Thursday Flakes: Best Barbecue Restaurants, a Missing Air Force Captain and the Size of Airplane Seats

My parents, brother and his girlfriend came to visit Peru for 10 days while I was living in Lima for a month. They arrived into Lima and spent two days here before flying to Cusco to explore the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountain. Then they returned to Lima again for two more days before flying back to the United States. I had already been to Cusco before so I just stayed in Lima and did things with them together. Even though we travel differently and don’t travel together a lot, it is nice when it does happen. I always enjoy the limited time we have together and Peru is no exception. I’m not sure when I will see them again but we always keep in touch with how things are going and where we’re traveling to next.

Despite all of my travels, I have never bought any of the TSA Precheck, Global Entry, CLEAR memberships. However, my parents, brother and his girlfriend all have a Global Entry membership. In fact, the only time I would probably get it is if a travel credit card included a credit to buy one of these programs. There is only one time where I nearly missed a flight due to getting stuck in the infamous immigration line at the Fort Lauderdale airport.

Do you have a TSA Precheck, Global Entry, CLEAR membership? Would you consider getting one? What is your favorite barbecue restaurant? When and where was the best sunset you have ever seen? Have you ever considering living off-the-grid in earth-sheltered living? Feel free to answer and discuss your answers in the comments below.

Anyways onto Flakes…

Illinois Fighting Illini 2022 Football Preview | Football | Corn Nation

Suffice it to say that the die was set in stone on Nebraska’s 2021 season before halftime of the very first game of the season. Horrific special teams play, bad penalties and turnovers started Nebraska’s season out the wrong way, and Illinois was more than capable to take advantage of it. It didn’t look like it for the longest while, as the Illini didn’t win another conference game until a nine-overtime stinkfest in Happy Valley.

A Deeper Look at the Volleyball Coaches Poll | Volleyball | Corn Nation

The four top ranked teams in the volleyball coaches poll all have something in common; they all plan to start a new setter this season. This is a big deal. Remember, the setter in volleyball is the quarterback, point guard, and on-the-court coach. In short, she runs the offense. This is a story to watch this season.

Nebraska Hires Ernie Ziegler as Assistant Coach | Volleyball | Corn Nation

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have officially announced this morning that Ernie Zeigler has been hired as the new assistant coach, replacing the vacancy created by Armon Gates departure to Oregon last month. Zeigler has been an assistant with the Mississippi State Bulldogs since 2015, is a former head coach of the Central Michigan Chippewas, and father of Creighton graduate assistant Trey Zeigler.

Huskers Host San Diego State & Oklahoma to Open 2022 Season | Soccer | Huskers.com

After playing a pair of exhibition matches, the Nebraska soccer team begins its regular season this week at home against San Diego State and Oklahoma. Thursday’s game is set for 7:05 p.m. (CT) with a schedule poster giveaway and Sunday’s game, featuring a Family Fun Day with a teddy bear giveaway, will begin at 1:05 p.m. (CT).

Padding the Stats: 2022 Nebraska Preps Football Preview | Football | Hail Varsity

The NSAA has followed in the NCAA’s footsteps in recent years with the implementation of “week zero” games to make scheduling more manageable, with five such match-ups set for this Friday. The headliner is Bellevue West at Omaha Creighton Prep, and I’ll be at Burke Stadium to cover it.

Nebraska Recruiting: Zalence Heard Sets Commitment Date | Football | Hail Varsity

Nebraska offensive lineman target Zalence Heard has a commitment date. The prospect intends to make his commitment announcement on Thursday, September 1st. Do the Huskers have a chance? Heard is between Nebraska, Houston, Florida, Florida State and LSU. The short answer is that LSU is going to be tough to beat.

Best US Airlines of 2022 | Travel | The Points Guy

We take a look at all of these factors to compare the major airlines. The goal is simple: Use objective data to identify just how well airlines are serving customers. And we’re out with our annual special report based on each airline’s performance over the previous year.

TSA Precheck vs. Global Entry vs. CLEAR: Which Is Best For You? | Travel | Clark

TSA PreCheck, Global Entry and CLEAR will each allow you to skip airport security lines. But they each require a membership fee, and there are some hurdles to clear in order to qualify. In this article, let’s look at what each offers and try to help you pick which membership is right for you.

The 50 Best Barbecues Restaurants in America | Travel | Travel Pulse

Texas, The Carolinas, Memphis and Kansas City still reign as the capitals of ‘cue, but more and more places around the nation are home to great barbecue restaurants than ever before. The best barbecue places in America range from small-town dives to big city barbecue & beer halls, manned by Pitmasters passionate about bringing great barbecue to the people.

The Place to Watch the Sunset in Each State | Travel | Travel Pulse

The best places in America to watch the sunset range from spots on the West Coast where you can watch the sun fade into the Pacific Ocean to Appalachian Mountain peaks and Midwestern lakes that bath in golden light each evening.

Best Romantic US Cities for Date Night Ideas | Travel | Travel Pulse

The team of experts recently narrowed down the very best U.S. cities for a great date night by looking into the number of restaurants, nightlife venues and romantic places as well as the number of date idea searches across as many as 50 major cities.

