Welcome to Spring--though it is hard to see it just yet. My patio gardens are still frozen. I can't get a garden fork into them much less a spade. Oh, well--on the bright side, I think I saw a couple of tomato seedlings popping out of the starting pots. I will double check a bit later. It is still quite early here--not a glimmer of sunlight. Our cats keep waking us around 3:30. Having done their "job" they are now sleeping again.

This is interesting.  As the article notes, the insurance is of the "catastrophic" type that pays out if a big destructive event occurs and doesn't cover more persistent and continuing damage that can, over time, be just as devastating. And the author quite correctly notes that most people can't justify spending time and money on something when benefit to them, personally, doesn't smack them in the face.

Grist says the interesting lawsuit pitting a couple of California cities against the five largest oil companies centering on climate change begins this week. They have an interesting analysis here.

Another entry in the pharma/medical "gouge the patient" games. I am floored by the $1500/month costs for a anti-fungal cream, by the auto-renewal of the prescription without consulting the patient, by the company raiding a Health Reimbursement account without authorization from the patient. Our healthsickcare system is totally out of wack.