this country, we are governed my "politicians" which are a breed unto themselves. They are "experts" and spending money, especially money that belongs to someone else. Few, if any of them are aware of the responsibility that SHOULD come with that office. But, instead, they take on a self-importance that is creating havoc and unrest in this country.

IN SPITE of leaderships ineptitude, we are fortunate to live here, in spite of them. My wife did a demo today at Kroger's. I go with her and wheel the cart out and get her set up, my cardio for the week. The back room at Kroger's is stocked and stacked, floor to ceiling, with product, all sorts of products. There is a continuous stream of product, coming in the back and going out the front. It is never ending. Not just one product, thousands of products.

Not all I can afford anymore. I remember, especially at Christmas, a picture of a child, a poor child, looking in a store window, tears in his eyes, wishing that he could ..... Now, I am like that child, especially in the meat department. "What do I want this year, for Christmas?" .... "Well, a beef roast would be nice."

Aside from that, we live in a land of plenty.

Then I went to Walmart, to buy some things. They were packed ... Sunday afternoon, around one. Inside, there were five carts to be had. I got a few items, then started to look for a register ... the longer I walked, the longer the lines got. Ten to 15 people in each line. Of course, not many registers open. Why, do they remodel these stores, put in all these registers and then, never open them. I came close to leaving the cart and walking out. Instead I went to the meat department and talked with some employees I knew. They were sympathetic, and agreed management didn't hire enough cashiers. "It's not the way it used to be."

Spoiled, yes we are. I have seen some pictures of people waiting in line all day, for a loaf of bread. I didn't want to wait ten minutes to pay for mine.

And then, driving home, many have new cars, they all look alike, but they look new,  a plethora of new cars.  We are spoiled, perhaps living with our heads in the clouds, our world could be collapsing and we are not aware of it ...... but, for today, so far, so good .........

I have no idea what the actual one resembled, but this image seems consistent with those found in this part of Ohio. I don't think anything is left standing. 

Mary Ann Furnace Mary Ann Twp.Located at the intersection of Hickman Road and County Road 243, along the banks of Rocky Fork Creek. 

In the early 1800's a high grade of iron ore was discovered in the hillsides of Mary Ann Township. A sawmill was constructed in 1815 out of sandstone, and lumber was cut to feed the furnace. 

Next, the furnace was built, named for founder David Moore's wife Mary Ann. The furnace was the first industry in Licking County, and it continued operating for the next forty years. It was famous for its ornate cookstoves. Workers wore brightly colored uniforms and were paid fifty cents for two weeks work. The town was so prosperous that it was once considered a candidate for the county seat. Then, in 1860, the furnace burned down (how's that for irony?). For years a pile of rocks was visible where it had been, but that's long gone. Now there's a house which once served as a tavern and an operating school.

On my Dad's property, way out in back, over the hill, down the hollow and over the next hill, supposedly was a coal mine. Coal was taken from this mine to the furnace. It was in Mary Ann Township.

The Flameless - Fireless Cooker

My Aunt, Mom's sister, Eva Shannon, had a unit similar to this. I think hers was made in Muncie, Indiana, many years ago. It was either a "flameless" or a "fireless" cooker. I used to look forward to our trips to Indiana, she often had a meal waiting for us that she had prepared in her Flameless Cooker.

At one time I had the cookbook for it, a treasure, but have lost it somewhere.

This was a well insulated box, two cylinders and utensils. You put the food in the container, heated the "stones" up on the stove, put  them in on top of and under the container, closed the lid, the the food did a "slow cook" all day. It turned out delicious.

When Eva died, I had hoped to get the cooker, but someone beat me to it. I have looked for one, drove to Muncie one time, hit yard sales in hopes of finding one, but no luck.

Some countries use this type of cooking to this day, they have no other means. I looked in to the manufacture of them once, concern was the "temperature" attained with the hot bricks. Some new materials made it more practical, but. I think some are available to camping, etc., perfect, heat the bricks up on the fire, then the cooker, go fishing or hiking, come back and the dinner is ready. It has many applications. Slow Cookers are probably similar to the type of cooking in this unit.

Pete Maravich

Peter Press "Pistol Pete" Maravich (June 22, 1947 – January 5, 1988) was an American professional basketball player. He was born and raised in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. Maravich starred in college at Louisiana State University (LSU) and played for three NBA teams until injuries forced his retirement in 1980. He is still the all-time leading NCAA Division I scorer with 3,667 points scored and an average of 44.2 points per game. 

All of his accomplishments were achieved before the three-point line was introduced to NCAA basketball and despite being unable to play varsity as a freshman under then-NCAA rules. One of the youngest players ever inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Maravich was cited by the Hall as "perhaps the greatest creative offensive talent in history". In an April 2010 interview, Hall of Fame player John Havlicek said "the best ball-handler of all time was (Pete) Maravich."

