Paul and I were lounging around, being completely comfortable, when we had to make an important decision.
Me: Are you warm?
Paul: I’ve been hot for ages.
Me: You want a window or a/c?
Paul: Well, I’m lazy.
Me: So am I. You choose.
Paul: Put a bit of a/c on and we’ll bitch about the electric bill later.
Me: Would you mind making me a bagel?
Paul: I don’t know how to make bagels.
[long pause]
Paul: I never learned how to make bagels, but there are some bagels already made in the fridge that I can put in the toaster for you.
Me: [glares at Paul] How about you make me a bagel before I shove one up your butt?
Paul: [grins] Yeah, I can do that.
Paul and I went to Bushnell, Nebraska today to visit our friends, Tim and Deb, as well as The Sisters Grimm bookstore. It’s really freaking tiny, but also quiet and peaceful. While we were there, we got to meet Alberta Marshall, a local resident who has traveled around the Midwest a bit and used to work as a librarian. She had some fun stories to tell. I bet it’d be a hoot to spend the day with her.
You can read about Bushnell’s history here. It’s never been a big town, but the folks are friendly and that’s what matters.
There’s a fairly decent primer on where to find good pizza in New York City over at Serious Eats. The article is titled NYC Pizza Culture Literacy and it was sparked by a poster who asked where the best pizza was in NYC. I’m a huge fan of pizza by the slice, but this article covers it all.
We’ve got some of the best pizza culture in the world here in NYC. You can get classic New York-style pizza (duh), coal-oven pizza, wood-fired Neapolitan-style, Roman-style, Grandma-style, Sicilian-style. There’s tomato pies now (at 900 Degrees), and deep-fried pizza (at Forcella). And sfincione. And Greek style. Geez, I’m starting to feel like Bubba Gump here.
So, you see, there are many styles, but I’m a particular favorite of the New York style pizza and the coal-oven pizza. I absolutely hate Sicilian.
The article goes on to give locations for the best place to find each style. I’d recommend starting with Sal & Carmine’s on the Upper West Side, but you can pick any of Serious Eats’ top 8 to try from. They’re all good. If it were me, I’d get the address of all eight and have a slice at each of them.
Take some time to read the whole article as you educate yourself on the myriad choices of pizza in New York City. If you’re like me, you’ll end up hungry for a good pizza, but with the realization that you’re in Nebraska and aren’t likely to get any anytime soon. When I buy my own house, I’m going to build an oven in the backyard and then invite all my friends over for proper pizza.
And remember folks, don’t ever eat pizza with a fork or I’ll stab you with it.
Rare earth elements, including Niobium, have been found in Elk Creek, Nebraska.
The potential mining operation, the first in the U.S. in a decade, could have an international impact as well. U.S. officials and lawmakers in Congress have been eager to break the near monopoly on global production of the 17 rare-earth elements in China, which has shown its willingness to use its power in the market for political ends.
Quantum acquired a circular piece of land – a bit more than 4 miles in diameter – near Elk Creek late last year. The land, which the U.S. Geological Survey projects may have one of the world’s largest deposits of niobium and rare earths, has since been poked, prodded and drilled to determine whether it held any niobium, which has never been mined in the U.S., or rare earths, which the U.S. has not mined in almost 10 years.
You can read the story at the Washington Times and check out the discussion on Slashdot.
