Links for 2011-05-11

“The group tested 68 drinking water wells in the Marcellus and Utica shale drilling areas in northeastern Pennsylvania and southern New York State. Sixty of those wells were tested for dissolved gas. While most of the wells had some methane, the water samples taken closest to the gas wells had on average 17 times the levels detected in wells further from active drilling. The group defined an active drilling area as within one kilometer, or about six tenths of a mile, from a gas well.

The average concentration of the methane detected in the water wells near drilling sites fell squarely within a range that the U.S Department of Interior says is dangerous and requires urgent “hazard mitigation” action, according to the study.”

“Once upon a time, hamburgers were the All-American inexpensive meals that Dad was allowed to immolate in the back yard until they looked, and tasted like, black hockey pucks. Then came McDonald’s and burgers became tan and tasted like a tanned hide.

To the observant burgologist, there are at least a dozen distinctive species and subspecies of burger. Like sports teams, everyone has a favorite. Most hamburgers are distinguished mainly by the condiments. But condiments don’t make the burger. The meat does. And how you cook it.

[…]

But first, let’s play culinary anthropologist and study the menu of the major species of burger. For the sake of argument, I will define a hamburger as a sandwich with a patty made mostly from ground beef, cooked, and served between halves of a bun or two pieces of bread that can be garnished with an infinite number of condiments.”