Quick hits: The last seltzer shop; it's not good to be lonely; time to go camping; 'Where's the beef?' . . .

Seltzer bottles (Photo by Juan Arredondo, The New York Times)

Would you like a sip of seltzer? What, pray tell, is seltzer? "A century ago, before it was called sparkling water or club soda, and before it was sold as LaCroix and Spindrift, it was called seltzer. No plastic bottles or aluminum cans magically appeared on grocery shelves. Instead, factories across New York City pumped fizzy water into heavy siphon bottles that were distributed by deliverymen," reports Corey Kilgannon of The New York Times. "Nearly all those seltzer men are gone now; one seltzer works remains."

What happened to all the veggie patties, vegan hot dogs, and sammies with impossible meat? The Washington Post editorial board has some ideas on "Why the fake meat fad fizzled out."

If you feel lonely, you're not alone. Americans might love "the lone wolf mystique" in movies, but it's unhealthy for most humans. "In reality, loneliness in America can be deadly," reports Ted Anthony of The Associated Press. "This month, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared it an American epidemic, saying that it takes as deadly a toll as smoking upon the population of the United States."

Devil's Island Lighthouse in the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
(Photo by Apostle Islands National Lakeshore via Wis. Public Radio)

The U.S. has 424 national park sites. They span more than 84 million acres, with parks in each state and extending into the territories, but park upkeep is not free; it's downright expensive. Here's how a couple of parks in Wisconsin are dealing with challenges and spending their federal dollars frugally.

The station that could: "For nearly 30 years, a little radio station started in the cornfields of rural Ohio made a name for itself. Now, more than a decade after it played its last song, it's doing that again," reports Liz Carey for The Daily Yonder. "At the end of May, WOXY, known to legions of fans as 97X, will resurrect its 'Modern Rock 500' one last time. It's a tribute, organizers said, to a small-town station that rocked the radio world, first locally, then nationally and beyond." 

Campers set up their tent at the base of the Cascade Mountains
in Oregon. (Photo by Chase Jarvis, Getty Images via National Geographic)

Summer ushers in lots of joys--including camping. Bugs, tents, views, swimming, bug bites, mosquitos, campers, lakes and more majestic scenery--here we come. Here's a way to plan "the ultimate adventure."