His name does not often come up when talking about great basketball players. I understand he always played to a "full house" at almost every level. He was a showman, intentionally, I think. I only saw him play on TV once or twice, I wish I had seen him more. 

California man returns $125K dropped from armored car

What do you think that YOU would do? I don't think I would know what I would do until the situation arose. I might do the same thing he did, or ???????

(Reuters) - A California man who found a bag containing $125,000 said he returned the cash to the armored truck company that accidentally dropped it because it was the "right thing to do."

Joe Cornell, 52, told the Fresno Bee newspaper he saw the bag of cash fall out of the back of a Brinks armored cash transport car as it drove over railroad tracks in downtown Fresno on Thursday afternoon.

Cornell, who was working in the lot of a Salvation Army location as part of a substance abuse rehabilitation program, told the newspaper he recovered the bag and found it stuffed with hundred dollar bills.

"I started crying and shaking," Cornell said. "Everything was going through my mind, the good devil/bad devil thing," he said.

Cornell made up his mind to alert his boss at the Salvation Army and the pair called Fresno law enforcement authorities who helped facilitate the bag's return to Brinks.

The Virginia-based company could not be reached for comment Friday, but a spokesman told the Fresno Bee it had thanked Cornell for his honesty with a $5,000 reward and another $5,000 donation to the Salvation Army.

For Cornell, deciding to give back the cash became a simple decision.

Man stands on top of his car on interstate, holding sign with apology on it

On Thursday night, a man named Daniel in Nashville, Tennessee came up with an idea. He headed over to his local Walmart and purchased a Sharpie and poster board. He then wrote on that poster board, “Lindsey I'm [sic] sorry I LIED Please FORGIVE ME.” It was part of the young man’s plans to atone for his mistakes.

Daniel, who chose not to give his or his love’s last name, pulled over to the side of Interstate 24 at 7:15 AM on Friday morning, hopped on top of his vehicle, and held the sign. Nearly 30 minutes later, Lindsey drove by and saw the sign. Daniel told WKRN, “She was actually on her phone…I'm pretty sure she was on the phone saying 'Oh my God'."

Lindsey was not the only person who saw Daniel’s apology, as morning commuters wound up causing a traffic jam as they slowed down to read his sign. A police officer arrived on the scene and told Daniel to move along and to, “try sending her a text instead.”

GOP lawmakers: Prisoner exchange violated law

WASHINGTON (AP) — Two Republican lawmakers on Saturday accused President Barack Obama of breaking the law by approving the release of five Afghan detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in exchange for a U.S. soldier believed held by Islamist insurgents for five years.

The White House agreed that actions were taken in spite of legal requirements and cited "unique and exigent circumstances" as justification.

Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, 28, of Hailey, Idaho, was handed over to U.S. special operations forces by the Taliban. In return, five Afghans who were held at a U.S. detention facility in Cuba were released to the custody of the government of Qatar, which served as a go-between in negotiations for the trade.

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon of California and Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma said in a statement that Obama is required by law to notify Congress 30 days before any terrorists are transferred from the U.S. facility. They said Obama also is required to explain how the threat posed by such terrorists has been substantially mitigated.

McKeon is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Inhofe is the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

In response, the White House said it moved as quickly as possible given the opportunity that arose to secure Bergdahl's release. Citing "these unique and exigent circumstances," the White House said a decision was made to go ahead with the transfer despite the legal requirement of 30 days advance notice to Congress.

While saying they celebrate Bergdahl's release, McKeon and Inhofe warned that the exchange "may have consequences for the rest of our forces and all Americans."

"Our terrorist adversaries now have a strong incentive to capture Americans. That incentive will put our forces in Afghanistan and around the world at even greater risk," they said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said in a statement that "the safe return of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is an answer to the prayers of the Bergdahl family and a powerful reinforcement of our nation's commitment to leave no service member behind."

Officials: 7 aboard NJ-bound plane die in crash

BEDFORD, Massachusetts (AP) — All seven people aboard a private plane that crashed in a Massachusetts air field and erupted into a fireball have been killed, authorities said.

"There were no survivors," said Matthew Brelis, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority, which operates Hanscom Field in Bedford, where the Gulfstream IV crashed as it was leaving about 9:40 p.m. for Atlantic City International Airport in New Jersey.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people on board and their loved ones," Brelis said before a news conference announcing the deaths.

The names of the victims were not immediately released. And authorities did not say what they think caused the crash. They said the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate and determine what happened.

Nearby residents recounted seeing a fireball and feeling the blast of the explosion shake their homes.

Jeff Patterson told The Boston Globe newspaper that he saw a fireball about 60 feet in the air and suspected the worst for those aboard the plane.

"I heard a big boom, and I thought at the time that someone was trying to break into my house because it shook it," said Patterson's son, 14-year-old Jared Patterson. "I thought someone was like banging on the door trying to get in."

The air field, which serves the public, was closed after the crash. Brelis said responders were still on the scene early Sunday morning.