Best Things to Do in Washington DC | Travel | Lonely Planet

DC attracts travelers of all sorts, from nature lovers and history buffs to city slickers and trendsetters. A typical weekend in the district could include jogging along the Georgetown waterfront, indulging in a bottomless brunch on U Street or getting lost in one of the many free museums on the National Mall. Here are the top things to do on your visit to the US capital.

Best Things to Do in Mexico | Travel | Lonely Planet

No matter how many times you visit, Mexico’s stunning nature and its vibrant towns let you find an everyday life steeped in surrealism, natural wonders and incredible history. Here are some of the best experiences in Mexico.

Best Road Trips in Iceland | Travel | Lonely Planet

There’s no better feeling than heading out and seeing where the road takes you. But, should you require a little more structure to your overland odyssey, we’ve selected eight unforgettable Iceland road trips to get you started.

Where to Go For Labor Day Weekend to Avoid the Crowds | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

Just outside every major city awaits an abundance of easy-to-get-to changes of scenery ideally situated for easy weekends away. Here, you’ll find recommendations for less-visited weekend getaways across the country—the solution for avoiding Labor Day weekend crowds on short notice.

The Worst Airports in the World for Flight Delays and Cancellations | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

New York City’s airports ranked among the top 10 worst in the globe for delays and cancellations so far this summer. LaGuardia airport saw 7.4 percent of its overall flights canceled and 27 percent delayed, making it the seventh of the worst airports in the world for cancellations and the top international airport for cancellations not located in China.

New Federal Rule Could Make It Easier to Get Refunds for Flight Delays and Cancellations | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

The rule would define a “significant change” that warrants a refund as changes that affect the departure and/or arrival times by three hours or more for domestic flights, and six hours or more for international flights; changes to the arrival or departure airports; changes that increase the number of connections in the flight itinerary; and changes to the type of aircraft, if it causes a significant downgrade for the customer.

Flight Cancellations in 2022 Have Surpassed Pre-Pandemic Times | Travel | Travel + Leisure

In total, 128,934 flights were canceled in the U.S. from January to July, according to Reuters, citing data from flight tracker FlightAware. That’s an 11% increase compared to the same time period in 2019.

The FAA Wants Your Feedback on the Size of Airplane Seats | Travel | Travel + Leisure

“The FAA invites comments on minimum seat dimensions necessary for passenger safety, especially during airplane evacuation, as the FAA examines whether new regulatory standards are necessary,” the agency wrote in the notice, which was signed by Jodi L. Baker, the deputy associate administrator for aviation safety.

Turkey’s Underground City of 20,000 People | Travel | BBC

More than 85m beneath the famous fairy chimneys of Cappadocia lies a massive subterranean city that was in near-constant use for thousands of years.

The Floating Homes of Lake Titicaca | Travel | BBC

Created by the indigenous Uros people as protection against attacks from the Incas, the Uros Islands are one of the world’s most innovative feats of human engineering.

The Ancient People Who Reshaped the Amazon | Travel | BBC

Dating back millennia and covering hundreds of square kilometers, these little-known ruins are changing perceptions of the Amazon and its ancient inhabitants.

After 35 Years Missing, an Air Force Captain Mysteriously Reappeared in the Bay Area | History | San Francisco Gate

It’s not clear exactly how long a man who called himself Barry O’Beirne lived a quiet life in Daly City, the sleepy suburb a few miles south of San Francisco. It’s also not clear what he was doing on the morning of Wednesday, June 6, 2018, when, after 35 years, Air Force special agents knocked on his door and arrested him for desertion.

There Might Be a Treasure Buried Under Portland, Oregon | History | Atlas Obscura

“It is an odd thing,” says research services manager Scott Daniels of manuscript number 2039, a scrap of creased and stained tracing cloth kept in the library’s climate-controlled vault. Unfolded, the document is 6 inches tall and 18 inches wide, covered from edge to edge on one side with long strings of blunt capital letters written in blue pencil, and a crude map sketched in blue and yellow.

Who Were the Warrior Women of Dahomey? | History | Atlas Obscura

The women of Dahomey played important roles in all aspects of kingdom life. Although the king had ultimate leadership, royal women made their mark in the world of politics, religion, and especially in the military. Atlas Obscura spoke with Larsen about the evolution of the women warriors of Dahomey, the ways in which they were portrayed in French media at the time, and what their legacy should be.

Are Earthship Homes the Answer? | Future | Atmos

For over 30 years, a group of sustainably-focused folks have been living off-the-grid in Earth-sheltered living in Taos, New Mexico. Now, the rest of the world wants to follow suit.

Startup Backed by Hemsworths, Paris Hilton Plans Tasmanian Tiger Revival | Science | Bloomberg

Executives with Colossal say that by bringing back the thylacine, Tasmanian Tiger, which was once widespread across mainland Australia and the islands of Tasmania and New Guinea, they can aid in efforts to re-balance Australian ecosystems that have suffered decades of sustained biodiversity loss.

James Webb Telescope Shows the Big Bang Didn’t Happen | Space | Mind Matters

In the flood of technical astronomical papers published online since July 12, the authors report again and again that the images show surprisingly many galaxies, galaxies that are surprisingly smooth, surprisingly small and surprisingly old. Lots of surprises, and not necessarily pleasant ones. One paper’s title begins with the candid exclamation: “Panic!”