Encyclopedias

Had just bought and started this funny book about this guy reading the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica, next day this article drew my attention.
When I was a kid I read the entire Larousse and with my friend, now a french poet, was playing a game of recognizing the captions of pictures when opening the Larousse at  random.
Good choice. It is smaller and easier to read and the  Petit Larousse est encore vivant.
Not sure if french culture is still vivant.

Chicago Pizza and me.

In Chicago, tried to get a taste of the famous pizza. Tried Pizzeria Uno, Due, Gino's ..five oof them. Could not get in  because of the impossible waiting line. Finally at my sixth trial made it at the bar. Big sign inside  Forza Napoli. The pizza was terrible. That was the reason I could get in.  Our cousin, well versed in restaurants, says that the only ones with long lines outside are the cheap ones.
Was not ready for the Alinea fare and fees. With a four month waiting list. Well heeled people wait on their sofas.

detracting retracting detractors

Titans detracted or retractions to detractions. Same week. An op-ed in the NYT telling moronic stories from Goldman.  NPR disavowing a widely listened piece about Apple.   Who doubts that some of the Goldman story is true, or even the disavowed Apple story has elements of truth. Who doesn't know that self-confidant Goldman has a culture of despising everybody else. What is a professional financial manager to do? Make money. For whom? would one expect? Who is surprised by life in a communist factory?
And even Einstein's theory got rehabilitated.