Hope you are having a good Wednesday.  Let's see what is out there in 'net land.

I noticed a couple of years ago that a number of needlework sites were touting the virtues of yarns made from bamboo fibers.  I got to see and touch a some at a local yarn shop and it was wonderfully soft.  Too expensive for me and I didn't have any crochet projects in mind so I didn't buy any.  But I was definitely intrigued.  A couple of days ago Mom saw a story on fines levied against several major retailers for selling products advertised as made from bamboo but which were really rayon.  Here is another story I found this morning.  Bamboo fiber is attractive for environmental reasons and has been touted as a green alternative.  However, this site has some interesting information on that issue.

I noted yesterday (and some of our mainstream media has picked up the story) that Australia's weather service has issued a new color code on their maps for temperatures exceeding 130F.  Well, this little story by way of DutchNews confirms the notion that 2013 has picked up where 2012 left off weather wise.  Our weather people say we might hit low 50s tomorrow and will get to the mid 40s today.  Our low last night exceed the normal high for this date.

Just spent a bit of time poking around in the gardens.  So far the winter hasn't been harsh enough to kill off the kale and cabbage I left out there.  The tansy and pyrethrum are showing crisp green as are the lavender and sage.  Looks like they will come back well.  So do the German thyme cuttings I rooted last fall.  I didn't dig under the remaining snow to look at the variegated marjoram and oregano so I can't report on them.  Over the last week I lost the last of the patchouli cuttings.  They just wilted away. A bit of a disappointment because they had looked so strong.  I really do need to get off my duff and get my seed orders in.  And I have to remind myself of last year when we had those almost summer highs in March and then a cruelly cold April.  Don't be hasty as Treebeard said so frequently in the Two Towers.

Several news stories concerned this piece of assholery.  One of the experts interviewed on one news broadcast noted that the only reason the shareholders have anything at all is because the government took 92% of the company.  They claim the terms were 'onerous'.  Compared to what?? Going belly up?

Gene Logsdon has a cute post today on the cost of water.  He's right.  They (whoever they are) probably do call it progress.

And here is an amusing little piece from Switzerland.  Now if only we could get relief from student loan debts within our lifetimes I would say progress has been made.