Oil companies drilling in the drought-ridden fields of southern Kansas are taking desperate measures to get the water they need to tap into the state's oil reserves.

Huge amounts of water are required to extract oil, especially when companies use hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, which requires millions of gallons of water to crack the shale rock and bring oil to the surface. But now that the entire state is in emergency drought status, with only 1.19 inches of rainfall last month - the 10th driest July on record - unprecedented water shortages are making it difficult for drillers to get the water they need.
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I have a problem. It's called pagophagia. I'm a compulsive ice eater.

While some people may crave chocolate and others can't function without coffee, my vice is ice. I'm not alone.

Recently, I was in the CNN cafeteria filling four (count 'em, four) 32-ounce cups chock full of ice (my morning ice run). A woman approached me and said, "Ah! Someone else who's crazy about ice!" She then pointed to a co-worker at the salad bar and said, "We meet up here each day to get our ice together."

Kumbaya! I had found more of my people, and we bonded over the ice machine.
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Sink your teeth into this week's top stories from around the globe.

• "Mr. Schwartz and his niece," "The Original Gangstas" and other service lingo from some of New York's top restaurants. - New York Times

• Nutty beef cookie! Nutty beef cookie! ...Nutty beef cookie? - Common Ground

• Free bird! Carole Morison, the contract chicken farmer for Perdue Farms in Food Inc., is now raising chickens without any fine print. - Fix Food

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Kate Krader (@kkrader on Twitter) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to find our culinary heart's desire, we listen up.

You’ve seen the omnipresent ads. Now get ready for the first Bourne movie without Jason Bourne.
 
And when we say, "get ready," we mean, "start thinking about your movie snack strategy." Whether or not you need something to get you through a Bourne installment that doesn’t include Matt Damon is your own decision. (Personally, we’re big fans of Jeremy Renner, too.)

Remember, The Bourne Legacy is one of the last big action films of the summer. According to a recent New York Times story, "More Bitter Pills than Popcorn," the fall movies are going to tackle tough issues. Exhibit A: Quentin Tarantino’s upcoming Django Unchained is a brutal tale about a former slave who hunts white plantation owners.

So we say, break out the popcorn (or your favorite popcorn alternative) now while it’s still summer and the action heroes are still on-screen in full force."
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While you're frying up some eggs and bacon, we're cooking up something else: a way to celebrate today's food holiday.

Marshmallows roasting on an open fire - August 10 is National S'mores Day!

This classic campfire sandwich is ooey, gooey and oh-so messy, so pack some extra napkins. Whether you like your marshmallow lightly toasted or charred to oblivion, salute today by chomping into the childhood favorite.
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Pssst! Got a sec to chat?

We are utterly thrilled when readers want to hang out and talk – whether it's amongst themselves or in response to pieces we've posted. We want Eatocracy to be a cozy, spirited online home for those who find their way here.
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