  In this paper, we discuss Hochschild chain models for some of the string
topology operations. We use these models to simplify the proofs and
computations of some of the results in string topology. Along the way we also
make some new observations. We further discuss how nonnilpotent local level
homology classes with respect to the Chas-Sullivan and the Goresky-Hingston
product detect closed geodesics with optimal index growth rates.
