Someone Else's Money

If you do nothing else today -- and I mean this -- please listen to this episode of This American Life from the other week on the insurance industry and our current national health insurance debacle. You'll be enlightened and entertained in equal measure, I promise you.

Also? Bonus reason to listen: David Kestenbaum, who I dated back in the 90s, is one of the correspondents who has a segment in this particular episode [waves to David].

This week, we bring you a deeper look inside the health insurance industry. The dark side of prescription drug coupons. A story about Pet Health Insurance, which is in its infancy, and how it is changing human behaviors—for example, if you have the pet health insurance, you bring your pet to the vet more often, and the vet makes more money and...well, you can see the parallels. And insurance company jargon, frighteningly decoded.

This American Life, "Someone Else's Money"

(If you want to also listen to the previous week's episode, which was the first part of this two-part series on the health insurance industry, go here: This American Life, "More Is Less")

In other news of the day, I received notification that the final legal paperwork went through and that Sweetney is officially trademarked. Oh wait, let me do that again: Sweetney™ is officially trademarked. heh. I know you're not impressed. But for me, a landmark in the life of this blog. [throws streamers, confetti]